Intricate crystals made with DNA

The most complex synthetic nanoparticle crystal ever made has been created using DNA and gold. Researchers have used gold nanoparticles and DNA "smart glue" to assemble intricate clathrate-crystal structures. There are many aspects of nature that scientists struggle to emulate in a laboratory. This includes a huge array of complex crystal structures such as clathrates. These cage-like lattices comprise polyhedral clusters and pores that can house small molecules. Such structures are useful for environmental applications where pollutants can be held within the pores. Recreating clathrates using nanoparticles is difficult because it relies upon precise nanoparticle shapes and dimensions. Yet a group of experimentalists and computer simulators has been able to both make and model the exact structure and assembly process when using gold nanoparticles and DNA glue.