Nucleic Acid-Modified Nanostructures as Programmable Atom Equivalents: Forging a New “Table of Elements”

The establishment of the Periodic Table of the elements almost 150 years ago was the first step towards transforming how scientists organized and understood the elemental building blocks of matter. Before its introduction, elements were viewed as separate and independent entities, each with their own unique set of properties. In 1996, the author introduced the concept of a nucleic acid-nanoparticle conjugate that could be used as a “programmable atom equivalent” (PAE) to build higher ordered materials through deliberately designed hybridization events. Initial research focused both on developing these constructs and understanding their fundamental behavior, as well as applications in small molecule and biomolecule sensing and diagnostics. To more rationally think about rapidly growing knowledge of nanoparticle superlattice design and synthesis, the author often liken the nanoparticle-based PAEs to elements that fill the Periodic Table. However, PAEs are defined according to their nanoscale architectural features as opposed to their electronic properties.