Tools for the Biomolecular Engineer

As traditional "top-down" approaches to device fabrication are reaching their limits, "bottom-up" approaches based on the assembly of individual molecules are receiving increasing attention. Biomolecules such as DNA are particularly promising because of their specific recognition capabilities. In his Perspective, [Niemeyer][1] highlights the molecular lithography approach developed by [ Keren et al .][2] Combined with protein bioengineering, molecular lithography provides a new, powerful tool for using DNA in future nanometer-scale devices. [1]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/297/5578/62 [2]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/short/297/5578/72