Nano Wire Cutters

Press release on work done at Purdue University (with reference to forthcoming article) on coating DNA molecules with magnetic nanoparticles. The interesting thing about this work is that the researchers have embedded various restriction sites into the substrate DNA, which allows them to "snip" DNA wires of varying lengths. Presumably, if sticky-ended restriction enzymes are used, with correct strand design (and perhaps use of tiles, such as those developed by Ned Seeman) one could facilitate self-assembly of these wires into larger structures (nano-chainmail, anyone? ;)