Molecular Origami: Designing Functional Molecules of the Future

Abstract

In the field of chemical biology, DNA origami has been actively researched. This technique, which involves folding DNA strands like origami to assemble them into desired shapes, has made it possible to create complex nanometer-sized structures, marking a major breakthrough in nanotechnology. On the other hand, controlling the folding mechanisms and folded structures of proteins or shorter peptides has been challenging. However, recent advances in techniques such as protein origami, peptide origami, and de novo design peptides have made it possible to construct various nanoscale structures and create functional molecules. These approaches suggest the emergence of new molecular design principles, which can be termed “molecular origami”. In this review, we provide an overview of recent research trends in protein/peptide origami and DNA/RNA origami and explore potential future applications of molecular origami technologies in electrochemical biosensors.

Keywords

• molecular origami
• protein origami
• peptide origami
• DNA origami
• biosensor