DNA Doppelgängers: Scientists Develop Artificial Molecules With Life-Like Properties

Scientists have created artificial double-helical complexes with properties that allow for controllable chirality switching.
DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is the molecular system responsible for carrying genetic information in living organisms, utilizing its two helical strands to transcribe and amplify this information. Scientists are highly interested in developing artificial molecular systems that can match or even exceed the functionality of DNA. Double-helical foldamers represent one such promising molecular system.

Helical foldamers are a class of artificial molecules that fold into well-defined helical structures like helices found in proteins and nucleic acids. They have garnered considerable attention as stimuli-responsive switchable molecules, tuneable chiral materials, and cooperative supramolecular systems due to their chiral and conformational switching properties.