DNA and RNA incorporation into minerals: from origin of life to gene therapy

The interaction between DNA and biominerals is of key importance, as over the centuries it is known to enable the preservation of the organic molecules, encoding the hereditary information, and even give hints to origin of life. Herein, we propose to study the interaction of CaCO3 with nucleotides – the building blocks of DNA and RNA and to study how they get incorporate into the lattice of CaCO3 and what is the affect of this incorporation on the lattice. HR-PXRD measurements will allow us to study the interaction of single nucleotides as well as full DNA strands with inorganic CaCO3 crystals. We will be able to unravel the parameters which govern the incorporation of such molecules into the inorganic crystalline structure. This research can elucidate how such interaction enables the preservation of DNA over the years, as well as the use of CaCO3 in gene-realted medical applications such as gene targeting.