DNA Guides Chemical Reactions for Greener Drug Production
Researchers at the National University of Singapore (NUS) have discovered a novel application for DNA: acting as a guide for efficient and enduring chemical reactions, particularly in the creation of pharmaceuticals. This breakthrough demonstrates that DNA, beyond its role as a carrier of genetic information, can function as a tool to precisely control the formation of complex molecules.
Many medications are chiral, existing as mirror-image forms (like left and right hands) with potentially vastly different effects in the body. Producing only the therapeutically beneficial form is a significant challenge. The NUS team, led by Assistant Professor Zhu Ru-Yi, has shown that specific regions of DNA – its phosphate groups – can act like tiny “hands,” directing chemical reactions to favor the creation of a single, desired mirror-image compound.
The research leverages the natural attraction between DNA’s negatively charged phosphates and positively charged molecules. The team found that these phosphate groups can draw in reacting molecules, aligning them for a precise interaction through a process called “ion pairing.” This ensures the reaction produces the correct molecular structure. This guiding affect was successfully demonstrated across multiple chemical reactions.
To identify the key phosphate groups responsible for this control, the researchers developed a technique called “PS scanning,” systematically substituting individual phosphate sites and observing the impact on reaction selectivity. These experimental findings were further validated through computer simulations conducted in collaboration with Professor Zhang Xinglong from The Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Published in Nature Catalysis on October 31, 2025, this work reveals that DNA phosphates, though not naturally used as catalysts, can be engineered to function as artificial enzymes. Assistant Professor Zhu notes this revelation has the potential to revolutionize chemical manufacturing, making it more sustainable and efficient, especially for complex and valuable pharmaceuticals.
The team is now focused on exploring the use of DNA phosphates in the design and production of chiral compounds for the development of next-generation drugs.
