Preview: Small 7/2006

The cover picture describes the use of cellular machinery, in a cell-free environment, for the generation of complex DNA structures.Individual DNA molecules (green) were bound to microtubules (red), which were allowed to glide over a kinesin-coated surface.As the other ends of the DNA were specifically attached to micropatterned gold substrates, the motor forces induced DNA stretching (see inset) and network formation.The results serve as a proof-ofprinciple that biological machineries can be used in vitro to accomplish the parallel formation of highly structured DNA templates, which may have application in biophysics and nanoelectronics.For more information please read "Parallel Manipulation of Bifunctional DNA Molecules on Structured Surfaces using Kinesin-Driven Microtubules" by M. Mertig, S. Diez, and co-workers in Issue 8/9 of Small (Franziska Friedrich is kindly acknowledged for her assistance with the cover picture).