Research

These synthetic analogs could interact with natural nucleic acids or proteins and function as therapeutic, diagnostic, or drug delivery agents. Scientists have also used them to make materials with adhesive, self-healing, or stimuli-responsive properties. Another emerging area of interest is using them to store data.

There isn't one single answer and scientists have developed different approaches that emulate different characteristics of nucleic acids. For us, the defining characteristics of nucleic acids is that they contain nucleobase (A, T/U, C, and G) arranged in sequence. There are many other important characteristics of DNA/RNA, and it may not be necessary or beneficial to emulate them. 

Making commodity polymer and plastic degradable can help alleviate plastic pollution - a global problem that is affecting the well-being of people and life on earth. One of most promising strategy that balances cost, performance, and environmental impact is to make polymer that incorporate a small but critical proportion of cleavable bonds.