The highly specific base pairing of DNA serves not only as the genetic code for life but also as the building block in the design of novel materials owing to its remarkable features. In the last decade significant research has focused on using DNA as a synthetically programmable binding motif for the preparation of new materials with preconceived architectural parameters and properties. Such materials have led to the development of new biological detection schemes, novel nanostructures, and the construction of nanoelectronic devices. Recently, polymer chemistry and molecular biology have...