Designing polymers that mimic biomolecules.

A new field is emerging. Chemists are beginning to synthesize polymers with properties that are similar to those of proteins and RNA. Recent studies have identified oligomer backbones that form stable secondary structures. It is now possible to assemble specific sequences of diverse monomer sets into chain lengths that are nearly sufficient for tertiary structure formation. Such molecules will teach us how natural biopolymers fold; they will also enable us to design synthetic heteropolymers with novel structures and desirable functions.