The Double Helix -a DNA model with lights

DNA models have been made from a lot of different things; candy, Styrofoam, KNEX, etc. I've even made a couple of models myself from beads, but surely there should be a model made from LEDs....

Step 1: What you will need:

Materials:

• Base or stand -I used a dollar store jewelry box made of wood.
• LEDs -5 different colours 20 total,8 white and 3 each of the other colours.
• The appropriate resistors.
• Power supply, with enough voltage to power the circuit (I used a 9v adapter).
• Wires -white preferably
• Electrical tape -white preferably
• On/off switch.
• Floral stem wire (18 gauge)
• #6 plastic (polystyrene) -it is the clear plastic often used in takeout containers.
• Clear vinyl tubing ~2 feet long, 7/16 inch diameter.

Tools:

• Soldering iron, solder etc.
• Scissors, and X-acto knife.
• Drill, Dremel
• Sandpaper
• Glue (Weldbond)
• Toaster oven, oven mitt and parchment paper

Comments

[silvermoon929]

what type of resistors do we need???? because im searching online and it turns out that there are a bunch of different types

[ChrysN]

You need to calculate which one you need based on the voltage of the LEDs and power source that you need. You can calculate it on this site(http://ledcalc.com/ ).

[lexkeepsitsimple]

This is amazing. You guys on this site are so bright and talented. I love instructables... I only wish I could make a lamp like this with no power tools or solder.

[ChrysN]

Thanks, I see that you are new to the site, I'm glad you like it. I am actually really terrible at soldering and nearly gave up few times on this project. You may be able to make something similar with Christmas lights. As for power tools, I just use a Dremel, I don't really have the space to use anything bigger.

[canucksgirl]

ChrysN this looks spectacular!

Penolopy Bulnick was wise to use your ible as the main image for "Teaching Tools: Biology Edition" as it sure got my attention. :D

Great job.

[ChrysN]

Thanks!

[mastermind007]

congratulations, its nice but you forgot to include one major point in the watson-crick dna double helix model..
-there are 10 nitrogenous base pairing every one full turn of the double helix.
anyway, nice work.. :)

[butcher_pro]

thankz a lot, i presented this as a skool project, absolute A !!!
well, in mexico that grade translates to 10 ; )
first pic is the chain, second pic shows nitrogened bases, and third pic is both at the same time, i putted 2 buttons to switch betwen ligths!
anywaz, thanks a lot man!!!

:D

[ChrysN]

Excellent, thanks for posting your pictures!

[eulaliaaaa!]

GO DIOXYRIBONUCLEIC ACID!!!!

[butcher_pro]

thanks for the project and the explanation, i was dying to find out how to do it, i didnt follow as planned cuz in mexico u cant find the right leds, but i did my best and it went so good, thanks again for uploading!!!

[ChrysN]

Glad you liked it, feel free to post a picture of yours.

[its2l8men]

i like to have dis for my science project, my classmates are gonna freak out with this one its so beautiful

[kykypy3o]

The  CAT !!! )))

[LoboNR]

ey man congratulations for the art DNA model
it's really very nice
could you send me the diagramm that you used to the conections??
i'm just learning about leds and i'm not very good.
however i wanna try to make this project

thank you and congrutalations again


my e-mail adress is  [e-mail]

[lamyae]

Excuse me, i just want to know plz is there a possibility to contact u plz, i need to do the DNA model in the next weeks and i loved ur model, and i want to know some steps more detailed than u wrote:) can u plz contact me on my email [e-mail] plz, and thank u

[Demoni0]

Really good!! is time to make art!!! thank you.

And want your cat is beautyfull ^, ;)

[mrdepo96]

Looks amazing! (Your cat has no legs!)

[mrdepo96]

sorry if your cat actually has no legs*

[ChrysN]

Now that you mention it, it does look like they are missing. He does have legs though, they are tucked under him somewhere.

[Carlos Marmo]

Wonderful Work! Congratulations!

[ChrysN]

Thanks!

[theophrastus]

very artistic, but you do know that DNA is a normally a right-handed helix, (as opposed to the left-handed one depicted)? ah well, it's still very shiny!

[ChrysN]

Oops, I guess that would make it a Z-DNA model.

[verticalfuzz]

what an excellent project!! accurate down to the hydrogen bonds! was this done for a school project, or are you genuinely interested in genetics?

[ChrysN]

I'm a little old for school projects, but I do work in a Cytogenetics lab where we deal with chromosomes and DNA.

[Istarian]

You should adjust this so you can use controllable rgb leds, then you can color code for DNA bases and be able to make it a lit up of a given string of DNA. It would be a bit pricey, but very cool.

[ChrysN]

That sounds really cool.

[verticalfuzz]

sweet dude! where do you work? I have interned for several summers doing genetic analysis work at UFL's Interdisciplinary Center for Biotechnology Research. where do you work? what sort of projects do you encounter on a day-to-day basis? part of me wants to be a geneticist. what was your major in college? I am going to be a college freshie in august, so any direction is a good place to start!

[ChrysN]

I'll PM you.

[Sparkplug]

dang i wish i could have seen this one a couple of months ago. My Bio teacher was offering extra credit for anyone who made a DNA model, especially one that lights up.

[Serial-Cricket]

That is very cool. 5*

[ChrysN]

Thanks!

[Serial-Cricket]

Yw

[wupme]

the cat looks like "this better be worth my time" lol. Anyway nice idea, and i think next month i'm gonna make something like that for my roomfountain, but only if i got enough spare money :(

[ChrysN]

Yeah, my cats always jealous when I'm spending to much time on my projects.

[TheTrustedOne]

Please done use electrical tape, it's horrible for electronics, ironically, use heat shrink tubing to ensure a neat permanent bond

[ChrysN]

Thanks, I'll have to remember that for future projects.

[kelseymh]

That is really amazing. It's rare to see DNA models built with the actual molecular bond shapes. The writeup and the science orientation are a welcome addition! Someone beat me to the Feature flag, but at least I got to rate it :-)

I wonder how hard it would be to wire up the hydrogen-bonds with small pin connectors (like Burndy's) so that the LEDs would only illuminate when complementary bases were joined. This would make a really cool kit...

[ChrysN]

That sounds like a cool idea, turn it into a teaching tool.