DNA stretching on one-sided carbon nanotube (CNT) walls in microchannels. (11th March 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hsieh, Shou-Shing; Chen, Jyun-Hong; Lin, Chih-Yi; Li, Shih-Yang
• Is Part Of: Journal of physics. Volume 48:Number 13(2015)
• Publication Date: 2015-03-11
• Subjects: DNA stretching -- carbon nanotube wall -- total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy; Physics -- Periodicals; 530
• DOI: 10.1088/0022-3727/48/13/135401
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-3727

Abstract

Abstract: Completely stretched DNA molecules are becoming an important topic to advance our fundamental understanding of the physical and biological properties of DNA. In this study, λ phage DNA molecules are stretched on multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) films on the wall surfaces in a microchannel and measured through the total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy visualization/measuring technique. With DNA stretching in a definite direction, it is expected that a higher stretch ratio will be obtained. Real-time images show that the stretch ratio of the λ phage DNA molecules on the MWCNT walls reaches about 0.7 (relative to its contour length) at a low electrical field strength of 5 kV m −1, which is significantly higher than without the MWCNT-deposited film. Special attention is paid to the effect of the MWCNT film thickness, the channel size, in terms of the aspect ratio of the channel cross-section and channel length, and different electrical field strengths.