Compression and free expansion of single DNA molecules in nanochannels

Compression and free expansion of single DNA molecules in nanochannels

We investigated compression and ensuing expansion of long DNA molecules confined in nanochannels. Transverse confinement of DNA molecules in the nanofluidic channels leads to elongation of their unconstrained equilibrium configuration. The extended molecules were compressed by electrophoretically dr...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Physical review letters Vol. 95; no. 26; pp. 268101.1 - 268101.4
Main Authors: RECCIUS, Christian Hermann, MANNION, John Thomas, CROSS, Joshua David, CRAIGHEAD, H. G
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Ridge, NY American Physical Society 31-12-2005
Subjects:
Analytical, structural and metabolic biochemistry
Biological and medical sciences
Compressive Strength
Computer Simulation
DNA - chemistry
DNA - ultrastructure
Elasticity
Electrophoresis - methods
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
General aspects, investigation methods
Microfluidic Analytical Techniques - methods
Micromanipulation - methods
Models, Chemical
Models, Molecular
Nanotechnology - methods
Nucleic Acid Conformation
Nucleic acids
Stress, Mechanical
Electrophoresis
Compression
Dilatation
DNA
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:We investigated compression and ensuing expansion of long DNA molecules confined in nanochannels. Transverse confinement of DNA molecules in the nanofluidic channels leads to elongation of their unconstrained equilibrium configuration. The extended molecules were compressed by electrophoretically driving them into porelike constrictions inside the nanochannels. When the electric field was turned off, the DNA strands expanded. This expansion, the dynamics of which has not previously been observable in artificial systems, is explained by a model that is a variation of de Gennes's polymer model.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-1
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
ObjectType-Feature-2
content type line 23
ISSN:0031-9007
1079-7114
DOI:10.1103/physrevlett.95.268101