AVS 53rd International Symposium
    Nucleic Acids at Surfaces Topical Conference Monday Sessions
       Session DN-MoA

Paper DN-MoA2
Transport of DNA in Porous Silicon-Based Microarrays by an External Potential Gradient

Monday, November 13, 2006, 2:20 pm, Room 2014

Session: Nucleic Acids at Surfaces II
Presenter: R. Yamaguchi, Tohoku University, Japan
Authors: R. Yamaguchi, Tohoku University, Japan
K. Ishibashi, Tohoku University, Japan
K. Miyamoto, Tohoku University, Japan
Y. Kimura, Tohoku University, Japan
M. Niwano, Tohoku University, Japan
Correspondent: Click to Email
We have previously proposed a porous Si (por-Si) DNA microarray in which DNA hybridization can be detected on por-Si layers by infrared (IR) microspetroscopy. Since por-Si has a quite large effective surface area, we can immobilize a great number of DNA molecules in a small surface area on the array surface, which facilitate high-sensitive detection of DNA hybridization on a small area. In our previous work, we showed that DNA hybridization can be monitored through infrared absorption spectral profiles in the region of the base vibration modes. However, the disadvantage of our method is that it takes several hours to put DNA molecules into the por-Si nanopores. In this study, therefore, we have investigated a method of transporting DNA molecules through the nanopores by an externally applied potential. We utilized a tiny solution cell which is separated into two compartments by a plate of por-Si microarray. One of the compartments was filled with single stranded DNA solution, and the other was filled with pure water. We applied electrical potential between the two compartments. As a result, we found that in the presence of an external potential, DNA molecules quickly moved through the por-Si nanopores, and DNA molecules were condensed in the por-Si layers with high efficiency. This suggests that the efficiency of DNA hybridization can be improved by applying an external potential gradient to the DNA microarray.