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New magnetic tweezers for investigation of the mechanical properties of single DNA molecules

Chi-Han Chiou, Yu-Yen Huang, Meng-Han Chiang, Huei-Huang Lee and Gwo-Bin Lee1

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This study reports new three-dimensional (3D) micromachined magnetic tweezers consisting of micro-electromagnets and a ring-trap structure, fabricated using MEMS (micro-electro-mechanical systems) technology, for manipulating a single 2 nm diameter DNA molecule. The new apparatus uses magnetic forces to exert over 20 pN with less heating, allowing the extension of the DNA molecule over its whole contour length to investigate its entropic and elastic regions. To improve the localized DNA immobilization efficiency, a novel ring-trapper structure was used to handle the vertical movement of magnetic beads which were adhered to the DNA molecules. One extremity of the DNA molecule, which was bound to the thiol-modified magnetic bead, could be immobilized covalently on a gold surface. The other extremity, which was bound to another unmodified magnetic bead, could be manipulated under a magnetic field generated by micro-electromagnets. The important elastic modulus of DNA has been explored to be 453 pN at a low ionic strength. This result reveals that DNA becomes more susceptible to elastic elongation at a low ionic strength due to electrostatic repulsion. The force–extension curve for DNA molecules is found to be consistent with theoretical models. In addition to a single DNA stretching, this study also successfully demonstrates the stretching of two parallel DNA molecules.


PACS

87.14.G- Nucleic acids

87.15.H- Dynamics of biomolecules

85.85.+j Micro- and nano-electromechanical systems (MEMS/NEMS) and devices

87.50.C- Static and low-frequency electric and magnetic fields effects

87.15.B- Structure of biomolecules

87.15.La Mechanical properties

Subjects

Electronics and devices

Medical physics

Biological physics

Nanoscale science and low-D systems

Dates

Issue 5 (14 March 2006)

Received 4 October 2005, in final form 3 January 2006

Published 7 February 2006



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