title: DNA transport by a micromachined Brownian ratchet device.
abstract: We have micromachined a silicon-chip device that transports DNA with a Brownian ratchet that rectifies the Brownian motion of microscopic particles. Transport properties for a DNA 50-mer agree with theoretical predictions, and the DNA diffusion constant agrees with previous experiments. This type of micromachine could provide a generic pump or separation component for DNA or other charged species as part of a microscale lab-on-a-chip. A device with reduced feature size could produce a size-based separation of DNA molecules, with applications including the detection of single-nucleotide polymorphisms.
authors.affiliation: CuraGen Corporation, 555 Long Wharf Drive, New Haven, CT 06511, USA. jsbader@curagen.com
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Bader
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Hammond
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Henck
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Deem
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: McDermott
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Bustillo
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Simpson
authors.forename: G T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Mulhern
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Rothberg
mesh_terms: D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D004058:Diffusion; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
chemical_list: D004247:DNA