title: Single-molecule detection of DNA hybridization.
abstract: We demonstrate the detection of nanometer-scale conformational changes of single DNA oligomers through a micromechanical technique. The quantity monitored is the displacement of a micrometer-size bead tethered to a surface by the probe molecule undergoing the conformational change. This technique allows probing of conformational changes within distances beyond the range of fluorescence resonance energy transfer. We apply the method to detect single hybridization events of label-free target oligomers. Hybridization of the target is detected through the conformational change of the probe.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1547, USA.
authors.forename: Mukta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Singh-Zocchi
authors.forename: Sanhita
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dixit
authors.forename: Vassili
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ivanov
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zocchi
mesh_terms: D055592:Biophysical Phenomena; D001703:Biophysics; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D031541:Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D055672:Static Electricity; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D012965:Sodium Chloride; D004247:DNA