title: The study of genomic DNA adsorption and subsequent interactions using total internal reflection ellipsometry.
abstract: The adsorption of genomic DNA and subsequent interactions between adsorbed and solvated DNA was studied using a novel sensitive optical method of total internal reflection ellipsometry (TIRE), which combines spectroscopic ellipsometry with surface plasmon resonance (SPR). Single strands of DNA of two species of fish (herring and salmon) were electrostatically adsorbed on top of polyethylenimine films deposited upon gold coated glass slides. The ellipsometric spectra were recorded and data fitting utilized to extract optical parameters (thickness and refractive index) of adsorbed DNA layers. The further adsorption of single stranded DNA from an identical source, i.e. herring ss-DNA on herring ss-DNA or salmon ss-DNA on salmon ss-DNA, on the surface was observed to give rise to substantial film thickness increases at the surface of about 20-21 nm. Conversely adsorption of DNA from alternate species, i.e. salmon ss-DNA on herring ss-DNA or herring ss-DNA on salmon ss-DNA, yielded much smaller changes in thickness of 3-5 nm. AFM studies of the surface roughness of adsorbed layers were in line with the TIRE data.
authors.affiliation: Sheffield Hallam University, Materials and Engineering Research Institute, Sheffield S1 1WB, UK.
authors.forename: Alexei
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nabok
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tsargorodskaya
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Séamus P J
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Higson
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D015374:Biosensing Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry*; D007700:Kinetics; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D013057:Spectrum Analysis; D055672:Static Electricity; D020349:Surface Plasmon Resonance
chemical_list: D004247:DNA