title: Macroscopic liquid crystal response to isolated DNA helices.
abstract: Nematic liquid crystals (LC) were exposed to isolated DNA molecules extended on a surface that imparted a negligible influence on the LC orientation. Although single-stranded DNA aligned the LC in the extension direction, double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) caused alignment at an oblique angle, providing a characteristic response to the chiral dsDNA helix that was readily observed optically. The intrinsic amplification due to LC orientational correlations enabled a macroscopic visible response to a single molecule of extended dsDNA.
authors: Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA.
authors: Stephanie M
authors: SM
authors: Malone
authors: Daniel K
authors: DK
authors: Schwartz
mesh_terms: D010582:Bacteriophage lambda / Q000737:chemistry; D004247:DNA / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D050866:Liquid Crystals / Q000737:chemistry*; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D010316:Particle Size; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D004247:DNA