Dielectrophoresis of poly AT and poly GC DNA Nanomanipulation

Dielectrophoresis (DEP) is the induced motion of polarizable particles in non-uniform electric fields. Used for many years for the manipulation of particles from cell-scale to macromolecules, we present here the application of the technique for manipulation of DNA containing only adenine-thymine (poly AT) bases, and that of DNA containing only cytosine-guanine (poly GC), using microfabricated electrode structures. Poly AT was stained with DAPI and JOJO-1 for poly GC DNA. It was found that there were differences between the frequency-dependent DEP behavior of the two molecules; when looking at the difference between the two types on crossover frequency (the point where DEP changes from attractive to repulsive), it was found that they varied by up to a factor of 2. This points to possible insigns in the charge conduction mechanism in different DNA forms, as well as potential new mechanisms for gene separations and sequencing.