A recent University News Service article on the DNA-stretching research being performed by Professor Albena Ivanisevic and Dorjderem Nyamjav was picked up by innovations-report.com and featured on their website. The article showcased research in which an instrument called an atomic force microscope and a device called a cantilever were used to lay down lines of polymer in a process called dip-pen nanolithography. Each of the lines of polymer is about as wide as 100 nanometers, and each centimeter-square chip contains numerous templates. The positively charged polymer has the opposite charge as DNA, so when the genetic material is dropped onto the chip, it is attracted to the lines automatically. Then the researchers used a syringe to drag the DNA, uncoiling the strands along the template surface. This work could lead to the ability to stretch DNA molecules in specific locations on electronic chips, which is critical in harnessing the storage capacity of DNA for future computers.

Findings about the research are detailed in a paper that will appear in an upcoming issue of the Journal of Advanced Materials.

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The full article is available at: http://www.innovationsreport.com/html/reports/information_technology/report-22281.html