Dna electrophoresis in microlithographic arrays

ABSTRACT WE have used optical microlithography to fabricate capped quasi-two-dimensional obstacle courses in SiO2. We report here observations using epifluorescence microscopy of the

electrophoresis and length fractionation of large DNA molecules confined in arrays. Simple reptation theory, based on the work of deGennes1, predicts that at low electric fields the

electrophoretic mobility of a polymer of length _L_ much greater than the persistence length _p_ scales inversely with _L_ (ref. 2). But elongation of the coil in the matrix at sufficiently

strong electric fields3 results in a length-independent electrophoretic mobility4,5. The application of suitably timed pulsed electric fields restores the fractionating power of gels for

long molecules6 but the protocols of pulsed-field electrophoresis are semi-empirical because the complex and ill-understood gel matrix plays a critical role in fractionation.

Microlithographically constructed obstacle arrays, with their low dimensionality, small volume and extremely reproducible topography, will make it possible to understand the motion and

fractionation of large polymer molecules in complex but well characterized topologies. Access through your institution Buy or subscribe This is a preview of subscription content, access via

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INFORMATION AUTHORS AND AFFILIATIONS * Department of Physics, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, 08544, USA W. D. Volkmuth & R. H. Austin Authors * W. D. Volkmuth View author

publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * R. H. Austin View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar RIGHTS AND

PERMISSIONS Reprints and permissions ABOUT THIS ARTICLE CITE THIS ARTICLE Volkmuth, W., Austin, R. DNA electrophoresis in microlithographic arrays. _Nature_ 358, 600–602 (1992).

https://doi.org/10.1038/358600a0 Download citation * Received: 19 March 1992 * Accepted: 10 June 1992 * Issue Date: 13 August 1992 * DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/358600a0 SHARE THIS ARTICLE

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