Electrical conductance of DNA molecules with varied density of itinerant pi electrons

J Chem Phys. 2006 Jun 21;124(23):234702. doi: 10.1063/1.2209238.

Abstract

The electrical transport of DNA is closely related to the density of itinerant pi electrons because of the strong electron-lattice interaction. The resistivities of two typical DNA molecules [poly(dG)-poly(dC) and lambda-DNA] with varied densities of itinerant pi electrons are calculated. It is found that the dependence of the resistivity on the density of itinerant pi electrons is symmetrical about the half-filling state of itinerant pi electrons in poly(dG)-poly(dC). At the half-filling state, the Peierls phase transition takes place and poly(dG)-poly(dC) has a large resistivity. When the density of itinerant pi electrons departs far from the half-filling state, the resistivity of poly(dG)-poly(dC) becomes small. For lambda-DNA, there is no Peierls phase transition due to the aperiodicity of its base pair arrangement. The resistivity of poly(dG)-poly(dC) decreases with increasing length of the molecular chain, but the resistivity of lambda-DNA increases with increasing length. The conducting mechanisms for poly(dG)-poly(dC) and a few lambda-DNA molecules with varied densities of itinerant pi electrons are analyzed.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bacteriophage lambda / chemistry
  • DNA / chemistry*
  • DNA, Viral / chemistry
  • Electric Conductivity*
  • Electrons*
  • Models, Theoretical*

Substances

  • DNA, Viral
  • DNA