Electrical conduction through poly(dA)-poly(dT) and poly(dG)-poly(dC) DNA molecules

Phys Rev Lett. 2001 Nov 5;87(19):198102. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.87.198102. Epub 2001 Oct 23.

Abstract

We report direct measurements of electrical transport through poly(dA)-poly(dT) and poly(dG)-poly(dC) DNA molecules containing identical base pairs. The observed experimental results suggest that electrical transport through DNA molecules occurs by polaron hopping. We have also investigated the effect of gate voltage on the current-voltage curve. It demonstrates the possibility of a DNA field-effect transistor operating at room temperature. Moreover, the gate-voltage dependent transport measurements show that poly(dA)-poly(dT) behaves as an n-type semiconductor, whereas poly(dG)-poly(dC) behaves as a p-type semiconductor.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • DNA / chemistry*
  • Electric Conductivity
  • Electron Transport
  • Polydeoxyribonucleotides / chemistry*
  • Temperature

Substances

  • Polydeoxyribonucleotides
  • poly(dG).poly(dC)
  • polydeoxyadenylic acid-polythymidylic acid
  • DNA