This paper describes the immobilization of bioactive molecules on titanium based surfaces through a combination of nano-mechanical fixation of nucleic acid anchor strands (ASs) by partial and regioselective incorporation within an anodic oxide layer and their hybridization with complementary strands (CSs) intended to be conjugated to bioactive molecules. We focus on the interaction between the substrate surface and the anchor strands, the integrity of ASs and their hybridization ability. The observed dependence of adsorption on pH suggests that initial interaction of terminally phosphorylated ASs with the substrate surface is mediated by electrostatic interaction. Using ASs labelled with (32)P at different termini, it could be shown that strand breaks occur, which are attributed (i) to the formation of reactive oxygen species during anodic polarization, (ii) the photocatalytic activity of the titanium oxide and (iii) drying effects. Damage to AS could be considerably reduced if the electrolyte contained 5 mol l(-1) ethanol, light was excluded during the experimental procedure, and the number of drying and rewetting steps was minimized. A total surface density of AS of 4.5 pmol cm(-2) was reached and could be hybridized to CS with an efficiency of up to 100%. A non-complementary strand (NS) bound with less than 0.5% of the amount of CS under similar conditions. Therefore, non-specific binding of CS is considered as negligible.