Size-dependent trajectories of DNA macromolecules due to insulative dielectrophoresis in submicrometer-deep fluidic channels

Gea O.F. Parikesit, Anton P. Markesteijn, Oana M. Piciu, Andre Bossche, Jerry Westerweel, Ian T. Young, Yuval Garini

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

51 Scopus citations

Abstract

In this paper, we demonstrate for the first time that insulative dielectrophoresis can induce size-dependent trajectories of DNA macromolecules. We experimentally use λ (48.5 kbp) and T4GT7 (165.6 kbp) DNA molecules flowing continuously around a sharp corner inside fluidic channels with a depth of 0.4 μm. Numerical simulation of the electrokinetic force distribution inside the channels is in qualitative agreement with our experimentally observed trajectories. We discuss a possible physical mechanism for the DNA polarization and dielectrophoresis inside confining channels, based on the observed dielectrophoresis responses due to different DNA sizes and various electric fields applied between the inlet and the outlet. The proposed physical mechanism indicates that further extensive investigations, both theoretically and experimentally, would be very useful to better elucidate the forces involved at DNA dielectrophoresis. When applied for size-based sorting of DNA molecules, our sorting method offers two major advantages compared to earlier attempts with insulative dielectrophoresis: Its continuous operation allows for highthroughput analysis, and it only requires electric field strengths as low as ∼10 V/cm.

Original languageEnglish
Article number024103
JournalBiomicrofluidics
Volume2
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - 6 May 2008

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