DNA Separation on a Chip by Lateral Electric Fields

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AbstractProposal Title: DNA Separation on a Chip by Lateral Electric FieldsProposal Number: CTS-0302271Principal Investigator: Anuj ChauhanInstitution: University of FloridaThe objective of this project is to separate DNA molecules of different sizes in microfabricated channels through the combination of pressure-driven flow through the channel and electric fields orthogonal to the flow. The electric field will concentrate the charged DNA molecules near the wall, while the axial flow will tend to transport the smaller molecules with higher diffusivities more rapidly down the channel. Operation in a cyclic manner should lead to an effective separation of DNA molecules by size. Several variations on this method are proposed to increase the efficiency of the separation. The current, standard method for the separation of DNA molecules is through capillary electrophoresis, which is effective for smaller molecules up to about 20,000 base pairs. As new methods for sequencing larger molecules become available, the most difficult step will be the isolation of DNA. The proposed separation method may be applicable to molecules in the megabase pair range. In terms of the broader impacts, separation of DNA fragments on the basis of their lengths represents an important step in a number of areas of molecular biology, especially DNA sequencing for applications in medical diagnostics and drug delivery. The proposed strategy does not require any gels, and it could be implemented in lab-on-a-chip devices. In the educational area DNA separation topics will be included in transport courses, and outreach will include visits to middle and high schools for demonstration e