Gate-controlled conductance switching in DNA

Limin Xiang, Julio L. Palma, Yueqi Li, Vladimiro Mujica, Mark A. Ratner and Nongjian Tao ()
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Limin Xiang: Biodesign Center for Biosensors and Bioelectronics, Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University
Julio L. Palma: Biodesign Center for Biosensors and Bioelectronics, Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University
Yueqi Li: Biodesign Center for Biosensors and Bioelectronics, Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University
Vladimiro Mujica: School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University
Mark A. Ratner: Northwestern University
Nongjian Tao: Biodesign Center for Biosensors and Bioelectronics, Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University

Nature Communications, 2017, vol. 8, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract Extensive evidence has shown that long-range charge transport can occur along double helical DNA, but active control (switching) of single-DNA conductance with an external field has not yet been demonstrated. Here we demonstrate conductance switching in DNA by replacing a DNA base with a redox group. By applying an electrochemical (EC) gate voltage to the molecule, we switch the redox group between the oxidized and reduced states, leading to reversible switching of the DNA conductance between two discrete levels. We further show that monitoring the individual conductance switching allows the study of redox reaction kinetics and thermodynamics at single molecular level using DNA as a probe. Our theoretical calculations suggest that the switch is due to the change in the energy level alignment of the redox states relative to the Fermi level of the electrodes.

Date: 2017
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms14471

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