Simple detection of binding events using an anchoring transition of liquid crystals on the immobilized oligoDNAs

초록

We propose a novel method for optically detecting hybridization results in a deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) chip using an anchoring transition of a nematic liquid crystal (NLC). Since the LC anchoring condition highly depends on variation of the surface morphology, DNA hybridization result induces an anchoring transition of NLCs from a homeotropic orientation to a random planar orientation. It is demonstrated that such hybridization results and the subsequent anchoring transition of LCs are detectable with simple optical instruments by utilizing large optical birefringence variation and propagation of the long-range orientational order in NLCs. ? 2006 Materials Research Society.