Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 5, 2026

09:32
Stable DNA Motifs, 1D and 2D Nanostructures Constructed from Small Circular DNA Molecules
Published on: April 12, 2019
Base-dependent competitive adsorption of single-stranded DNA on gold
Hiromi Kimura-Suda1, Dmitri Y Petrovykh, Michael J Tarlov
1National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899, USA.
Journal of the American Chemical Society
|September 17, 2004
Summary
DNA oligonucleotides show a strong base-dependent adsorption to gold surfaces. Adenine-rich DNA dominates adsorption, even displacing thiolated DNA and denaturing DNA duplexes.
Area of Science:
- Surface science
- Biomaterials science
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Understanding DNA adsorption on gold is crucial for biosensor development.
- Oligonucleotide properties influence their interaction with surfaces.
- Gold surfaces are widely used in bio-interfacing applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the adsorption behavior of single-stranded DNA homo-oligonucleotides on gold.
- To investigate the competitive adsorption dynamics between different DNA sequences.
- To determine the base-specific affinity of DNA adsorption on gold surfaces.
Main Methods:
- Room-temperature adsorption experiments using polycrystalline gold films.
- Analysis of adsorbed DNA using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy.
- Surface characterization via X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS).
Main Results:
- Oligonucleotides exhibit a base-dependent adsorption affinity: Adenine (A) > Cytosine (C) >= Guanine (G) > Thymine (T).
- Oligo(dA) demonstrates dominant adsorption, outcompeting other unmodified oligonucleotides.
- Oligo(dA) effectively competes with thiolated oligonucleotides and can denature DNA duplexes on gold.
Conclusions:
- The adsorption of DNA on gold is strongly influenced by nucleotide base composition.
- Adenine-rich DNA sequences possess a significantly higher affinity for gold surfaces.
- These findings have implications for designing DNA-based nanostructures and biosensors.
Related Concept Videos
The DNA Helix
Overview
DNA Base Pairing
Erwin Chargaff’s rules on DNA equivalence paved the way for the discovery of base pairing in DNA. Chargaff’s rules state that in a double-stranded DNA molecule,
The DNA Helix
Overview
DNA Base Pairing
Erwin Chargaff’s rules on DNA equivalence paved the way for the discovery of base pairing in DNA. Chargaff’s rules state that in a double-stranded DNA molecule,
Single-Strand DNA Binding Proteins
For successful DNA replication, the unwinding of double-stranded DNA must be accompanied by stabilization and protection of the separated single strands of the DNA. This crucial task is performed by single-strand DNA-binding (SSB) proteins. They bind to the DNA in a sequence-independent manner, which means that the nitrogenous bases of the DNA need not be present in a specific order for binding of SSB proteins to it. The binding of SSB proteins straightens single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) and makes...
The DNA Helix
Deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA, is the genetic material responsible for passing traits from generation to generation in all organisms and most viruses. DNA is composed of two strands of nucleotides that wind around each other to form a spring-like structure called a double helix. However, the double helix is not perfectly symmetrical. Instead, there are regularly occurring grooves in the structure. The major groove occurs where the sugar-phosphate backbones are relatively far apart. This space...

