DNA chips with conjugated polyelectrolytes in resonance energy transfer mode

We show how to use well-defined conjugated polyelectrolytes (CPEs) combined with surface energy patterning to fabricate DNA chips utilizing fluorescence signal amplification. Cholesterol-modified DNA strands in complex with a CPE are adsorbed to a surface energy pattern, formed by printing with soft elastomer stamps. Hybridization of the surface bound DNA strands with a short complementary strand from solution is monitored using both fluorescence microscopy and imaging surface plasmon resonance. The CPEs act as antennas, enhancing resonance energy transfer to the dye-labeled DNA when complementary hybridization of the double strand occurs.