Controlling the surface properties of nanostructures for studies of polymerases

We report the successful functionalization of optically accessible nanostructures, suitable for single-molecule experiments at physiological substrate concentrations, with polyethylene glycol. Characterization of the coating in terms of roughness, protein repellence, and specific immobilization of DNA is described. We present an application of this technique in the detection of polymerase activity within nanostructures, which demonstrates the opportunities made possible through the integration of nanofabricated structures with surface functionalization.