DNA Adsorption at Liquid/Solid Interfaces

Abstract

DNA adsorption on solid or liquid surfaces is a topic of broad fundamental and applied interest. Here, we study by X-ray reflectivity the adsorption of monodisperse double-stranded DNA molecules on a positively charged surface, obtained through chemical grafting of a homogeneous organic monomolecular layer of N-(2-aminoethyl) dodecanamide on an oxide-free monocrystalline Si(111) wafer. The adsorbed dsDNA is found to embed into the soft monolayer, which is deformed in the process. The surface coverage is very high, and this adsorbed layer is expected to display 2D nematic ordering.