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SYLS: Life Sciences on the Nanometer Scale - Physics Meets Biology

SYLS 3: Symposium "Life Sciences on the Nanometer Scale - Physics Meets Biology"

SYLS 3.1: Poster

Mittwoch, 10. März 2004, 16:00–18:30, B

Accumulation and Replication of DNA driven by temperature gradients — •Dieter Braun — Emmy Noether Gruppe, Experimentalphysik, Universitaet Muenchen, Amalienstr. 54, 80799 Muenchen

The influence of temperature gradients on DNA is investigated. For the first time, the thermophoresis of DNA from hot to cold was measured. Under conditions which also allow for convection, thermophoresis accumulates DNA thousandfold into microscopic pots [1]. R. Piazza showed that thermophoresis of ions such as DNA in water is probably driven and dominated by a gradient of interfacial tension at the nanoscopic interface between molecule and water [2].

In a similar geometry, the laminar convection can be used to drive the DNA amplifying reaction of PCR. Such a laminar convective PCR amplifies DNA specifically and quantitatively at a speed faster than standard PCR machines [3].

Both studies of mesoscopic open system far away from thermodynamic equilibrium revealed new effects. Besides biotechnological applications, the experiments suggests a convective origin of life in porous rock near submarine hydrothermal vents [4].

[1] D. Braun and A. Libchaber, PRL 89:188103 (2002)

[2] R. Piazza and A. Guarino, PRL 88:208302 (2002)

[3] D. Braun, N.L. Goddard and A. Libchaber, PRL 91:158103 (2003)

[4] D. Braun and A. Libchaber, Physical Biology, submitted