ABSTRACT

This chapter examines the manipulation of molecules themselves — in the form of macromolecules such as deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), proteins, and carbon nanotubes. Proteins are biological macromolecules that perform a bewildering array of biological functions — from forming structures such as hair, to powering muscles, to providing the catalysts for the chemical reactions in cells. As the unique marker that identifies all organisms and as the basis of many human diseases, the identification and study of DNA molecules is of paramount importance for biotechnology. Perhaps the simplest use of dielectrophoresis for the investigation of the electrical properties of single molecules is to use it to trap a molecule onto electrical contacts and measure the properties conventionally, as demonstrated by Porath et al. The most obvious application of stretching DNA molecules is to measure their size. Another application is in the immobilization of DNA molecules at an electrode edge prior to enzymatic treatment.