A novel magnetic tweezers for manipulation of a single DNA molecule

We report a novel magnetic tweezers for manipulation of a single DNA molecule. The micromachined DNA manipulator can stretch and rotate a single DNA molecule using arrayed microcoils. Key platform technologies including localized DNA immobilization, microcoil fabrication and microfluidics, have been integrated to form the magnetic DNA tweezers. A single DNA molecule is specifically attached onto a magnetic bead and a gold surface and manipulated under a magnetic field generated by built-in hexagonally-aligned microcoils. A highly effective method for the construction of DNA two sticky ends is developed, which is compatible with MEMS technologies. We have successfully demonstrated the rotation of the tethered-bead DNA molecule linked to the gold pattern by circular permutation of the currents applied to the microcoils.