Giant Acceleration of DNA Diffusion in an Array of Entropic Barriers

We investigate with experiments and computer simulations the nonequilibrium dynamics of DNA polymers crossing arrays of entropic barriers in nanofluidic devices in a pressure-driven flow. With increasing driving pressure, the effective diffusivity of DNA rises and then peaks at a value that is many...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Physical review letters 2017-01, Vol.118 (4), p.048002-048002, Article 048002
Main Authors: Kim, Daniel, Bowman, Clark, Del Bonis-O'Donnell, Jackson T, Matzavinos, Anastasios, Stein, Derek
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acceleration
Arrays
Barriers
Computer Simulation
Deoxyribonucleic acid
Diffusion
Diffusivity
DNA - chemistry
Dynamic tests
Entropy
Landscapes
Models, Chemical
Thermodynamics
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Summary:We investigate with experiments and computer simulations the nonequilibrium dynamics of DNA polymers crossing arrays of entropic barriers in nanofluidic devices in a pressure-driven flow. With increasing driving pressure, the effective diffusivity of DNA rises and then peaks at a value that is many times higher than the equilibrium diffusivity. This is an entropic manifestation of "giant acceleration of diffusion." The phenomenon is sensitive to the effective energy landscape; thus, it offers a unique probe of entropic barriers in a system driven away from equilibrium.
ISSN:0031-9007
1079-7114
DOI:10.1103/physrevlett.118.048002