A Few Simple DNA Immobilization Protocols

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Here are a few protocols I wrote to assist me in performing some simple DNA immobilization experiments. Since I am a physicist I was just happy to get these experiments working (as the included data demonstrate). The protocols are less exemplars of polished laboratory technique than proof that anyone, even physicists, can learn to do reproducible DNA immobilizations. I'd like to thank Graeme Burward-Hoy, Zhiyong Li, Amir Yasseri, Gil Perusa and Yangzhou Wang, all of HP Labs, and Ben Garland, of Thermo Electron Corporation, for their assistance.

The protocols

Equipment

In addition to the consumables I list under the individual protocols, I used the following equipment in this project:

• A reactive-ion etcher;
• A Thermo Electron FTIR;
• A Varian spectrophotometer;
• A small centrifuge;
• A heated rocking platform;
• A pH meter;
• A set of precision pipets;
• An ultrasonic cleaner;
• A purpose-built test jig that allowed teflon o-rings to be clamped securely and evenly between a Au-coated glass slide and a thick quartz plate with two through-holes per o-ring. Large view; detail. The volume of the reaction area was varied by changing o-ring size.
• Delrin slide holder for washing steps of the protocols: DXF format and PNG image. View of the whole assembly in the rinse tank: DXF and PNG image. Delrin parts shown in black; glass slide and wash tank shown in magenta.

In performing these experiments, you will need to mix some buffers. These class notes are very helpful in figuring out what's going on. For a hands-on introduction to molecular biology techniques, consider the New England Biolabs Molecular Biology Summer School.

alison@exerciseforthereader.org (Alison Chaiken)
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last updated $Date: 2005/12/24 20:39:44 $ ..