Characterization of the tunneling conductance across DNA bases

Radomir Zikic, Predrag S. Krstić, X.-G. Zhang, Miguel Fuentes-Cabrera, Jack Wells, and Xiongce Zhao
Phys. Rev. E 74, 011919 – Published 28 July 2006

Abstract

Characterization of the electrical properties of the DNA bases (adenine, cytosine, guanine, and thymine), in addition to building the basic knowledge on these fundamental constituents of a DNA, is a crucial step in developing a DNA sequencing technology. We present a first-principles study of the current-voltage characteristics of nucleotidelike molecules of the DNA bases, placed in a 1.5nm gap formed between gold nanoelectrodes. The quantum transport calculations in the tunneling regime are shown to vary strongly with the electrode-molecule geometry and the choice of the density-functional theory exchange-correlation functionals. Analysis of the results in the zero-bias limit indicates that distinguishable current-voltage characteristics of different DNA bases are dominated by the geometrical conformations of the bases and nanoelectrodes.

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  • Received 8 February 2006

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.74.011919

©2006 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Radomir Zikic1, Predrag S. Krstić1, X.-G. Zhang2,3, Miguel Fuentes-Cabrera2,3, Jack Wells2,3, and Xiongce Zhao3

  • 1Physics Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, P.O. Box 2008, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, USA
  • 2Computer Science and Mathematics Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, P.O. Box 2008, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, USA
  • 3Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, P.O. Box 2008, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, USA

Comments & Replies

Comment on “Characterization of the tunneling conductance across DNA bases”

Johan Lagerqvist, Michael Zwolak, and Massimiliano Di Ventra
Phys. Rev. E 76, 013901 (2007)

Reply to “Comment on ‘Characterization of the tunneling conductance across DNA bases’ ”

Radomir Zikic, Predrag S. Krstić, X.-G. Zhang, Miguel Fuentes-Cabrera, Jack Wells, and Xiongce Zhao
Phys. Rev. E 76, 013902 (2007)

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Vol. 74, Iss. 1 — July 2006

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