<h2Breakthrough in Electrokinetic DNA Trapping
Researchers at McGill University’s Department of Physics have introduced a breakthrough device that can trap and study DNA molecules without touching them or causing damage. By employing carefully tuned electric fields, the tool gives scientists unprecedented, real-time control over how individual DNA strands move and behave in tiny spaces. The advance promises faster, more precise molecular analysis that could accelerate diagnostics, genome mapping, and the study of disease-related molecules.
The tool was developed by doctoral student Matheus Azevedo Silva Pessôa, a nanofluids specialist, in collaboration with peers in Professor Walter Reisner’s Nanobiophysics lab. Contributions also came from Professor Sara Mahshid’s Bioengineering lab at McGill, the genomics technology startup Dimension Genomics, and researchers at the University of California, Santa Barbara. The project is part of a broader effort to harness the electric charge of DNA to manipulate single molecules with minimal disturbance.
How RECON Works: Reversible Electrokinetic Confinement
Central to the device is the concept of reversible electrokinetic confinement, or RECON. DNA carries an intrinsic electric charge, so applying precisely tuned voltages generates an electrokinetic field that can draw a molecule into a nanowell or trap it there without mechanical gripping. Pessôa explains that conventional approaches relied on physical grooves or lids to confine molecules, often risking breakage or imprecise positioning. RECON, by contrast, uses voltage and frequency to control molecular motion, enabling a gentle, contact-free approach.
In practical terms, researchers tune the electrical signal just as one might dial an AM radio. By selecting a specific frequency and adjusting the voltage, they can attract the DNA into a designated well, hold it in place, and then release it on demand. This capability means scientists can confine a molecule for as long as needed to study its dynamics, and observe how its behavior changes when the trapping field is altered. The result is a level of dynamical insight that was previously inaccessible without risking damage to the molecule.
Real-Time Observation and Safe Handling of DNA
The RECON platform enables real-time observation of DNA dynamics under an externally applied field, providing a window into conformational changes, diffusion, and interaction potentials that drive biological processes. The ability to trap and release with precision reduces the need for mechanical manipulation, which can introduce artifacts or physical stress on fragile DNA strands. This gentle handling is especially valuable for studying disease-related molecules or rare DNA configurations that hinge on subtle structural transitions.
Implications for Diagnostics, Genomics, and Beyond
Beyond single-molecule fascination, this technology could accelerate practical applications. By enabling rapid, controlled reactions at the nanoscale, the platform could facilitate chemical processes such as triggering liposomes—fat-based carriers used in drug delivery—to open and release contents under defined conditions. Such capability would be useful in studying drug delivery dynamics or simulating cellular environments, advancing both diagnostics and fundamental biology. The researchers envision the device as a powerful tool for both discovery and clinical translation, offering a new way to model cellular contexts and molecular interactions more faithfully than before.
About the Study and Support
The study, titled “Single-molecule capture, release, and dynamical manipulation via reversible electrokinetic confinement (RECON),” appears in Science Advances. It is supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and Dimension Genomics, with additional backing from the Fonds de recherche du Québec–Nature et technologies for the doctoral work of Pessôa. DNA nanotube materials used in the project received supplementary support from the U.S. National Science Foundation. The research team includes contributors from McGill’s departments and collaborators in the USA, reflecting a growing cross-border effort to translate physics into practical biology.
Inventorship and Future Prospects
As described by the team, the device represents a significant step toward faster, more reliable molecular analysis. The work could lay the groundwork for improved diagnostics, faster genome mapping, and broader exploration of disease-related biomolecules, all powered by precise, non-contact control of DNA at the single-molecule level. A provisional patent related to the device has been filed by Dimension Genomics, underscoring the potential for real-world impact and commercial development.
