Ordered stretching of single molecules of deoxyribose nucleic acid between microfabricated polystyrene lines

A technique for coating arrays of parallel, stretched single molecules of deoxyribose nucleic acid (DNA) on an arbitrary substrate for high-resolution scanning-probe imaging is discussed. The technique consists of lithographically patterning polystyrene lines on a substrate which then provide attachment sites for the ends of individual DNA molecules. Molecular combing is performed to stretch DNA from one polystyrene line to the other. Scanning-tunneling and atomic-force microscope images of single molecules of bacteriophage-lambda DNA are shown to demonstrate the advantages of this technique. Several applications, from high-resolution genomics to molecular electronics, are discussed. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.