They measure the conductivity of the DNA

The first question before this notice is... For what reason? and the investigators answer us that thanks to this they will be been able to detect mutations.

To achieve it, they have wired the DNA between two nanotubos of carbon, like one can see in the image, and they have been able to measure the capacity of the molecule to take electricity circulating. According to the investigators, a single base chemistry of the DNA can change the submitted of this drastically, this way, they could be identified linked illnesses quickly to the mutations.

In spite of everything, the measurement of the electric states of DNA has been difficult because the molecule and your riders to the electrodes spread to be very brittle. But in the new studio, Colin Nuckolls, chemistry professor in the University of Columbia, in New York and Jacqueline Barton, chemistry professor in Caltech, they were able to develop a method for the biosafety of the molecules connecting alone to the walls of the nanotubos of carbon that act as the electrodes in a minuscule circuit, the links are this way, the quite robust ones as to resist electric enormous fields.

The system is still very novel, and they will have years to pass to demonstrate your actual effectiveness and your practical applications.