Thomas Kevin Beebe

US Patent:

54728819, Dec 5, 1995

Filed:

Mar 21, 1994

Appl. No.:

8/215136

Inventors:

Thomas P. Beebe - Salt Lake City UT

Assignee:

University of Utah Research Foundation - Salt Lake City UT

International Classification:

C12Q 168
G01N 3300

US Classification:

436 94

Abstract:

A method for adsorbing nucleic acids to a surface of a gold substrate for analyzing the structure of the nucleic acid includes the steps of thiolating the nucleic acid by substituting at least one non-bridging internucleotide oxygen of each phosphodiester moiety with sulfur, depositing the thiolated nucleic acid on the gold surface, and subjecting the nucleic acid to analysis for determining the atomic or molecular structure thereof. The gold surface is prepared by subjecting a gold single crystal to mechanical polishing, electropolishing, cleaning by cycles of Ar. sup. + sputtering and annealing under vacuum until no contamination is detected by Auger electron spectroscopy, and flame annealing and quenching in methanol. Gold films deposited on atomically flat substrates, such as mica, can also be used. The thiolated DNA is deposited on the gold surface for a sufficient time for covalent bonds to form between the sulfur and the gold.