New Surface Capacitive Touchscreen Technology To Detect DNA

Abstract

A new surface capacitive touchscreen technology to detect DNA has been developed. In this approach, advantage is taken of the fact that a signal location is determined by the relative conductivities of touching materials at two points that are simultaneously touched. In the system, buffer and target-specific probe solutions are first applied to two separate positions on the touch panel. The target DNA sample is then applied to both positions. Based on the fact that the electrical conductivity of ssDNA is different from that of dsDNA, a hybridization taking place between the probe and target DNA can be identified by determining the location of the resulting touching signal. A mathematical treatment was employed to model the new detecting principle. By using equations derived from this treatment, the experimental results were correctly estimated. Because the new technology utilizes a simple touchscreen, it should be applicable to the development of POCT or personalized medical devices