In-vitro selection of charge conducting DNA sequences

Double helical DNA transports electrical charge, via hole transport, over distances over 2008, (58 base pairs). Because the exact mechanism of hole transport is under debate, an alternative method to the current 'rational' design approach used by investigators may shed new light on the problem. In vitro selection was used to isolate DNA sequences most efficient at hole conduction out of a random pool. Several selections were carried out, each providing valuable information for subsequent selection design. Tests carried out on the Round 7 of the SYB series confirmed that selection superior conductors was indeed occurring. 93 clones sequenced from Round 7 were analyzed against 89 clones from the initial round and found to have statistically elevated levels of specific purine motifs segregated to only one specific strand of the duplex. These sequences, termed 'transport permissive candidate motifs', suggested that Phononassisted Polaron-like hole hopping occurs in duplex DNA.