Experiments and Models of DNA Nano—Catenary Patterns Manipulated by Liquid Flow

Individual DNA molecules were first stretched by a centrifugal force and adsorbed on a modified mica surface.Then,a liquid flow was guided across the surface along a direction perpendicular to the aligned DNA strands.Some nano-catenary-like patterns of DNA molecules were formed,which were revealed by atomic force microscopy.A physical mechanism called the “s-suspension bridge” model has been presented,by which the features of the catenary-like patterns of DNA molecules can be understood quantitatively quite well.