Classification of DNA Mixtures by Nanoelectrokinetic Driftless Preconcentration

Abstract

Nanofluidic phenomena, particularly Ion Concentration Polarization (ICP), have been actively utilized for advancing various research fields, including chemical analysis and biomedical diagnostics, over the past century. While ICP can be used as effective preconcentration techniques in bio-/chemical analysis, there are few studies to investigate the shape of preconcentration plug, especially perpendicular distribution of analyte in the preconcentration plug. Previously we have reported the theoretical analysis of the distribution so that the types of plug were categorized as dumbbell or plug shape. In this study, we further investigated the classification of real DNAs within micro-/nanofluidic devices by examining the preconcentration dynamics of different DNA types under diverse electrical conditions. Our investigation successfully distinguished distinct preconcentration profiles for Short DNA, Multi-short DNAs, and Equitable DNA with introducing the concept of the Radius of Gyration for Fluorescence (RGF). We provided a quantitative framework to analyze and differentiate preconcentration shapes with reasonable precision. These findings not only deepen our understanding of DNA preconcentration dynamics but also provide implications for genetic diagnostics. As a simpler and more accessible pre-test tool, our research could be utilized as the efficient genetic testing, particularly in diagnosing disorders characterized by variations in DNA length.