Measuring the Electronic Properties of DNA-Specific Schottky Diodes Towards Detecting and Identifying Basidiomycetes DNA

Abstract

The discovery of semiconducting behavior of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) has resulted in a large number of literatures in the study of DNA electronics. Sequence-specific electronic response provides a platform towards understanding charge transfer mechanism and therefore the electronic properties of DNA. It is possible to utilize these characteristic properties to identify/detect DNA. In this current work, we demonstrate a novel method of DNA-based identification of basidiomycetes using current-voltage (I-V) profiles obtained from DNA-specific Schottky barrier diodes. Electronic properties such as ideality factor, barrier height, shunt resistance, series resistance, turn-on voltage, knee-voltage, breakdown voltage and breakdown current were calculated and used to quantify the identification process as compared to morphological and molecular characterization techniques. The use of these techniques is necessary in order to study biodiversity, but sometimes it can be misleading and unreliable and is not sufficiently useful for the identification of fungi genera. Many of these methods have failed when it comes to identification of closely related species of certain genus like Pleurotus. Our electronics profiles, both in the negative and positive bias regions were however found to be highly characteristic according to the base-pair sequences. We believe that this simple, low-cost and practical method could be useful towards identifying and detecting DNA in biotechnology and pathology.

Metallization of Silver Through Coffee‐Ring Assisted Ribonucleic Acid Scaffolding Technique

“…We presume that this may be attributed to the electronic properties of RNA itself at the Au metal interface but may require further specific studies to confirm such novel properties. Interestingly, similar electronic behaviours have been reported for DNA molecules …”

Electronic Properties of Synthetic Shrimp Pathogens-derived DNA Schottky Diodes

“…In recent years, researchers have utilised new device production methods due to the difficulties and limitations of conventional technologies when it comes to nano-scale processing 4 . Over the past few decades, DNA has been demonstrated to play crucial roles in overcoming these barriers in electronic devices because of its semiconducting-like 5 or diode-like behavior 6 . This electronic feature of DNA allows possible applications in various fields such as biology, physics, chemistry, computer science and engineering to develop a small, simple, rapid and sensitive electronic device 3 .…”

“…By sandwiching the DNA with a metal, we can create a form of diode known as the Schottky diode, which imparts a rectifying effect on an I–V profile as observed with a conventional p-n junction. This DNA-Schottky diode can have potential applications ranging from biosensors to DNA detection and identification devices 6 , 8 – 14 .…”

Effect of pH on the Conductivity of Basidiomycetes DNAs Integrated Within Schottky‐Like Junctions

“…is therefore fundamental for correct identification and exploitation in food industry. DNA fingerprinting of electronic signature signals from the respective semiconducting DNA sequences has been previously reported as a potential tool in mushroom characterization . In‐line with this, we utilized these pH‐dependent DNA‐specific Schottky junction structures to further understand the functionality of DNA conductivity and other parameters under various pH conditions.…”

“…The increasing number of research works on this new solid‐state material has collectively given rise to a new and exciting field of research aptly termed DNA electronics . DNA electronics is especially exciting as it opens up the possibility of developing rapid, sensitive, and effective genomic sequencers . The challenge, however, is related to the sensitivity of DNA molecules towards its various cellular environmental surroundings such as pH, temperature, ionic strength variations, pressure, salt, etc.…”