Nanoporous Dna Field Effect Transistor with Potential for Random-Access Memory Applications: A Selectivity Performance Evaluation

Abstract

Methods to encode digital data items as strands of synthetic DNA followed by selective data retrieval have been demonstrated. However, these initially bio-oriented processes remain slow and not optimized. DNA field-effect transistor (DNA-FET) is studied here as a possible random-access memory (RAM) device for simple, selective and rapid ssDNA fragment retrieval used as data pool identifier. The DNA-FET is based on a co-planar Au-gated fully organic transistor appended with short single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) probes bearing a blocking molecule to prevent partial hybridization and achieve near perfect selectivity for short length ssDNA (up to 45 nt). Examination of transconductance of the novel active layer incorporating a DNA nanopore architecture reveals enhanced binding site accessibility. This, in turn, facilitates discriminatory hybridization, particularly in the physical retrieval of short-length ssDNA from a competitive, concentrated ssDNA background pool consisting of nine different sequences, with at least one nucleotide difference. The DNA-FET exhibits rapid operation (9 min) in the millivolt range, low detection limit (sub-femtomolar), high selectivity and reusability. Considering the straightforward concept, near error-free identification capacity and hypothetically outstanding scalability, the DNA-FET described here has potential as a foundation for further exploration of advanced RAM technology in the DNA data storage process.