Entropy-Driven Single Molecule Tug-of-War of DNA at Micro-Nanofluidic Interfaces

Entropy-driven polymer dynamics at the nanoscale is fundamentally important in biological systems but the dependence of the entropic force on the nanoconfinement remains elusive. Here, we established an entropy-driven single molecule tug-of-war (TOW) at two micro-nanofluidic interfaces bridged by a nanoslit, performed the force analysis from a modified wormlike chain in the TOW scenario and the entropic recoiling process, and determined the associated scalings on the nanoconfinement. Our results provide a direct experimental evidence that the entropic forces in these two regimes, though unequal, are essentially constant at defined slit heights, irrespective of the slit lengths and the DNA segments within. Our findings have the implications to polymer transport at the nanoscale, device design for single molecule analysis, and biotechnological applications.