Biosensor platform for transcription factor DNA binding activity detection

The general objective of this project is to develop an acoustic biosensor platform to study protein-DNA binding and its application to the study of DNA transcription factors. An impedance analysis methodology enables the calculation of the acoustic energy dissipation per unit mass observed upon DNA binding, providing quantitative information on the size and shape of the tethered molecules. The rationale of the project rely on the fact that the conformational changes and bending of DNA upon protein binding increase the rigidity of DNA films immobilized at the surface of an acoustic sensor. As a result less acoustic energy is dissipated what is signaled by a decrease of the variation of the acoustic motional resistance. Such experimental approach, together with the associated mathematical signal processing and physical modeling, will provide quantitative information on sequence and conformation DNA sequences recognized by specific transcriptional factors as well as affinity and kinetic constants.