What governs the fluidic behavior of water near single DNA molecules at the micro/nano scale

Abstract

The fluidic behavior of water at the micro/nano scale is studied by using of single DNA molecules as a model system. Stable curved DNA patterns with spans about one micron were generated by using of water flows, and observed by Atomic Force Microscopy. By rigorously comparing the numerical simulation results with these patterns, it is suggested that the form of the macroscopic hydrodynamic equation still works quantitatively well on the fluid flows at the nanoscale. The molecular effects, however, are still apparent that the effective viscosity of the adjacent water is considerably larger than its bulk value. Our observation is also helpful to understand of the dynamics of biomolecules in solutions from nanoscale to microscale.