  The unwrapping event of ssDNA from the SWNT during the Watson-Crick base
paring is investigated through electrical and optical methods, and binding
energy calculations. While the ssDNA-metallic SWNT hybrid shows the p-type
semiconducting property, the hybridization product recovered metallic
properties. The gel electrophoresis directly verifies the result of wrapping
and unwrapping events which was also reflected to the Raman shifts. Our
molecular dynamics simulations and binding energy calculations provide
atomistic description for the pathway to this phenomenon. This nano-physical
phenomenon will open up a new approach for nano-bio sensing of specific
sequences with the advantages of efficient particle-based recognition, no
labeling, and direct electrical detection which can be easily realized into a
microfluidic chip format.
