Determining Molecular Structure Using Nanopores

Controlling molecular transport through nanopores.

Nanopores are emerging as powerful tools for the detection and identification of macromolecules in aqueous solution. In this review, we discuss the recent development of active and passive controls over molecular transport through nanopores with emphasis on biosensing applications. We give an overview of the solutions developed to enhance the sensitivity and specificity of the resistive-pulse t...

Studies of RNA Sequence and Structure Using Nanopores.

Nanopores are powerful single-molecule sensors with nanometer scale dimensions suitable for detection, quantification, and characterization of nucleic acids and proteins. Beyond sequencing applications, both biological and solid-state nanopores hold great promise as tools for studying the biophysical properties of RNA. In this review, we highlight selected landmark nanopore studies with regards...

Immunoassays Using Artificial Nanopores

Molecular transport through large-diameter DNA nanopores

DNA-based nanopores are synthetic biomolecular membrane pores, whose geometry and chemical functionality can be tuned using the tools of DNA nanotechnology, making them promising molecular devices for applications in single-molecule biosensing and synthetic biology. Here we introduce a large DNA membrane channel with an ≈4 nm diameter pore, which has stable electrical properties and spontaneous...

Infiltration of electrolytes in molecular-sized nanopores.

In both experiment and molecular simulation, it is found that a higher pressure is required to sustain the infiltration of smaller ions in a molecular-sized nanochannel. Simulations indicate that the effective ion solubility of the infiltrated liquid is reduced to nearly zero. Because of the strong interactions between the ion couples and the solid or liquid phases, an external force is require...