Stretching DNA Using the Electric Field in a Synthetic Nanopore

The mechanical properties of DNA over segments comparable to the size of a protein-binding site (3-10 nm) are examined using an electric-field-induced translocation of single molecules through a nanometer diameter pore. DNA, immersed in an electrolyte, is forced through synthetic pores ranging from...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nano letters 2005-10, Vol.5 (10), p.1883-1888
Main Authors: Heng, J B, Aksimentiev, A, Ho, C, Marks, P, Grinkova, Y V, Sligar, S, Schulten, K, Timp, G
Format: Article
Language:English
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:The mechanical properties of DNA over segments comparable to the size of a protein-binding site (3-10 nm) are examined using an electric-field-induced translocation of single molecules through a nanometer diameter pore. DNA, immersed in an electrolyte, is forced through synthetic pores ranging from 0.5 to 1.5 nm in radius in a 10 nm thick Si sub(3)N sub(4) membrane using an electric field. To account for the stretching and bending, we use molecular dynamics to simulate the translocation. We have found a threshold for translocation that depends on both the dimensions of the pore and the applied transmembrane bias. The voltage threshold coincides with the stretching transition that occurs in double-stranded DNA near 60 pN.
ISSN:1530-6984
DOI:10.1021/n10510816