Double-stranded DNA translocates through sufficiently large nanopores either in a linear single-file fashion or in a folded hairpin conformation when captured somewhere along its length. We show that the folding state of DNA can be controlled by changing the electrolyte concentration, pH, and polyethylene glycol content of the measurement buffer. At pH 8 in 1M LiCl or 0.35M KCl, single-file translocations make up more than 90% of the total. We attribute the effect to the onset of electro-osmotic flow from the pore at low ionic strength. Our hypothesis on the critical role of flows is supported by the preferred orientation of entry of a strand that has been folded into a multi-helix structure at one end. Control over DNA folding is critical for nanopore sensing approaches that use modifications along a DNA strand and the associated secondary current drops to encode information.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
28 October 2018
Research Article|
July 16 2018
Promoting single-file DNA translocations through nanopores using electro-osmotic flow
Special Collection:
Chemical Physics of Charged Macromolecules
Niklas Ermann
;
Niklas Ermann
Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge
, 19 JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE, United Kingdom
Search for other works by this author on:
Nikita Hanikel;
Nikita Hanikel
Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge
, 19 JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE, United Kingdom
Search for other works by this author on:
Vivian Wang;
Vivian Wang
Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge
, 19 JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE, United Kingdom
Search for other works by this author on:
Kaikai Chen
;
Kaikai Chen
Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge
, 19 JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE, United Kingdom
Search for other works by this author on:
Nicole E. Weckman;
Nicole E. Weckman
Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge
, 19 JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE, United Kingdom
Search for other works by this author on:
Ulrich F. Keyser
Ulrich F. Keyser
a)
Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge
, 19 JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE, United Kingdom
Search for other works by this author on:
a)
Electronic mail: [email protected]
J. Chem. Phys. 149, 163311 (2018)
Article history
Received:
March 27 2018
Accepted:
June 06 2018
Citation
Niklas Ermann, Nikita Hanikel, Vivian Wang, Kaikai Chen, Nicole E. Weckman, Ulrich F. Keyser; Promoting single-file DNA translocations through nanopores using electro-osmotic flow. J. Chem. Phys. 28 October 2018; 149 (16): 163311. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5031010
Download citation file:
Pay-Per-View Access
$40.00
Sign In
You could not be signed in. Please check your credentials and make sure you have an active account and try again.
Citing articles via
DeePMD-kit v2: A software package for deep potential models
Jinzhe Zeng, Duo Zhang, et al.
CREST—A program for the exploration of low-energy molecular chemical space
Philipp Pracht, Stefan Grimme, et al.
Dielectric profile at the Pt(111)/water interface
Jia-Xin Zhu, Jun Cheng, et al.
Related Content
Influence of nanopore coating patterns on the translocation dynamics of polyelectrolytes
J. Chem. Phys. (October 2023)
Polymer capture by electro-osmotic flow of oppositely charged nanopores
J. Chem. Phys. (April 2007)
Controlling polymer capture and translocation by electrostatic polymer-pore interactions
J. Chem. Phys. (September 2017)
Flow-induced translocation of polymers through a fluidic channel: A dissipative particle dynamics simulation study
J. Chem. Phys. (April 2011)
Langevin dynamics simulations of ds-DNA translocation through synthetic nanopores
J. Chem. Phys. (July 2007)