Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 13, 2026
08:51
Monitoring Protein Adsorption with Solid-state Nanopores
Published on: December 2, 2011
Probing single nanometer-scale pores with polymeric molecular rulers
Sarah E Henrickson1, Edmund A DiMarzio, Qian Wang
1Semiconductor Electronics Division, NIST, Bldg. 225, Room B326, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899-8120, USA.
The Journal of Chemical Physics
|April 15, 2010
Summary
Single-stranded DNA molecules can probe the structure of ion channels. This method uses DNA as molecular rulers to measure pore dimensions, revealing channel architecture.
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Nanotechnology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) molecules can be electrophoretically driven through single Staphylococcus aureus alpha-hemolysin (α-HL) ion channels.
- Polynucleotides traverse the channel as extended chains, inducing stable ionic current blockades.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the use of polynucleotides as probes for determining the structural characteristics of the α-HL ion channel.
- To estimate the pore length and channel aperture profile using polymer translocation data.
Main Methods:
- Electrophoretic manipulation of individual ssDNA molecules through a single α-HL pore.
- Analysis of polymer-induced ionic current blockades to infer channel dimensions.
Main Results:
- Polynucleotides can accurately probe structural features of the α-HL channel.
- Estimation of pore length and channel aperture profile is achievable.
- Results align with the known crystal structure of the α-HL channel.
Conclusions:
- Polynucleotides serve as effective molecular rulers for nanometer-scale pores.
- This technique offers a novel approach for structural elucidation of nanopores.
- The findings support the broader applicability of polymer-based methods in structural biology.
