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Updated: May 10, 2026

Folding and Characterization of a Bio-responsive Robot from DNA Origami
Published on: December 3, 2015
DNA origami nanopores for controlling DNA translocation
Silvia Hernández-Ainsa1, Nicholas A W Bell, Vivek V Thacker
1Cavendish Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Cambridge, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge, CB3 0HE, United Kingdom.
Abstract:
We combine DNA origami structures with glass nanocapillaries to reversibly form hybrid DNA origami nanopores. Trapping of the DNA origami onto the nanocapillary is proven by imaging fluorescently labeled DNA origami structures and simultaneous ionic current measurements of the trapping events. We then show two applications highlighting the versatility of these DNA origami nanopores. First, by tuning the pore size we can control the folding of dsDNA molecules ("physical control"). Second, we show that the specific introduction of binding sites in the DNA origami nanopore allows selective detection of ssDNA as a function of the DNA sequence ("chemical control").

