Highly shape- and size-tunable membrane nanopores made with DNA

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Nanotechnology
• Synthetic Biology

Background:

• Membrane nanopores are crucial for biological molecular transport, DNA sequencing, and single-molecule analysis.
• Existing nanopores are limited to narrow widths, while wider, tunable structures are highly desired but challenging to engineer.
• Nature does not provide wide nanopores, and current de novo protein engineering methods face limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate that rational DNA design can significantly expand the structural and functional capabilities of membrane nanopores.
• To engineer custom nanopores with tunable shapes and lumen widths exceeding those found in nature.
• To showcase the utility of these designer nanopores for advanced molecular sensing applications.

Main Methods:

• A DNA nanotechnology approach was employed, bundling DNA duplexes into modular pore subunits.
• These subunits were arranged to form nanopores with controllable shapes and widths up to tens of nanometers.
• Functional units for recognition and signaling were optionally integrated into the nanopore structures.

Main Results:

• Successfully engineered custom membrane nanopores with tunable shapes and lumen widths up to tens of nanometers.
• Demonstrated direct single-molecule electrical sensing of 10-nm proteins using these designer nanopores.
• Validated the utility of the nanopores with both standard research equipment and portable analysis devices.

Conclusions:

• DNA nanotechnology offers a powerful platform for creating novel membrane nanopores with unprecedented structural diversity.
• Custom-engineered nanopores can be utilized for sensitive, label-free single-molecule analysis and direct electrical sensing.
• These designer nanopores hold significant potential for synthetic biology, biophysical analysis, portable diagnostics, and environmental screening.