Driving DNA Nanopore Membrane Insertion through Dipolar Coupling

DNA nanopores appear to be a plausible alternative to the use of transmembrane proteins. The specificity and programmability of DNA interactions allow the design of synthetic channels that insert into lipid bilayers and can regulate the ionic transport across them. In this Communication, we investigate the dependence of insertion capabilities on the electrostatic properties of the nanopore and show that the presence of a permanent electric dipole is an important factor for the nanopore to insert into the membrane. On the contrary, in the absence of such a dipole, most DNA nanopores bind to the bilayer without channel formation. We also show that this modification does not hinder the possibility of triggering a measurable conformational change with a single short oligonucleotide.