Translocation of double-strand DNA through a silicon oxide nanopore

Phys Rev E Stat Nonlin Soft Matter Phys. 2005 May;71(5 Pt 1):051903. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevE.71.051903. Epub 2005 May 6.

Abstract

We report double-strand DNA translocation experiments using silicon oxide nanopores with a diameter of about 10 nm . By monitoring the conductance of a voltage-biased pore, we detect molecules with a length ranging from 6557 to 48 500 base pairs. We find that the molecules can pass the pore both in a straight linear fashion and in a folded state. Experiments on circular DNA further support this picture. We sort the molecular events according to their folding state and estimate the folding position. As a proof-of-principle experiment, we show that a nanopore can be used to distinguish the lengths of DNA fragments present in a mixture. These experiments pave the way for quantitative analytical techniques with solid-state nanopores.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biocompatible Materials / analysis
  • Biocompatible Materials / chemistry
  • Biological Transport
  • Biosensing Techniques / instrumentation
  • Biosensing Techniques / methods*
  • DNA / analysis*
  • DNA / chemistry*
  • Electrochemistry / methods*
  • Materials Testing
  • Membranes, Artificial
  • Motion
  • Nanostructures / chemistry*
  • Nanotechnology / methods*
  • Nucleic Acid Conformation
  • Porosity
  • Silicon Dioxide / chemistry*

Substances

  • Biocompatible Materials
  • Membranes, Artificial
  • Silicon Dioxide
  • DNA