DNA translocation through α -hemolysin nanopores with potential application to macromolecular data storage

Pramod K. Khulbe, Masud Mansuripur, Raphael Gruener

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

15 Scopus citations

Abstract

Digital information can be encoded in the building-block sequence of macromolecules, such as RNA and single-stranded DNA. Methods of "writing" and "reading" macromolecular strands are currently available, but they are slow and expensive. In an ideal molecular data storage system, routine operations such as write, read, erase, store, and transfer must be done reliably and at high speed within an integrated chip. As a first step toward demonstrating the feasibility of this concept, we report preliminary results of DNA readout experiments conducted in miniaturized chambers that are scalable to even smaller dimensions. We show that translocation of a single-stranded DNA molecule (consisting of 50 adenosine bases followed by 100 cytosine bases) through an ion channel yields a characteristic signal that is attributable to the two-segment structure of the molecule. We also examine the dependence of the translocation rate and speed on the adjustable parameters of the experiment.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number104317
JournalJournal of Applied Physics
Volume97
Issue number10
DOIs
StatePublished - May 15 2005

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Physics and Astronomy

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