Slowing down DNA translocation through solid-state nanopores by edge-field leakage

Ceming Wang, Sebastian Sensale, Zehao Pan, Satyajyoti Senapati and Hsueh-Chia Chang ()
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Ceming Wang: University of Notre Dame
Sebastian Sensale: University of Notre Dame
Zehao Pan: University of Notre Dame
Satyajyoti Senapati: University of Notre Dame
Hsueh-Chia Chang: University of Notre Dame

Nature Communications, 2021, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract Solid-state nanopores allow high-throughput single-molecule detection but identifying and even registering all translocating small molecules remain key challenges due to their high translocation speeds. We show here the same electric field that drives the molecules into the pore can be redirected to selectively pin and delay their transport. A thin high-permittivity dielectric coating on bullet-shaped polymer nanopores permits electric field leakage at the pore tip to produce a voltage-dependent surface field on the entry side that can reversibly edge-pin molecules. This mechanism renders molecular entry an activated process with sensitive exponential dependence on the bias voltage and molecular rigidity. This sensitivity allows us to selectively prolong the translocation time of short single-stranded DNA molecules by up to 5 orders of magnitude, to as long as minutes, allowing discrimination against their double-stranded duplexes with 97% confidence.

Date: 2021
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-20409-4

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