Membrane-Spanning DNA Nanopores: Bottom-up Structures for Single-Molecule Research and Nanotechnology

Date

Mar 18, 2014

Time

1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Speaker

Stefan Howorka

Affiliation

University College London, Department of Chemistry, UK

Series

TUD nanoSeminar

Language

en

Main Topic

Materialien

Other Topics

Materialien

Host

G. Cuniberti

Description

DNA nanotechnology excels at rationally designing functional bottom-up structures. I describe the design and generation of stable self-assembled DNA-based nanopores that insert into lipid bilayers to support transmembrane water flow. The DNA nanopores consist of a bundle of six hexagonally arranged duplexes which are interconnected by cross-overs. The negatively charged nanobarrels carry lipid anchors to facilitate the pores’ insertion into the hydrophobic bilayers. The lipid anchors either neutralize localized negative charges on the DNA backbone (Nano Letters, 2013, 13, 2351) or consist of few, large hydrophobic groups (Angew Chem Int Ed, 2013, 52, 12069). The small membrane-spanning DNA pores merge the fields of nanopores and DNA-nanotechnology and will help open up the design of entirely new molecular devices for applications within single-molecule research and sensing, electric circuits, catalysis, and nanofluidics.

Last modified: Mar 18, 2014, 8:42:08 AM