DNA Nanopores - Synthetic DNA-based Nanopores
Description:
The design of synthetic membrane channels, constructed entirely from DNA, started only some years ago. The channels, mimicking natural protein channels, are thought to be useful in several different fields, e.g. as biomarkers, in nanofluidics or in drug-delivery processes.
Topology:
A typical DNA membrane channel is assembled from several DNA double helices arranged into a polygon pattern, with the central cavity forming the transmembrane pore. To facilitate insertion of the DNA channel into a lipid bilayer membrane, the DNA helices are chemically modified to carry hydrophobic anchors. Until now, most of the DNA channels featured four or six DNA helices arranged in a square or a hexagon, with the inner channel diameter varying between 1 and 2.5 nm.
Testimonials
Prof. Dr. Friedrich Simmel - Statement about the Orbit 16
“The Orbit 16 enables us to generate high quality, single channel recordings with synthetic DNA membrane channels, which in our experience are notoriously difficult to measure. DNA pores are quite hard to functionally incorporate into lipid bilayers, but could be successfully investigated using the Orbit 16, as published in Science. The Orbit 16 offers a drastic increase in throughput since it substantially speeds up formation of bilayers and data generation by its parallel recording channels, thus providing us an easy-to-use platform for efficient and accurate research on DNA nanodevice-membrane interactions.”
Dr. Friedrich Simmel, Professor, Systems Biophysics and Bionanotechnology, Physics Department and ZNN/WSI
Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
Movies
2018 - Hand-held DNA-sequencing and biosensing with nanopores
Orbit 16 Oral Presentation
Presenter:
Prof. Dr. Stefan Howorka, University College London, Department of Chemistry
Source:
Webinar: "Artificial Lipid Bilayers in focus: Hand-held DNA-sequencing and biosensing with nanopores", June 28, 2018
Publications
2020 - Destructing the Plasma Membrane with Activatable Vesicular DNA Nanopores
Vesicle Prep Pro Publication in ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces (2020)
Authors:
Chen L, Liang S., Chen Y., Wu M., Zhang Y.
2019 - Synthetic protein-conductive membrane nanopores built with DNA
Orbit 16 and 
Orbit mini publication in Nature Communications (2019)
Authors:
Diederichs T, Pugh G., Dorey A., Xing, Y., Burns J.R., Nguyen Q.H., Tornow M., Tampé R., & Howorka S
2018 - Defined Bilayer Interactions of DNA Nanopores Revealed with a Nuclease-Based Nanoprobe Strategy
Orbit 16 publication in ACS Nano (2018)
Authors:
Burns J.R., Howorka S.
2018 - A synthetic enzyme built from DNA flips 10e7 lipids per second in biological membranes
Vesicle Prep Pro publication in the Nature Communications (2018)
Authors:
Ohmann A, Li C-Y, Maffeo C, Al Nahas K, Baumann K.N, Göpfrich K, Yoo J, Keyser U.F, & Aksimentiev A.
2017 - Stability and dynamics of membrane-spanning DNA nanopores
Orbit 16 publication in Nature Communications (2017)
Authors:
Maingi V., Burns J.R., Uusitalo J.J., Howorka S., Marrink S.J., Sansom M.S.P.
2016 - A biomimetic DNA-made channel for the ligand-controlled and selective transport of small-molecule cargo through a biological membrane
Orbit 16 publication in Nature Nanotechnology (2016)
Authors:
Burns J.R., Seifert A., Fertig N, Howorka S.
2015 - Bilayer-Spanning DNA Nanopores with Voltage- Switching between Open and Closed State
Orbit 16 and 
Vesicle Prep Pro publication in American Chemical Society Nano (2015)
Authors:
Seifert A., Göpfrich K., Burns J.R., Fertig N., Keyser U.F., Howorka S.
2013 - Self-Assembled DNA Nanopores That Span Lipid Bilayers
Orbit 16 publication in Nano Letters (2013)
Authors:
Burns J.R., Stulz E., Howorka S.
2013 - Lipid-Bilayer-Spanning DNA Nanopores with a Bifunctional Porphyrin Anchor
Vesicle Prep Pro publication in Angewandte Chemie International Edition (2013)
Authors:
Burns J.R., Göpfrich K., Wood J.W.,Thacker V.V.,Stulz E., Keyser U.F., Howorka S.