Damaged-DNA detection through atomically-thin solid-state nanopores

Jean-Pierre Leburton, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Usage Details

Significant effort has been placed on advancing new generations of single-molecule detection technologies. Unlike other existing platforms, solid-state nanopores have the versatility to perform tasks that go beyond DNA sequencing, such as detecting epigenetic modications, RNA and protein sequencing and folding patterns. In such settings, it is crucial to develop computational tools that enable the identification of optimal solid-state membranes and pore geometries for the problems at hand. In this regard, we propose the implementation of innovative 2D solid-state nanopore device to detect and map minute structural damages in the backbone of dsDNA molecule, which has been attributed to cause cancer. Our two-step objectives will be achieved through, first, understanding the physics behind the interactions of damaged-DNA with 2D solid-state membrane and then, detecting the variations in ionic current through the pore and the transverse electronic current across the membrane caused due to such interactions. The current signatures are obtained by coupling MD simulations to a combination of self-consistent Poisson Boltzmann electrostatics and electronic transport calculations based on non-equilibrium Green's function.