DNA in nanopore-counterion condensation and coion depletion

Yitzhak Rabin; Motohiko Tanaka

doi:10.1103/physrevlett.94.148103

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arXiv · cond-mat/0412293

DNA in nanopore-counterion condensation and coion depletion

Yitzhak Rabin·Motohiko Tanaka

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Abstract

Molecular dynamics simulations are used to study the equilibrium distribution of monovalent ions in a nanopore connecting two water reservoirs separated by a membrane, both for the empty pore and that with a single stranded DNA molecule inside. In the presence of DNA, the counterions condense on the stretched macromolecule effectively neutralizing it, and nearly complete depletion of coions from the pore is observed. The implications of our results for experiments on DNA translocation through alpha-hemolysin nanopores are discussed.

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Yitzhak Rabin, Motohiko Tanaka. 2004-12-13. DNA in nanopore-counterion condensation and coion depletion. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.94.148103

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