Electric field-induced translocation of single-stranded DNA through a polarized carbon nanotube membrane

Abstract

Molecular dynamics simulations based on a novel polarizable nanotube model were performed to study the dynamics in translocation of a single-stranded deoxyribonucleic acid oligonucleotide through a polarized carbon nanotube membrane by an applied electric field. The study revealed a nonlinear dependence of translocation velocity and an inverse quadratic dependence of translocation time on the electric field strength, as well as a threshold electric field below which the translocation process becomes impossible. The translocation rate was found to be pore-size dependent. The polarizable nanotube model developed for this study provides a useful platform for investigating the dynamics of a range of bionanosystems. © 2007 American Institute of Physics.