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Nov 2005 and
DNA translocation through graphene nanopore

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Threading DNA electrically through nanometer-sized pores, so-called nanopores, holds promise for detecting and sequencing DNA (see Nov 2005 and Oct 2004 highlights). Nanopore measurements tend to be the more sensitive the smaller the pores are. The material graphene, which is just one atom thick and looks like a two-dimensional ``honeycomb" made up of carbon atoms, offers the ultimate physical resolution for measuring DNA (the stacking distance between base-pairs in DNA is about 0.35 nm). As reported recently, molecular dynamics simulations using NAMD revealed the motion of DNA being threaded through graphene nanopores at atomic level resolution. Simulations not only agree qualitatively with previous experiments on DNA translocation through graphene nanopores, but go one step further than the experiments and suggest how individual base pairs can be discriminated. The recent computational study is one further example for the guidance that molecular dynamics simulations provide in nanosensor development (see a recent review). More information can be found on our graphene nanopore website.