Constructing a Nanopipette-based DNA Electro-Mechanical Device

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Khan, Cengiz J., Irving, Oliver J., Al-Waqfi, Rand A., Ferrari, Giorgio, Albrecht, Tim
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Khan, Cengiz J.
Irving, Oliver J.
Al-Waqfi, Rand A.
Ferrari, Giorgio
Albrecht, Tim
author_facet Khan, Cengiz J.
Irving, Oliver J.
Al-Waqfi, Rand A.
Ferrari, Giorgio
Albrecht, Tim
contents Solid-state nanopore and nanopipette sensors are powerful devices for the detection, quantification and structural analysis of biopolymers such as DNA and proteins, especially in carrier-enhanced resistive-pulse sensing. However, hundreds of different molecules typically need to be sampled from solution and analysed to obtain statistically robust information. This limits the applicability of such sensors and complicates associated workflows. Here, we present a new strategy to trap DNA structures in the sensing region of a nanopipette through end functionalisation and nanoparticle capping. We develop a robust set of descriptors to characterise the insertion and presence of nanoparticle-DNA constructs in the nanopipette tip and, furthermore, show that they remain mobile and responsive to external electric fields over extended periods of time. This allows for repeated readout of the same DNA structure and could enable new applications for such sensors, for example in flow and in confined environments.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2510_10515
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Constructing a Nanopipette-based DNA Electro-Mechanical Device
Khan, Cengiz J.
Irving, Oliver J.
Al-Waqfi, Rand A.
Ferrari, Giorgio
Albrecht, Tim
Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
Applied Physics
Solid-state nanopore and nanopipette sensors are powerful devices for the detection, quantification and structural analysis of biopolymers such as DNA and proteins, especially in carrier-enhanced resistive-pulse sensing. However, hundreds of different molecules typically need to be sampled from solution and analysed to obtain statistically robust information. This limits the applicability of such sensors and complicates associated workflows. Here, we present a new strategy to trap DNA structures in the sensing region of a nanopipette through end functionalisation and nanoparticle capping. We develop a robust set of descriptors to characterise the insertion and presence of nanoparticle-DNA constructs in the nanopipette tip and, furthermore, show that they remain mobile and responsive to external electric fields over extended periods of time. This allows for repeated readout of the same DNA structure and could enable new applications for such sensors, for example in flow and in confined environments.
title Constructing a Nanopipette-based DNA Electro-Mechanical Device
topic Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
Applied Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.10515