Transport of long neutral polymers in the semidilute regime through a protein nanopore

Phys Rev Lett. 2012 Feb 24;108(8):088104. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.108.088104. Epub 2012 Feb 22.

Abstract

We investigate the entrance of single poly(ethylene glycol) chains into an α-hemolysin channel. We detect the frequency and duration of the current blockades induced by large neutral polymers, where chain radius is larger than pore diameter. In the semidilute regime, these chains pass only if the monomer concentration is larger than a well-defined threshold. Experiments are performed in a very large domain of concentration and molecular mass, up to 35% and 200 kDa, respectively, which was previously unexplored. The variation of the dwell time as a function of molecular mass shows that the chains are extracted from the semidilute solution in contact with the pore by a reptation mechanism.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biological Transport
  • Hemolysin Proteins / chemistry*
  • Hemolysin Proteins / metabolism*
  • Lipid Bilayers / chemistry
  • Lipid Bilayers / metabolism
  • Molecular Weight
  • Nanopores*
  • Polymers / chemistry*
  • Polymers / metabolism*

Substances

  • Hemolysin Proteins
  • Lipid Bilayers
  • Polymers