title: Nanoelectromechanics of methylated DNA in a synthetic nanopore.
abstract: Methylation of cytosine is a covalent modification of DNA that can be used to silence genes, orchestrating a myriad of biological processes including cancer. We have discovered that a synthetic nanopore in a membrane comparable in thickness to a protein binding site can be used to detect methylation. We observe a voltage threshold for permeation of methylated DNA through a <2 nm diameter pore, which we attribute to the stretching transition; this can differ by >1 V/20 nm depending on the methylation level, but not the DNA sequence.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Mirsaidov
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Timp
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Dimitrov
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schulten
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Feinberg
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Timp
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D001483:Base Sequence; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D019175:DNA Methylation; D004587:Electrophoresis, Agar Gel; D019398:Genes, BRCA1; D007335:Insulin-Like Growth Factor II / Q000235:genetics; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D010539:Permeability; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011487:Protein Conformation
chemical_list: D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D007335:Insulin-Like Growth Factor II; D004247:DNA