title: Frictionless sliding of single-stranded DNA in a carbon nanotube pore observed by single molecule force spectroscopy.
abstract: Smooth inner pores of carbon nanotubes (CNT) provide a fascinating model for studying biological transport. We used an atomic force microscope to pull a single-stranded DNA oligomer from a carbon nanotube pore. DNA extraction from CNT pores occurs at a nearly constant force, which is drastically different from the elastic profile commonly observed during polymer stretching with atomic force microscopy. We show that a combination of the frictionless nanotube pore walls and an unfavorable DNA solvation energy produces this constant force profiles.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, UC Berkeley , Berkeley, California, United States.
authors.forename: Valentin
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lulevich
authors.forename: Sangil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Costas P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Grigoropoulos
authors.forename: Aleksandr
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Noy
mesh_terms: D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded / Q000737:chemistry*; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D013057:Spectrum Analysis / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon