title: Lattice-Boltzmann Simulations of Ionic Current Modulation by DNA Translocation.
abstract: We present a numerical study of the effect of DNA translocation on the ionic current through a nanopore. We use a coarse-grained model to solve the electrokinetic equations at the Poisson-Boltzmann level for the microions, coupled to a lattice-Boltzmann equation for the solvent hydrodynamics. In most cases, translocation leads to a reduction in the ionic current. However, at low salt concentrations (large screening lengths) we find ionic current enhancement due to translocation. In an unstructured pore, translocation of the helical charge distribution of the DNA has no effect on the ionic current. However, if a localized charge probe is placed on the wall of the nanopore, we observe ionic current modulations that, though weak, should be experimentally observable.
authors.affiliation: FOM Institute for Atomic and Molecular Physics, Kruislaan 407, 1098 SJ Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Sylvain
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Reboux
authors.affiliation: FOM Institute for Atomic and Molecular Physics, Kruislaan 407, 1098 SJ Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Capuani
authors.affiliation: FOM Institute for Atomic and Molecular Physics, Kruislaan 407, 1098 SJ Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Daan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Frenkel