Nanotube trans-membrane channels mimicking biological porins
AssigneesLawrence Livermore National Security, LLC, The Regents of the University of California, Universidad Del Pais Vasco
InventorsAleksandr Noy, Jia Geng, Jianfei Zhang, Vadim Frolov
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Abstract
Provided herein is a nanopore structure, which in one aspect is a “carbon nanotube porin”, that comprises a short nanotube with an associated lipid coating. Also disclosed are compositions and methods enabling the preparation of such nanotube/lipid complexes. Further disclosed is a method for therapeutics delivery that involves a drug delivery agent comprising a liposome with a NT loaded with a therapeutic agent, introducing the therapeutic agent into a cell or a tissue or an organism; and subsequent release of the therapeutic agents into a cell.
Claims40
A nanopore structure comprising a nanotube(s) (NTs) coated with an amphiphilic material and having length of 10.1+/−5.4 nm.
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A method of sequencing nucleic acids, comprising:
- introducing a nanopore structure(s) comprising a nanotube(s) coated with an amphiphilic material to an amphiphilic membrane, so that the nanopore structure(s) self-inserts through the amphiphilic membrane to form a transmembrane pore(s);
- providing a voltage across the nanopore structure(s) to induce a measurable current flow therethrough;
- translating nucleic acid polymer through the transmembrane pore(s) using electrophoretic force or other means;
- and
- measuring the ion current through the transmembrane pore(s) over time to assist in determining DNA sequence.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.