Synthetic ion channels made of DNA

Abstract

Natural ion channels have long inspired the design of synthetic nanopores with protein-like features. A significant leap towards this endeavor has been made possible using DNA origami. The exploitation of DNA as a building material has enabled the construction of biomimetic DNA nanopores with a range of pore dimensions and stimuli-responsive capabilities. However, structural fluctuations and ion leakage across the walls of DNA nanopores greatly limit their use in various applications like label-free sensing and as a research tool in functional studies of ion channels. This review outlines some of the guiding principles for biomimetic engineering of DNA-based ion channels, discusses the weaknesses of current DNA nanopore designs, and presents recent efforts to alleviate these limitations.