Applied voltage draws a DNA strand and surrounding ionic solution through a pore of nanometer dimensions. The various DNA units in the strand block ion flow by differing amounts. In turn, by measuring these differences in ion current, scientists can detect the sequence of DNA units. Atomistic scale simulations performed on the NASA Columbia supercomputer (SGI Altix-3000) allow detailed study of DNA translocation to enhance the abilities of these sequencers. Solid-state nanopores offer a better temporal control of the translocation of DNA, and a more robust template for nano-engineering than biological ion channels. The chemistry of solid-state nanopores can be more easily tuned to increase the signal resolution. These advantages will results in real-time genome sequencing. Potential applications for NASA missions including astronaut health, life detection and decoding of various genomes.
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