Assessing the feasibility of protein sequencing using biological nanopores

The nanopore technology offers extraordinary long reads of DNA and RNA sequence by measuring ionic current signals produced by nucleic acid translocation through a biological nanopore. The key to success of the nanopore sequencing method is stepwise translocation of the nucleic acid realized by means of a DNA processing motor and the sharp constriction of the biological nanopore that enables detection of subtle differences among the nucleotides. Here, we use all-atom molecular dynamics simulations to explore the ability of biological nanopores to distinguish amino acids by means of an ionic current blockade.