A journey through biological and artificial nanopores : a physicist approach of the nuclear pore complex
| When |
Jan 14, 2020
from 10:45 to 11:45 |
|---|---|
| Where | Room André Collet (M6) |
| Attendees |
Fabien Montel |
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The nuclear pore complex is the unique gateway between the nucleus and the cytoplasm of the cells. It ensures both directional and selective transport of nucleic acids and proteins.
We used hydrophobic polymer grafted nanopores that mimic the crowding of the native pore. We showed using a near field optics that we can measure the energy barrier of translocation for biopolymers and reproduce some of the selectivity features of the nuclear pore.
To study the directional transport of biomolecules through the NPC, a simplified mimetic device based on nanoporous membranes was designed. Ratchet agents which bind strongly with the transported molecule but cannot diffuse through the pore were added on the exit side of the membrane. We quantified the effect of the ratchet agent on the translocation frequency of DNA molecules. An experimental measurement of the energy barrier and attempt frequency associated with the Brownian ratchet was extracted and compared with coarse grained modeling.