Phi29 Motor Nanopore for Single Molecule Sensing

All linear double-stranded (ds) DNA viruses package their genome into a preformed procapsid via an ATP-driving motor. The central component of the phi29 DNA-packaging motor is the portal connector composed of twelve copies of the protein gp10, which form a dodecamer channel that acts as a pathway for the translocation of dsDNA. With a diameter of 3.6 nm at its narrowest end, it is one of the largest among typical channel proteins that have been incorporated into lipid membranes. Explicit engineering and pore modifications of the phi29 connector are possible due to its available crystal structure, thus inspiring the use of such a system as a module in biomedical applications or nanodevices.