Advanced nanopores
Commercial nanopore sequencers are now available. These devices are based on biological nanopores and sequence DNA using ion-current measurements. Nanopores can also be made from synthetic materials, but, at present, these nanopores are less sophisticated and capable than their biological counterparts. However, they allow read-out mechanisms other than ion-current measurements to be exploited and could, in the future, provide cheaper and more versatile devices, with applications in the analysis of DNA, proteins and beyond. In this focus we examine some of the possibilities for advanced synthetic nanopores and highlight the challenges the field faces in delivering practical devices.
