Size Dependent Translocations of Poly-amidoamine (PAMAM) Dendrimers through Alpha-Hemolysin Pore
Abstract
Studies of translocation of polymers across the pores embedded in membranes draw attention not only to understand such naturally occurring events within the cell, but also to utilize them in various biotechnological applications. In this study, translocation properties of dendrimers of various sizes through alpha-hemolysin, a biological nanopore, are studied through accelerated molecular dynamics simulations. Our results reveal heterogeneity in the dependence of current blockade values on dendrimer size for trans side translocations. We show that not only size but also flexibility of the dendrimers of different generations, as well as their binding site must be collectively taken into account when determining ionic conductance upon translocation.