Towards Simultaneous Force and Resistive Pulse Sensing in Protein Nanopores Using Optical Tweezers

Protein nanopores are highly suitable for single-molecule detection. They offer more reproducible, cost effective and well defined structures than solid-state alternatives with architectures often known from x-ray crystallography studies with sub-nanometer precision. Here we present a self-assembling hybrid nanopore system consisting of a protein nanopore embedded in a lipid membrane, supported across the tip of a nanopipette. Here, we show the insertion of Staphylococcus aureus toxin α-hemolysin into the supported membrane and the voltage-driven transport of single-stranded DNA homopolymers. Orientation of the nanopipette perpendicular to the optical trapping axis will allow for high resolution force measurements of macromolecular transport through protein nanopores.