A research team at the University of Osaka has developed a nanoheater-based device that can locally unzip DNA strands with minimal damage, offering a potential improvement for next-generation sequencing. The study was published in ACS Nano.
The device features a platinum coil integrated near a nanopore. When voltage is applied, the coil generates heat that separates the two strands of the DNA double helix as it passes through the nanopore. “A key advantage of the new method is that we don’t have to heat the entire sample, only a very small part of it,” said lead author Makusu Tsutsui. “This means that the process needs only a few milliwatts of power, DNA damage is minimized, and we can read information from the DNA more accurately.”
The researchers demonstrated the system’s effectiveness on viral DNA approximately 50,000 base pairs in length and on circular plasmids. The localized heating was sufficient to control when and how the DNA unzipped, as well as its speed, which the team monitored through electrical signals. These measurements allowed them to characterize the impact of temperature, viscous drag, and electrical forces on DNA translocation, data that could help refine sequencing technologies.
Senior author Tomoji Kawai noted that the device’s compact size and low power requirements could make it suitable for portable diagnostic applications. “Our device should be easy to manufacture and, we hope, will become a core technology for fast and accurate next-generation sequencing,” Kawai said.
The researchers believe the system could be incorporated into handheld diagnostic devices for on-site analysis of disease-associated genes and other genetic markers, potentially improving access to personalized medicine.
Publication Details
Tsutsui M, Hsu WL, Yokota K, Komoto Y, Daiguji H, Kawai T. On-site unzipping of single-molecule DNA in a spot-heated nanopore. ACS Nano. 2025;17(7):[Epub ahead of print]. doi:10.1021/acsnano.5c09740.
The device features a platinum coil integrated near a nanopore. When voltage is applied, the coil generates heat that separates the two strands of the DNA double helix as it passes through the nanopore. “A key advantage of the new method is that we don’t have to heat the entire sample, only a very small part of it,” said lead author Makusu Tsutsui. “This means that the process needs only a few milliwatts of power, DNA damage is minimized, and we can read information from the DNA more accurately.”
The researchers demonstrated the system’s effectiveness on viral DNA approximately 50,000 base pairs in length and on circular plasmids. The localized heating was sufficient to control when and how the DNA unzipped, as well as its speed, which the team monitored through electrical signals. These measurements allowed them to characterize the impact of temperature, viscous drag, and electrical forces on DNA translocation, data that could help refine sequencing technologies.
Senior author Tomoji Kawai noted that the device’s compact size and low power requirements could make it suitable for portable diagnostic applications. “Our device should be easy to manufacture and, we hope, will become a core technology for fast and accurate next-generation sequencing,” Kawai said.
The researchers believe the system could be incorporated into handheld diagnostic devices for on-site analysis of disease-associated genes and other genetic markers, potentially improving access to personalized medicine.
Publication Details
Tsutsui M, Hsu WL, Yokota K, Komoto Y, Daiguji H, Kawai T. On-site unzipping of single-molecule DNA in a spot-heated nanopore. ACS Nano. 2025;17(7):[Epub ahead of print]. doi:10.1021/acsnano.5c09740.