Through the Eye of the Needle: Recent Advances in Understanding Biopolymer Translocation

TL;DR

This paper reviews recent experimental and theoretical progress in understanding polymer translocation through nanopores, emphasizing non-equilibrium dynamics and single-molecule observations with high resolution.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of recent advances in experimental techniques and theoretical models for polymer translocation, highlighting non-equilibrium phenomena.

Findings

Enhanced understanding of single-molecule translocation dynamics

Development of new theoretical models for non-equilibrium processes

Improved experimental resolution of polymer motion through nanopores

Abstract

In recent years polymer translocation, i.e., transport of polymeric molecules through nanometer-sized pores and channels embedded in membranes, has witnessed strong advances. It is now possible to observe single-molecule polymer dynamics during the motion through channels with unprecedented spatial and temporal resolution. These striking experimental studies have stimulated many theoretical developments. In this short theory-experiment review, we discuss recent progress in this field with a strong focus on non-equilibrium aspects of polymer dynamics during the translocation process.