Ultraviolet (UV) radiation induces the formation of covalent pyrimidine dimers in DNA. This study aims to characterize the effects of UV-induced photodimers on DNA sequencing using nanopore technology. Synthetic DNA oligonucleotides containing site-specific pyrimidine dimers will be synthesized and treated with varying UV doses from a monochromatic laser source at 260 nm. The resulting DNA samples will then be sequenced using a nanopore device and the current trace signatures of the damaged bases analyzed. We hypothesize that pyrimidine dimers will produce unique current blockade levels compared to undamaged DNA that can be detected during translocation through the nanopore.
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