Directional control of a processive molecular hopper.

Intrigued by the potential of nanoscale machines, scientists have long attempted to control molecular motion. We monitored the individual 0.7-nanometer steps of a single molecular hopper as it moved in an electric field along a track in a nanopore controlled by a chemical ratchet. The hopper demonstrated characteristics desired in a moving molecule: defined start and end points, processivity, no chemical fuel requirement, directional motion, and external control. The hopper was readily functionalized to carry cargos. For example, a DNA molecule could be ratcheted along the track in either direction, a prerequisite for nanopore sequencing.