05.09.2025

Researchers at The University of Osaka have developed a nanodevice that gently unzips DNA using a microscopic platinum coil. Published in ACS Nano, the study highlights how the technology minimizes DNA damage and requires only minimal energy. The device could pave the way for portable genetic testing and support advances in personalized medicine.

Image: The image shows a DNA double helix; Copyright: Makusu Tsutsui

The University of Osaka research team developed a nanodevice with a platinum coil that gently unzips DNA, paving the way for portable genetic testing.

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DNA contains the genetic information that determines many aspects of human health. To analyze this information and assess predispositions to genetic disorders, DNA must be "unzipped". Traditionally, this requires high heat and harsh chemicals, which can damage the DNA and reduce the accuracy of sequencing.

A research team at The University of Osaka has now introduced a nanotechnology-based method that makes DNA unzipping more precise and efficient.

How the nanodevice works

The new device relies on a nano-sized platinum coil. When a DNA molecule approaches the nanopore of the device, voltage is applied to the coil, generating localized heat that opens the DNA strand. This enables one strand to be read at a time.

"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," explains 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."

Study results and insights

The nanodevice was tested with two types of DNA:

a long viral DNA molecule with about 50,000 base pairs
a smaller circular plasmid

Both could be unzipped with only minimal heat. The precise control of heating also allowed the researchers to regulate the speed of unzipping and monitor the DNA’s passage through the nanopore via electrical signals. This provided valuable insights into how electrical forces, fluid viscosity and temperature influence DNA movement - data essential for advancing DNA sequencing technology.

Towards portable genetic testing

"Our device should be easy to manufacture and, we hope, will become a core technology for fast and accurate next-generation sequencing," says senior author Tomoji Kawai. "The device is microscopic and consumes very little power, so it could potentially be incorporated into portable diagnostic devices, allowing on-site access to genetic information that can guide diagnosis and treatment."

The researchers envision handheld sequencing tools that could detect genetic mutations linked to cancer or other diseases. Such devices would also strengthen personalized medicine by enabling doctors to tailor treatments to the genetic profile of individual patients.

COMPAMED-tradefair.com; Source: The University of Osaka

More about the University of Osaka at: www.osaka-u.ac.jp