Scientists were wrong for decades about DNA knots
Researchers at the University of Cambridge show that twisted coils called plectonemes, not knots, form when DNA translocates through nanopores because flowing ions spin the molecule; these plectonemes produce characteristic electrical fingerprints that can linger and grow during passage, overturning decades-old assumptions about noisy nanopore signals and affecting interpretation of single-molecule sensing data.
Why it mattersNanopore-detected plectonemes, not knots, mean sequencing companies must recalibrate signal models to avoid miscalls.