Data analysis methods for solid-state nanopores

We describe a number of techniques for the analysis of solid-state nanopore ionic current traces and introduce a new package of Matlab analysis scripts with GUI front ends. We discuss methods for the detection of the local baseline and propose a new detection algorithm that bypasses some of the classical weaknesses of moving-average detection. Our new approach removes detected events and re-creates an ideal event-free baseline subsequently used to recalculate the local baseline. Iterative operation of this algorithm causes both the moving average of the baseline current and its standard deviation to converge to their correct values. We explain different approaches to selecting events and building event populations, and we show the value of keeping track of the changes in parameters, such as the event rate and the pore resistance, throughout the course of the experiment. Finally, we introduce a new technique for separating unfolded events and detecting current spikes present within translocation events. This open source software package is available online at: http://ceesdekkerlab.tudelft.nl/downloads/