Recent advances in fabrication techniques make nano-sized pores as promising platforms for both detection and sequencing of individual biopolymers such as DNA. To simulate the electrokinetic behavior of a particle in this case, we consider the electrophoresis of a soft nanocylinder comprising a rigid core and a pH-regulated, zwitterionic polyelectrolyte layer along the axis of a rigid cylindrical nanopore. Extending the conventional electrophoresis analysis, where the liquid phase contains only one kind each of cations and anions, we assume that it contains multiple ionic species, as is usually the case in practice. The key parameters are examined for their influences on the electrokinetic behavior of a particle. These include pH, the thickness of the polyelectrolyte layer and the density of its functional groups, and the pore size. The results gathered provide necessary information for the design of an electrokinetic apparatus. (C) 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.