  We investigate quantum transport through a quantum dot connected to source
and drain leads and side-coupled to a topological superconducting nanowire
(Kitaev chain) sustaining Majorana end modes. Using a recursive Green's
function approach, we determine the local density of states (LDOS) of the
system and find that the end Majorana mode of the wire leaks into the dot thus
emerging as a unique dot level {\it pinned} to the Fermi energy $\varepsilon_F$
of the leads. Surprisingly, this resonance pinning, resembling in this sense a
"Kondo resonance", occurs even when the gate-controlled dot level
$\varepsilon_\text{dot}(V_g)$ is far above or far below $\varepsilon_F$. The
calculated conductance $G$ of the dot exhibits an unambiguous signature for the
Majorana end mode of the wire: in essence, an off-resonance dot
[$\varepsilon_\text{dot}(V_g)\neq \varepsilon_F$], which should have $G=0$,
shows instead a conductance $e^2/2h$ over a wide range of $V_g$, due to this
pinned dot mode. Interestingly, this pinning effect only occurs when the dot
level is coupled to a Majorana mode; ordinary fermionic modes (e.g., disorder)
in the wire simply split and broaden (if a continuum) the dot level. We discuss
experimental scenarios to probe Majorana modes in wires via these leaked/pinned
dot modes.
