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Voorspoels A, Gevers J, Santermans S, Akkan N, Martens K, Willems K, Van Dorpe P, Verhulst AS. Design Principles of DNA-Barcodes for Nanopore-FET Readout, Based on Molecular Dynamics and TCAD Simulations. J Phys Chem A 2024. [PMID: 38712508 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpca.4c01772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Nanopore field-effect transistor (NP-FET) devices hold great promise as sensitive single-molecule sensors, which provide CMOS-based on-chip readout and are also highly amenable to parallelization. A plethora of applications will therefore benefit from NP-FET technology, such as large-scale molecular analysis (e.g., proteomics). Due to its potential for parallelization, the NP-FET looks particularly well-suited for the high-throughput readout of DNA-based barcodes. However, to date, no study exists that unravels the bit-rate capabilities of NP-FET devices. In this paper, we design DNA-based barcodes by labeling a piece of double-stranded DNA with dumbbell-like DNA structures. We explore the impact of both the size of the dumbbells and their spacing on achievable bit-rates. The conformational fluctuations of this DNA-origami, as observed by molecular dynamics (MD) simulation, are accounted for when selecting label sizes. An experimentally informed 3D continuum nanofluidic-nanoelectronic device model subsequently predicts both the ionic current and FET signals. We present a barcode design for a conceptually generic NP-FET, with a 14 nm diameter pore, operating in conditions corresponding to experiments. By adjusting the spacing between the labels to half the length of the pore, we show that a bit-rate of 78 kbit·s-1 is achievable. This lies well beyond the state-of-the-art of ≈40 kbit·s-1, with significant headroom for further optimizations. We also highlight the advantages of NP-FET readout based on the larger signal size and sinusoidal signal shape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aderik Voorspoels
- Imec, Kapeldreef 75, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200D, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Juliette Gevers
- Imec, Kapeldreef 75, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200D, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Nihat Akkan
- Imec, Kapeldreef 75, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200D, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Koen Martens
- Imec, Kapeldreef 75, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200D, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Pol Van Dorpe
- Imec, Kapeldreef 75, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200D, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Anne S Verhulst
- Imec, Kapeldreef 75, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Electrical Engineering (ESAT), KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 10, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
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2
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Ju H, Cheng L, Li M, Mei K, He S, Jia C, Guo X. Single-Molecule Electrical Profiling of Peptides and Proteins. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024:e2401877. [PMID: 38639403 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202401877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2024] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
In recent decades, there has been a significant increase in the application of single-molecule electrical analysis platforms in studying proteins and peptides. These advanced analysis methods have the potential for deep investigation of enzymatic working mechanisms and accurate monitoring of dynamic changes in protein configurations, which are often challenging to achieve in ensemble measurements. In this work, the prominent research progress in peptide and protein-related studies are surveyed using electronic devices with single-molecule/single-event sensitivity, including single-molecule junctions, single-molecule field-effect transistors, and nanopores. In particular, the successful commercial application of nanopores in DNA sequencing has made it one of the most promising techniques in protein sequencing at the single-molecule level. From single peptides to protein complexes, the correlation between their electrical characteristics, structures, and biological functions is gradually being established. This enables to distinguish different molecular configurations of these biomacromolecules through real-time electrical monitoring of their life activities, significantly improving the understanding of the mechanisms underlying various life processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongyu Ju
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, P. R. China
- Center of Single-Molecule Sciences, Institute of Modern Optics, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Microscale Optical Information Science and Technology, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, P. R. China
| | - Li Cheng
- Center of Single-Molecule Sciences, Institute of Modern Optics, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Microscale Optical Information Science and Technology, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, P. R. China
| | - Mengmeng Li
- Center of Single-Molecule Sciences, Institute of Modern Optics, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Microscale Optical Information Science and Technology, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, P. R. China
| | - Kunrong Mei
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, P. R. China
| | - Suhang He
- Center of Single-Molecule Sciences, Institute of Modern Optics, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Microscale Optical Information Science and Technology, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, P. R. China
| | - Chuancheng Jia
- Center of Single-Molecule Sciences, Institute of Modern Optics, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Microscale Optical Information Science and Technology, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, P. R. China
| | - Xuefeng Guo
- Center of Single-Molecule Sciences, Institute of Modern Optics, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Microscale Optical Information Science and Technology, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, P. R. China
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, National Biomedical Imaging Center, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, P. R. China
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3
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Liu W, Chen L, Yin D, Yang Z, Feng J, Sun Q, Lai L, Guo X. Visualizing single-molecule conformational transition and binding dynamics of intrinsically disordered proteins. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5203. [PMID: 37626077 PMCID: PMC10457384 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41018-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) play crucial roles in cellular processes and hold promise as drug targets. However, the dynamic nature of IDPs remains poorly understood. Here, we construct a single-molecule electrical nanocircuit based on silicon nanowire field-effect transistors (SiNW-FETs) and functionalize it with an individual disordered c-Myc bHLH-LZ domain to enable label-free, in situ, and long-term measurements at the single-molecule level. We use the device to study c-Myc interaction with Max and/or small molecule inhibitors. We observe the self-folding/unfolding process of c-Myc and reveal its interaction mechanism with Max and inhibitors through ultrasensitive real-time monitoring. We capture a relatively stable encounter intermediate ensemble of c-Myc during its transition from the unbound state to the fully folded state. The c-Myc/Max and c-Myc/inhibitor dissociation constants derived are consistent with other ensemble experiments. These proof-of-concept results provide an understanding of the IDP-binding/folding mechanism and represent a promising nanotechnology for IDP conformation/interaction studies and drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenzhe Liu
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, 292 Chengfu Road, Haidian District, 100871, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Limin Chen
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, 100871, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Dongbao Yin
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, 292 Chengfu Road, Haidian District, 100871, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Zhiheng Yang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, 292 Chengfu Road, Haidian District, 100871, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Jianfei Feng
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, 292 Chengfu Road, Haidian District, 100871, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Qi Sun
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, 292 Chengfu Road, Haidian District, 100871, Beijing, P. R. China.
| | - Luhua Lai
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, 292 Chengfu Road, Haidian District, 100871, Beijing, P. R. China.
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, 100871, Beijing, P. R. China.
- Center for Quantitative Biology, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, 100871, Beijing, P. R. China.
| | - Xuefeng Guo
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, 292 Chengfu Road, Haidian District, 100871, Beijing, P. R. China.
- Center of Single-Molecule Sciences, Institute of Modern Optics, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, 300350, Tianjin, P. R. China.
- National Biomedical Imaging Center, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, P. R. China.
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4
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Yang Z, Wang J, Yin B, Liu W, Yin D, Shen J, Wang W, Li L, Guo X. Stimuli-Induced Subconformation Transformation of the PSI-LHCI Protein at Single-Molecule Resolution. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023:e2205945. [PMID: 37114832 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202205945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Revised: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Photosynthesis is a very important process for the current biosphere which can maintain such a subtle and stable circulatory ecosystem on earth through the transformation of energy and substance. Even though been widely studied in various aspects, the physiological activities, such as intrinsic structural vibration and self-regulation process to stress of photosynthetic proteins, are still not in-depth resolved in real-time. Herein, utilizing silicon nanowire biosensors with ultrasensitive temporal and spatial resolution, real-time responses of a single photosystem I-light harvesting complex I (PSI-LHCI) supercomplex of Pisum sativum to various conditions, including gradient variations in temperature, illumination, and electric field, are recorded. Under different temperatures, there is a bi-state switch process associated with the intrinsic thermal vibration behavior. When the variations of illumination and the bias voltage are applied, two additional shoulder states, probably derived from the self-conformational adjustment, are observed. Based on real-time monitoring of the dynamic processes of the PSI-LHCI supercomplex under various conditions, it is successively testified to promising nanotechnology for protein profiling and biological functional integration in photosynthesis studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiheng Yang
- State Key Laboratory for Advanced Metals and Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083, P. R. China
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, National Biomedical Imaging Center, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, 292 Chengfu Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100871, P. R. China
| | - Jie Wang
- Photosynthesis Research Center, Key Laboratory of Photobiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, P. R. China
| | - Bing Yin
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, National Biomedical Imaging Center, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, 292 Chengfu Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100871, P. R. China
| | - Wenzhe Liu
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, National Biomedical Imaging Center, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, 292 Chengfu Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100871, P. R. China
| | - Dongbao Yin
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, National Biomedical Imaging Center, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, 292 Chengfu Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100871, P. R. China
| | - Jianren Shen
- Photosynthesis Research Center, Key Laboratory of Photobiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, P. R. China
| | - Wenda Wang
- Photosynthesis Research Center, Key Laboratory of Photobiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, P. R. China
| | - Lidong Li
- State Key Laboratory for Advanced Metals and Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083, P. R. China
| | - Xuefeng Guo
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, National Biomedical Imaging Center, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, 292 Chengfu Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100871, P. R. China
- Center of Single-Molecule Sciences, Institute of Modern Optics, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin, 300350, P. R. China
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5
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Santermans S, Hellings G, Heyns M, Van Roy W, Martens K. Unraveling the impact of nano-scaling on silicon field-effect transistors for the detection of single-molecules. NANOSCALE 2023; 15:2354-2368. [PMID: 36644797 DOI: 10.1039/d2nr05267a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Electrolyte-gated silicon field-effect transistors (FETs) capable of detecting single molecules could enable high-throughput molecular sensing chips to advance, for example, genomics or proteomics. For solid-gated silicon FETs it is well-known that nano-scaled devices become sensitive to single elementary charges near the silicon-oxide interface. However, in electrolyte-gated FETs, electrolyte screening strongly reduces sensitivity to charges near the gate oxide. The question arises whether nano-scaling electrolyte-gated FETs can entail a sufficiently large signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for the detection of single molecules. We enhanced a technology computer-aided design tool with electrolyte screening models to calculate the impact of the FET geometry on the single-molecule signal and FET noise. Our continuum FET model shows that a sufficiently large single-molecule SNR is only obtained when nano-scaling all FET channel dimensions. Moreover, we show that the expected scaling trend of the single-molecule SNR breaks down and no longer results in improvements for geometries approaching the decananometer size. This is the characteristic size of the FET channel region modulated by a typical molecule. For gate lengths below 50 nm, the overlap of the modulated region with the highly conductive junctions leads to saturation of the SNR. For cross-sections below 10-30 nm, SNR degrades due to the overlap of the modulated region with the convex FET corners where a larger local gate capacitance reduces charge sensitivity. In our study, assuming a commercial solid-state FET noise amplitude, we find that a suspended nanowire FET architecture with 35 nm length and 5 × 10 nm2 cross-section results in the highest SNR of about 10 for a 15-base DNA oligo in a 15 mM electrolyte. In contrast with typical silicon nanowire FET sensors which possess micron-scale gate lengths, we find it to be key that all channel dimensions are scaled down to the decananometer range.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sybren Santermans
- imec, Kapeldreef 75, 3001 Leuven, Belgium.
- Department of Materials Engineering, University of Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 44, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Marc Heyns
- imec, Kapeldreef 75, 3001 Leuven, Belgium.
- Department of Materials Engineering, University of Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 44, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
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6
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Single-exonuclease nanocircuits reveal the RNA degradation dynamics of PNPase and demonstrate potential for RNA sequencing. Nat Commun 2023; 14:552. [PMID: 36725855 PMCID: PMC9892577 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36278-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The degradation process of RNA is decisive in guaranteeing high-fidelity translation of genetic information in living organisms. However, visualizing the single-base degradation process in real time and deciphering the degradation mechanism at the single-enzyme level remain formidable challenges. Here, we present a reliable in-situ single-PNPase-molecule dynamic electrical detector based on silicon nanowire field-effect transistors with ultra-high temporal resolution. These devices are capable of realizing real-time and label-free monitoring of RNA analog degradation with single-base resolution, including RNA analog binding, single-nucleotide hydrolysis, and single-base movement. We discover a binding event of the enzyme (near the active site) with the nucleoside, offering a further understanding of the RNA degradation mechanism. Relying on systematic analyses of independent reads, approximately 80% accuracy in RNA nucleoside sequencing is achieved in a single testing process. This proof-of-concept sets up a Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS)-compatible playground for the development of high-throughput detection technologies toward mechanistic exploration and single-molecule sequencing.
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7
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Côté S, Bouilly D, Mousseau N. The molecular origin of the electrostatic gating of single-molecule field-effect biosensors investigated by molecular dynamics simulations. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2022; 24:4174-4186. [PMID: 35113103 DOI: 10.1039/d1cp04626h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Field-effect biosensors (bioFETs) offer a novel way to measure the kinetics of biomolecular events such as protein function and DNA hybridization at the single-molecule level on a wide range of time scales. These devices generate an electrical current whose fluctuations are correlated to the kinetics of the biomolecule under study. BioFETs are indeed highly sensitive to changes in the electrostatic potential (ESP) generated by the biomolecule. Here, using all-atom solvent explicit molecular dynamics simulations, we further investigate the molecular origin of the variation of this ESP for two prototypical cases of proteins or nucleic acids attached to a carbon nanotube bioFET: the function of the lysozyme protein and the hybridization of a 10-nt DNA sequence, as previously done experimentally. Our results show that the ESP changes significantly on the surface of the carbon nanotube as the state of these two biomolecules changes. More precisely, the ESP distributions calculated for these molecular states explain well the magnitude of the conductance fluctuations measured experimentally. The dependence of the ESP with salt concentration is found to agree with the reduced conductance fluctuations observed experimentally for the lysozyme, but to differ for the case of DNA, suggesting that other mechanisms might be at play in this case. Furthermore, we show that the carbon nanotube does not impact significantly the structural stability of the lysozyme, corroborating that the kinetic rates measured using bioFETs are similar to those measured by other techniques. For DNA, we find that the structural ensemble of the single-stranded DNA is significantly impacted by the presence of the nanotube, which, combined with the ESP analysis, suggests a stronger DNA-device interplay. Overall, our simulations strengthen the comprehension of the inner working of field-effect biosensors used for single-molecule kinetics measurements on proteins and nucleic acids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sébastien Côté
- Département de Physique, Faculté des Arts et des Sciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada. .,Département de Physique, Cégep de Saint-Jérôme, Saint-Jérôme, Canada
| | - Delphine Bouilly
- Département de Physique, Faculté des Arts et des Sciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada. .,Institut de recherche en immunologie et cancérologie (IRIC), Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada.
| | - Normand Mousseau
- Département de Physique, Faculté des Arts et des Sciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada.
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8
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Liu W, Li J, Xu Y, Yin D, Zhu X, Fu H, Su X, Guo X. Complete Mapping of DNA‐Protein Interactions at the Single‐Molecule Level. ADVANCED SCIENCE 2021; 8:2101383. [PMCID: PMC8655176 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202101383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
DNA–protein interaction plays an essential role in the storage, expression, and regulation of genetic information. A 1D/3D facilitated diffusion mechanism has been proposed to explain the extraordinarily rapid rate of DNA‐binding protein (DBP) searching for cognate sequence along DNA and further studied by single‐molecule experiments. However, direct observation of the detailed chronological protein searching image is still a formidable challenge. Here, for the first time, a single‐molecule electrical monitoring technique is utilized to realize label‐free detection of the DBP–DNA interaction process based on high‐gain silicon nanowire field‐effect transistors (SiNW FETs). The whole binding process of WRKY domain and DNA has been visualized with high sensitivity and single‐base resolution. Impressively, the swinging of hydrogen bonds between amino acid residues and bases in DNA induce the dynamic collective motion of DBP–DNA. This in situ, label‐free electrical detection platform provides a practical experimental methodology for dynamic studies of various biomolecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenzhe Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable SpeciesBeijing National Laboratory for Molecular SciencesNational Biomedical Imaging CenterCollege of Chemistry and Molecular EngineeringPeking UniversityBeijing100871P. R. China
| | - Jie Li
- State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable SpeciesBeijing National Laboratory for Molecular SciencesNational Biomedical Imaging CenterCollege of Chemistry and Molecular EngineeringPeking UniversityBeijing100871P. R. China
- Shenzhen Bay LaboratoryShenzhen518132P. R. China
| | - Yongping Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene ResearchBiomedical Pioneering Innovation Center (BIOPIC)Peking UniversityBeijing100871P. R. China
| | - Dongbao Yin
- State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable SpeciesBeijing National Laboratory for Molecular SciencesNational Biomedical Imaging CenterCollege of Chemistry and Molecular EngineeringPeking UniversityBeijing100871P. R. China
| | - Xin Zhu
- Center of Single‐Molecule SciencesFrontiers Science Center for New Organic MatterInstitute of Modern OpticsCollege of Electronic Information and Optical EngineeringNankai University38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan DistrictTianjin300350P. R. China
| | - Huanyan Fu
- Center of Single‐Molecule SciencesFrontiers Science Center for New Organic MatterInstitute of Modern OpticsCollege of Electronic Information and Optical EngineeringNankai University38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan DistrictTianjin300350P. R. China
| | - Xiaodong Su
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene ResearchBiomedical Pioneering Innovation Center (BIOPIC)Peking UniversityBeijing100871P. R. China
| | - Xuefeng Guo
- State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable SpeciesBeijing National Laboratory for Molecular SciencesNational Biomedical Imaging CenterCollege of Chemistry and Molecular EngineeringPeking UniversityBeijing100871P. R. China
- Center of Single‐Molecule SciencesFrontiers Science Center for New Organic MatterInstitute of Modern OpticsCollege of Electronic Information and Optical EngineeringNankai University38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan DistrictTianjin300350P. R. China
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9
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Li Y, Yang C, Guo X. Single-Molecule Electrical Detection: A Promising Route toward the Fundamental Limits of Chemistry and Life Science. Acc Chem Res 2020; 53:159-169. [PMID: 31545589 DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.9b00347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The ultimate limit of analytical chemistry is single-molecule detection, which allows one to visualize the dynamic processes of chemical/biological interactions with single-molecule or single-event sensitivity and hence enables the study of stochastic fluctuations under equilibrium conditions and the observation of time trajectories and reaction pathways of individual species in nonequilibrated systems. In addition, such studies may also allow the direct observation of novel microscopic quantum effects and fundamental discoveries of underlying molecular mechanisms in organic reactions and biological processes that are not accessible in ensemble experiments, thus providing unique opportunities to solve the key problems of physical, chemical, and life sciences. Consequently, the field of single-molecule detection has received considerable attention and has witnessed tremendous advances in different directions in combination with other disciplines. This Account describes our ongoing work on the development of groundbreaking methods (termed "single-molecule electrical approaches") of translating the detailed processes of chemical reactions or biological functions into detectable electrical signals at the single-event level on the platform of single-molecule electronic devices, with a particular focus on graphene-molecule-graphene single-molecule junctions (GMG-SMJs) and silicon-nanowire-based single-molecule electrical nanocircuits. These nanocircuit-based architectures are complementary to conventional optical or mechanical techniques but exhibit obvious advantages such as the absence of problems associated with bleaching and fluorescent labeling. Dash-line lithography (DLL) is an efficient lithographic method of cutting graphene and forming carboxylic-acid-functionalized nanogapped graphene point contact arrays developed to address the formidable challenges of molecular device fabrication difficulty and poor stability. Molecules of interest terminated by amines on both ends can be covalently sandwiched between graphene point contacts to create high-throughput robust GMG-SMJs containing only one molecule as the conductive element. In conjunction with the ease of device fabrication and device stability, this feature distinguishes GMG-SMJs as a new testbed platform for single-molecule analysis characterized by high temporal resolution and superior signal-to-noise ratios. By exploiting the DLL method, we have fabricated molecular devices that are sensitive to external stimuli and are capable of transducing chemical/biochemical events into electrical signals at the single-molecule level, with notable examples including host-guest interaction, hydrogen bond dynamics, DNA intercalation, photoinduced conformational transition, carbocation formation, nucleophilic addition, and stereoelectronic effect. In addition to GMG-SMJs and considering compatibility with the silicon-based industry, we have also developed a reliable method of point-functionalizing silicon-nanowire-based nanotransistors to afford single-molecule electrical nanocircuits. This approach proved to be a robust platform for single-molecule electrical analysis capable of probing fast dynamic processes such as single-protein detection, DNA hybridization/polymorphism, and motor rotation dynamics. The above systematic investigations emphasize the importance and unique advantages of universal single-molecule electrical approaches for realizing direct, label-free, real-time electrical measurements of reaction dynamics with single-event sensitivity. These approaches promise a fascinating mainstream platform to explore the dynamics of stochastic processes in chemical/biological systems as well as gain information in fields ranging from reaction chemistry for elucidating the intrinsic mechanisms to genomics or proteomics for accurate molecular and even point-of-care clinical diagnoses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Li
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, P. R. China
| | - Chen Yang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, P. R. China
| | - Xuefeng Guo
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, P. R. China
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10
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Li Y, Zhao L, Yao Y, Guo X. Single-Molecule Nanotechnologies: An Evolution in Biological Dynamics Detection. ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2019; 3:68-85. [DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.9b00840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yu Li
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, P. R. China
| | - Lihua Zhao
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, P. R. China
| | - Yuan Yao
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, P. R. China
| | - Xuefeng Guo
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, P. R. China
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11
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Chen X, Zhou C, Guo X. Ultrasensitive Detection and Binding Mechanism of Cocaine in an Aptamer‐based Single‐molecule Device. CHINESE J CHEM 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/cjoc.201900225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Xinjiani Chen
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Center for Life SciencesPeking University Beijing 100871 China
| | - Chenguang Zhou
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Science, State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, College of Chemistry and Molecular EngineeringPeking University Beijing 100871 China
| | - Xuefeng Guo
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Science, State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, College of Chemistry and Molecular EngineeringPeking University Beijing 100871 China
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, College of EngineeringPeking University Beijing 100871 China
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Neves MMPDS, Martín-Yerga D. Advanced Nanoscale Approaches to Single-(Bio)entity Sensing and Imaging. BIOSENSORS 2018; 8:E100. [PMID: 30373209 PMCID: PMC6316691 DOI: 10.3390/bios8040100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2018] [Revised: 10/11/2018] [Accepted: 10/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Individual (bio)chemical entities could show a very heterogeneous behaviour under the same conditions that could be relevant in many biological processes of significance in the life sciences. Conventional detection approaches are only able to detect the average response of an ensemble of entities and assume that all entities are identical. From this perspective, important information about the heterogeneities or rare (stochastic) events happening in individual entities would remain unseen. Some nanoscale tools present interesting physicochemical properties that enable the possibility to detect systems at the single-entity level, acquiring richer information than conventional methods. In this review, we introduce the foundations and the latest advances of several nanoscale approaches to sensing and imaging individual (bio)entities using nanoprobes, nanopores, nanoimpacts, nanoplasmonics and nanomachines. Several (bio)entities such as cells, proteins, nucleic acids, vesicles and viruses are specifically considered. These nanoscale approaches provide a wide and complete toolbox for the study of many biological systems at the single-entity level.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Daniel Martín-Yerga
- Department of Chemical Engineering, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, 100-44 Stockholm, Sweden.
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Ono T, Ichiki T, Noji H. Digital enzyme assay using attoliter droplet array. Analyst 2018; 143:4923-4929. [PMID: 30221644 PMCID: PMC6180314 DOI: 10.1039/c8an01152d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2018] [Accepted: 08/18/2018] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Single-molecule digital enzyme assay using micron-sized droplet array is a promising analysis method to quantify biomolecules at extremely low concentrations. However, multiplex digital enzyme assays are still difficult to access because the best buffer conditions can vary largely among enzymes. In addition, the best conditions for flurogenic compounds to retain high quantum efficiency and to avoid leakage into the oil phase can be also very different. In this study, digital enzyme assay was performed using an array of nanometer-sized droplets of 200 aL volume, termed 'nanocell'. Due to the small reaction volume, nanocell enhanced the accumulation rate of fluorescent products by a factor of 100 when compared with micron-sized reactors. Nanocell also enabled oil-free sealing of reactors: when flushed with an air flow, nanocell displayed water droplets under air, allowing enzymes to catalyze the reaction at the same rate as in oil-sealed reactors. Dual digital enzyme assay was also demonstrated using β-galactosidase and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) at pH 7.4, which is far from the optimum condition for ALP. Even under such a non-optimum condition, ALP molecules were successfully detected. Nanocell could largely expand the applicability of digital bioassay for enzymes under non-optimum conditions or enzymes of low turnover rate. The sealing of the reactor with air would also expand the applicability, allowing the use of fluorescent dyes that leak into oil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takao Ono
- Department of Applied Chemistry
, Graduate School of Engineering
, The University of Tokyo
,
Japan
.
| | - Takanori Ichiki
- Department of Materials Engineering
, Graduate School of Engineering
, The University of Tokyo
,
Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Noji
- Department of Applied Chemistry
, Graduate School of Engineering
, The University of Tokyo
,
Japan
.
- ImPACT Program
, Japan Science and Technology Agency
,
Saitama 332-0012
, Japan
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