Single-molecule electrophoresis of beta-hairpin peptides by electrical recordings and Langevin dynamics simulations

We used single-channel electrical recordings and Langevin molecular dynamics simulations to explore the electrophoretic translocation of various beta-hairpin peptides across the staphylococcal alpha-hemolysin (alphaHL) protein pore at single-molecule resolution. The beta-hairpin peptides, which varied in their folding properties, corresponded to the C terminal residues of the B1 domain of protein G. The translocation time was strongly dependent on the electric force and was correlated with the folding features of the beta-hairpin peptides. Highly unfolded peptides entered the pore in an extended conformation, resulting in fast single-file translocation events. In contrast, the translocation of the folded beta-hairpin peptides occurred more slowly. In this case, the beta-hairpin peptides traversed the alphaHL pore in a misfolded or fully folded conformation. This study demonstrates that the interaction between a polypeptide and a beta-barrel protein pore is dependent on the folding features of the polypeptide.