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Electro-Mechanical Conductance Modulation of a Nanopore Using a Removable Gate
Shidi Zhao1, Laura Restrepo-Pérez2, Misha Soskine3
1Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, Department of Physics and Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology , University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , Urbana , Illinois 61801 , United States.
ACS Nano
|February 5, 2019
Summary
Researchers developed a synthetic ion channel using a peptide gate within a biological nanopore. This system allows for controlled, stepwise changes in electrical conductance and nonlinear current-voltage properties, enabling new applications in biological computing.
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Nanotechnology
- Molecular Engineering
Background:
- Ion channels are crucial for cellular information processing via electrical signaling.
- Developing synthetic ion channels with tunable conductance is essential for bio-inspired electronic systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To create a hybrid nanopore system with controllable conductance modulation.
- To demonstrate a synthetic ion channel capable of stepwise conductance changes and nonlinear current-voltage behavior.
Main Methods:
- Utilized single-molecule electrical recordings and all-atom molecular dynamics simulations.
- Employed a flexible, charged peptide as a removable gate within a biological nanopore (FraC).
Main Results:
- Achieved stepwise conductance changes by positioning the peptide gate within the nanopore using transmembrane bias.
- Demonstrated nonlinear, reproducible conductance modulation by stretching or compressing the peptide gate.
Conclusions:
- The developed removable-gate nanopore system offers precise control over ion channel conductance.
- This technology has potential applications in biological computing circuits and probing protein elasticity.
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