2. Academic Validation
  3. Programmable nano-reactors for stochastic sensing

Programmable nano-reactors for stochastic sensing

  • Nat Commun. 2021 Oct 4;12(1):5811. doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-26054-9.
Wendong Jia 1 2,  Chengzhen Hu 1 2,  Yuqin Wang 1 2,  Yuming Gu 1 2,  Guangrui Qian 3,  Xiaoyu Du 1 2,  Liying Wang 1 2,  Yao Liu 1 2,  Jiao Cao 1 2,  Shanyu Zhang 1 2,  Shuanghong Yan 1 2,  Panke Zhang 1,  Jing Ma 1,  Hong-Yuan Chen 1,  Shuo Huang 1 2
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Sciences, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, 210023, Nanjing, China.
  • 2 Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, 210023, Nanjing, China.
  • 3 Intelligence Qubic Technology Co. Ltd, Beijing, China.
PMID: 34608151 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26054-9
Abstract

Chemical reactions of single molecules, caused by rapid formation or breaking of chemical bonds, are difficult to observe even with state-of-the-art instruments. A biological nanopore can be engineered into a single molecule reactor, capable of detecting the binding of a monatomic ion or the transient appearance of chemical intermediates. Pore engineering of this type is however technically challenging, which has significantly restricted further development of this technique. We propose a versatile strategy, "programmable nano-reactors for stochastic sensing" (PNRSS), by which a variety of single molecule reactions of hydrogen peroxide, metal ions, ethylene glycol, glycerol, lactic acid, Vitamins, catecholamines or nucleoside analogues can be observed directly. PNRSS presents a refined sensing resolution which can be further enhanced by an artificial intelligence algorithm. Remdesivir, a nucleoside analogue and an investigational anti-viral drug used to treat COVID-19, can be distinguished from its active triphosphate form by PNRSS, suggesting applications in pharmacokinetics or drug screening.

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