纳米孔在蛋白质单分子水平研究中的应用

Research progress and application of nanopores in single-molecule protein sensing

摘要:

蛋白质是生命活动的主要载体，承担着多种复杂而又精巧的催化、输运、调控等生物学功能。这些功能的发挥与蛋白质折叠过程、配体分子的作用以及自身构象转变有着紧密联系。本文从纳米孔单分子水平出发，系统总结了蛋白质在纳米孔检测领域的研究内容和最新进展，包括不同多肽、蛋白质的分子识别，蛋白质折叠过程的构象变化，不同蛋白质的pH响应性，蛋白质与不同分子的相互作用以及纳米孔用于蛋白质测序的应用进展。基于纳米孔单分子技术对蛋白质结构和功能进行研究对探究生命活动本质规律，进而对实现疾病的早期诊断和药物设计的精准治疗具有十分重要的意义。

Abstract:

Proteins are fundamental carriers as the structural elements and biochemically active entities responsible for catalysis, transport, and regulation. These functions are depending on the protein folding into precise three-dimensional structures, interacting with ligands, and conformational changes. This article reviews the recent progress of nanopores in single-molecule protein sensing, involving the identification of polypeptides and proteins, the conformation changes of protein folding, the molecular structure responsible to the pH of solutions, the molecular interactions, and protein sequencing. These studies provide clues to understand life activities and facilitate the early diagnosis of diseases and design of drugs for precise treatment.