Novel nanopores for sensing applications
ARRS project code: J4-8225
Period: 1.5.2017 - 30.4.2020
Head: prof. Anderluh Gregor
ABSTRACT
Nanopore sensing has become an important high-throughput technology for direct sensing of diverse analytes such as small molecules or larger molecules such as DNA, RNA and proteins. Biological nanopores represent an important group of molecules that enabled sensing and attracted a lot of attention in recent years due to successful application in DNA sequencing.
In this project we will identify novel pores and membrane systems that could be used for sensing of small molecules or large polymeric structures such as DNA, RNA or proteins. We will focus on families of natural pores that have superior properties for nanopore sensing applications. We will engineer them to be suitable for sensing applications aimed at characterising peptides and proteins and we will explore novel membrane systems suitable for employment in sensing applications.
Our main goal is to develop novel nanopores based on existing pore forming proteins (PFPs) families and not yet explored membrane systems. The use of novel materials in the case of lipid membranes will enable extension of sensing capabilities and development of sensors that could offer supreme functioning even at less optimal conditions found in complex samples (such as serum or environmental samples).
The research directions of this project will thus follow these specific objectives:
- Exploring structural and functional properties of nanopores derived from aerolysin-like PFPs and actinoporin protein families;
- Development of model membrane systems in order to make them useful for sensing applications and formation of model membrane systems (liposomes, nanodiscs);
- Sensing of analytes by some of the newly developed nanopores and membrane systems. Data on novel nanopore properties in different membrane supports, together with sensing data for various analytes, will provide a solid foundation of optimal membrane environment for future research directions on nanopore sensing with many implications in biomedicine and environmental monitoring.
