title: Electrically sensing protease activity with nanopores.
abstract: The enzymatic activity of a protease was electrically detected using nanopore recordings. A peptide substrate was tethered to microscale beads, and cleavage by the enzyme trypsin released a soluble fragment that was electrophoretically driven through the α-hemolysin protein pore, leading to detectable blockades in the ionic current. Owing to its simplicity, this approach to sense enzymatic activity may be applied to other proteases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University College London, London WC1H 0AJ, UK.
authors.forename: Mikiembo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kukwikila
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Howorka
mesh_terms: D004563:Electrochemistry / Q000379:methods*; D004586:Electrophoresis / Q000379:methods*; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry*; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000737:chemistry*; D016062:Porosity
chemical_list: D010447:Peptide Hydrolases