title: Single-carbon discrimination by selected peptides for individual detection of volatile organic compounds.
abstract: Although volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are becoming increasingly recognized as harmful agents and potential biomarkers, selective detection of the organic targets remains a tremendous challenge. Among the materials being investigated for target recognition, peptides are attractive candidates because of their chemical robustness, divergence, and their homology to natural olfactory receptors. Using a combinatorial peptide library and either a graphitic surface or phenyl-terminated self-assembled monolayer as relevant target surfaces, we successfully selected three interesting peptides that differentiate a single carbon deviation among benzene and its analogues. The heterogeneity of the designed target surfaces provided peptides with varying affinity toward targeted molecules and generated a set of selective peptides that complemented each other. Microcantilever sensors conjugated with each peptide quantitated benzene, toluene and xylene to sub-ppm levels in real time. The selection of specific receptors for a group of volatile molecules will provide a strong foundation for general approach to individually monitoring VOCs.
authors.affiliation: Center for BioMicrosystems, Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul. 136-791, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Soomi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ju
authors.affiliation: Center for Spintronics, Post-Silicon Semiconductor Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul. 136-791, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Ki-Young
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Center for Neuro-medicine, Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul. 136-791, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sun-Joon
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Min
authors.affiliation: Center for BioMicrosystems, Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul. 136-791, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Yong Kyoung
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.affiliation: Center for BioMicrosystems, Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul. 136-791, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kyo Seon
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.affiliation: Center for BioMicrosystems, Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul. 136-791, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Kyung
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Center for Spintronics, Post-Silicon Semiconductor Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul. 136-791, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hyunjung
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yi