title: A Protein Nanopore-Based Approach for Bacteria Sensing.
abstract: We present herein a first proof of concept demonstrating the potential of a protein nanopore-based technique for real-time detection of selected Gram-negative bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa or Escherichia coli) at a concentration of 1.2 × 108cfu/mL. The anionic charge on the bacterial outer membrane promotes the electrophoretically driven migration of bacteria towards a single α-hemolysin nanopore isolated in a lipid bilayer, clamped at a negative electric potential, and followed by capture at the nanopore's mouth, which we found to be described according to the classical Kramers' theory. By using a specific antimicrobial peptide as a putative molecular biorecognition element for the bacteria used herein, we suggest that the detection system can combine the natural sensitivity of the nanopore-based sensing techniques with selective biological recognition, in aqueous samples, and highlight the feasibility of the nanopore-based platform to provide portable, sensitive analysis and monitoring of bacterial pathogens.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Alexandru I. Cuza University, Iasi, Romania.
authors.forename: Aurelia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Apetrei
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Alexandru I. Cuza University, Iasi, Romania.
authors.forename: Andrei
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ciuca
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Proteineous Materials, Chosun University, Gwangju, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jong-Kook
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioinformatics, Kongju National University, Kongju, South Korea.
authors.forename: Chang Ho
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioinformatics, Kongju National University, Kongju, South Korea. y_k_park@chosun.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Yoonkyung
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Alexandru I. Cuza University, Iasi, Romania. luchian@uaic.ro.
authors.forename: Tudor
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Luchian
keywords: Antimicrobial peptides; Bacteria biosensing; Gram-negative bacteria; Protein nanopore; α-Hemolysin