Letter abstract
Nature Nanotechnology 3, 620 - 625 (2008)
Published online: 7 September 2008 | doi:10.1038/nnano.2008.242
Subject Categories: Nanosensors and other devices | Synthesis and processing
Coupling ion channels to receptors for biomolecule sensing
Christophe J. Moreau1, Julien P. Dupuis1, Jean Revilloud1, Karthik Arumugam2 & Michel Vivaudou1
Abstract
Nanoscale electrical biosensors are promising tools for diagnostics and high-throughput screening systems. The electrical signal allows label-free assays with a high signal-to-noise ratio and fast real-time measurements. The challenge in developing such biosensors lies in functionally connecting a molecule detector to an electrical switch. Advances in this field have relied on synthetic ion-conducting pores1 and modified ion channels2, 3, 4 that are not yet suitable for biomolecule screening. Here we report the design and characterization of a novel bioelectric-sensing platform engineered by coupling an ion channel, which serves as the electrical probe, to G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), a family of receptors that detect molecules outside the cell. These ion-channel-coupled receptors may potentially detect a wide range of ligands recognized by natural or altered GPCRs5, 6, which are known to be major pharmaceutical targets7. This could form a unique platform for label-free drug screening8.
- Laboratoire des Protéines Membranaires, Institut de Biologie Structurale (CEA, CNRS, UJF), 41 rue Jules Horowitz, 38027 Grenoble, France
- Laboratoire Chimie et Biologie des Métaux, Institut de Recherches en Technologies et Sciences pour le Vivant, CEA/Grenoble, 17 rue des Martyrs, 38041 Grenoble, France
Correspondence to: Michel Vivaudou1 e-mail: vivaudou@cea.fr
Correspondence to: Christophe J. Moreau1 e-mail: christophe.moreau@ibs.fr
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