Discrimination of supramolecular chirality using a protein nanopore.

ABSTRACT: Supramolecular chirality may emerge from self-assembly processes to yield architectures that differ only in the topological arrangement of their constituent parts. Since the properties of the resulting enantiomeric assemblies are identical, purification and characterisation can be challenging. Here, we have examined the hypothesis that the intrinsic chirality of a protein nanopore can be exploited to detect supramolecular chirality. Transient blockages in the ion current flowing through a single membrane-spanning α-haemolysin nanopore were shown to discriminate between M₄L₆ tetrahedral coordination cages of opposing chiralities. The single-molecule nature of the approach facilitated direct access to the rates of association and dissociation with the nanopore, which al

SUBMITTER: Cooper JA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5612056 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature