Label-free biosensing with functionalized nanopipette probes

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2009 Mar 24;106(12):4611-6. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0900306106. Epub 2009 Mar 5.

Abstract

Nanopipette technology can uniquely identify biomolecules such as proteins based on differences in size, shape, and electrical charge. These differences are determined by the detection of changes in ionic current as the proteins interact with the nanopipette tip coated with probe molecules. Here we show that electrostatic, biotin-streptavidin, and antibody-antigen interactions on the nanopipette tip surface affect ionic current flowing through a 50-nm pore. Highly charged polymers interacting with the glass surface modulated the rectification property of the nanopipette electrode. Affinity-based binding between the probes tethered to the surface and their target proteins caused a change in the ionic current due to a partial blockade or an altered surface charge. These findings suggest that nanopipettes functionalized with appropriate molecular recognition elements can be used as nanosensors in biomedical and biological research.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / metabolism
  • Biosensing Techniques / instrumentation*
  • Biotin / metabolism
  • Biotinylation
  • Cattle
  • Electrolytes
  • Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate / metabolism
  • Glass
  • Humans
  • Molecular Probes / metabolism*
  • Nanostructures*
  • Neoplasm Proteins / metabolism
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Serum Albumin, Bovine / metabolism
  • Staining and Labeling*
  • Static Electricity
  • Streptavidin / metabolism
  • Surface Properties

Substances

  • Antibodies
  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Electrolytes
  • Molecular Probes
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • Serum Albumin, Bovine
  • Biotin
  • Streptavidin
  • Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate