Construction of an aerolysin nanopore in a lipid bilayer for single-oligonucleotide analysis

Nat Protoc. 2017 Sep;12(9):1901-1911. doi: 10.1038/nprot.2017.077. Epub 2017 Aug 24.

Abstract

Nanopore techniques offer the possibility to study biomolecules at the single-molecule level in a low-cost, label-free and high-throughput manner. By analyzing the level, duration and frequency of ionic current blockades, information regarding the structural conformation, mass, length and concentration of single molecules can be obtained in physiological conditions. Aerolysin monomers assemble into small pores that provide a confined space for effective electrochemical control of a single molecule interacting with the pore, which significantly improves the temporal resolution of this technique. In comparison with other reported protein nanopores, aerolysin maintains its functional stability in a wide range of pH conditions, which allows for the direct discrimination of oligonucleotides between 2 and 10 nt in length and the monitoring of the stepwise cleavage of oligonucleotides by exonuclease I (Exo I) in real time. This protocol describes the process of activating proaerolysin using immobilized trypsin to obtain the aerolysin monomer, the construction of a lipid membrane and the insertion of an individual aerolysin nanopore into this membrane. A step-by-step description is provided of how to perform single-oligonucleotide analyses and how to process the acquired data. The total time required for this protocol is ∼3 d.

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Toxins* / analysis
  • Bacterial Toxins* / chemistry
  • Bacterial Toxins* / genetics
  • Enzymes, Immobilized / metabolism
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Lipid Bilayers / chemistry
  • Models, Molecular
  • Nanopores*
  • Oligonucleotides* / analysis
  • Oligonucleotides* / chemistry
  • Oligonucleotides* / genetics
  • Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins* / analysis
  • Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins* / chemistry
  • Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins* / genetics
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA / instrumentation*
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA / methods*

Substances

  • Bacterial Toxins
  • Enzymes, Immobilized
  • Lipid Bilayers
  • Oligonucleotides
  • Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins
  • aerolysin