Unique Electrical Signature of Phosphate for Specific Single-Molecule Detection of Peptide Phosphorylation

J Am Chem Soc. 2022 Sep 28;144(38):17449-17456. doi: 10.1021/jacs.2c05787. Epub 2022 Sep 14.

Abstract

Single-molecule measurements of biomaterials bring novel insights into cellular events. For almost all of these events, post-translational modifications (PTMs), which alter the properties of proteins through their chemical modifications, constitute essential regulatory mechanisms. However, suitable single-molecule methodology to study PTMs is very limited. Here we show single-molecule detection of peptide phosphorylation, an archetypal PTM, based on electrical measurements. We found that the phosphate group stably bridges a nanogap between metal electrodes and exhibited high electrical conductance, which enables specific single-molecule detection of peptide phosphorylation. The present methodology paves the way to single-molecule studies of PTMs, such as single-molecule kinetics for enzymatic modification of proteins as shown here.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biocompatible Materials
  • Peptides* / metabolism
  • Phosphates* / metabolism
  • Phosphorylation
  • Protein Processing, Post-Translational
  • Proteins / metabolism

Substances

  • Biocompatible Materials
  • Peptides
  • Phosphates
  • Proteins