scholarly journals Biological Nanopores: Engineering on Demand

Life ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 27
Author(s):  
Ana Crnković ◽  
Marija Srnko ◽  
Gregor Anderluh
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Biology ◽  
Single Molecule ◽  
Enzymatic Reactions ◽  
Label Free ◽  
Natural Sources ◽  
On Demand ◽  
Label Free Detection ◽  
Long Read ◽  
Inorganic Molecules ◽  
Standard Molecular Biology

Nanopore-based sensing is a powerful technique for the detection of diverse organic and inorganic molecules, long-read sequencing of nucleic acids, and single-molecule analyses of enzymatic reactions. Selected from natural sources, protein-based nanopores enable rapid, label-free detection of analytes. Furthermore, these proteins are easy to produce, form pores with defined sizes, and can be easily manipulated with standard molecular biology techniques. The range of possible analytes can be extended by using externally added adapter molecules. Here, we provide an overview of current nanopore applications with a focus on engineering strategies and solutions.

scholarly journals Tuning the Covering on Gold Surfaces by Grafting Amino-Aryl Films Functionalized with Fe(II) Phthalocyanine: Performance on the Electrocatalysis of Oxygen Reduction

Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 1631
Author(s):  
Camila F. Olguín ◽  
Nicolás Agurto ◽  
Carlos P. Silva ◽  
Carolina P. Candia ◽  
Mireya Santander-Nelli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oxygen Reduction ◽  
Diazonium Salt ◽  
Gold Surface ◽  
Catalytic Performance ◽  
Reduction Reaction ◽  
Salt Reduction ◽  
Surface Electrodes ◽  
Custom Made ◽  
Aryl Diazonium Salt ◽  
Inorganic Molecules

Current selective modification methods, coupled with functionalization through organic or inorganic molecules, are crucial for designing and constructing custom-made molecular materials that act as electroactive interfaces. A versatile method for derivatizing surfaces is through an aryl diazonium salt reduction reaction (DSRR). A prominent feature of this strategy is that it can be carried out on various materials. Using the DSRR, we modified gold surface electrodes with 4-aminebenzene from 4-nitrobenzenediazonium tetrafluoroborate (NBTF), regulating the deposited mass of the aryl film to achieve covering control on the electrode surface. We got different degrees of covering: monolayer, intermediate, and multilayer. Afterwards, the ArNO2 end groups were electrochemically reduced to ArNH2 and functionalized with Fe(II)-Phthalocyanine to study the catalytic performance for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The thickness of the electrode covering determines its response in front of ORR. Interestingly, the experimental results showed that an intermediate covering film presents a better electrocatalytic response for ORR, driving the reaction by a four-electron pathway.

Raman spectroscopy and the search for life signatures in the ExoMars Mission

2012 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 269-278 ◽  
Author(s):  
Howell G.M. Edwards ◽  
Ian B. Hutchinson ◽  
Richard Ingley
Keyword(s):  
Raman Spectroscopy ◽  
European Space Agency ◽  
Molecular Ions ◽  
Survival Strategies ◽  
Spectroscopic Techniques ◽  
Space Agency ◽  
High Discrimination ◽  
Pre Treatment ◽  
Biological Modification ◽  
Inorganic Molecules

AbstractThe survival strategies of extremophilic organisms in terrestrially stressed locations and habitats are critically dependent on the production of protective chemicals in response to desiccation, low wavelength radiation insolation, temperature and the availability of nutrients. The adaptation of life to these harsh prevailing conditions involves the control of the substratal geology; the interaction between the rock and the organisms is critical and the biological modification of the geological matrix plays a very significant role in the overall survival strategy. Identification of these biological and biogeological chemical molecular signatures in the geological record is necessary for the recognition of the presence of extinct or extant life in terrestrial and extraterrestrial scenarios. Raman spectroscopic techniques have been identified as valuable instrumentation for the detection of life extra-terrestrially because of the use of non-invasive laser-based excitation of organic and inorganic molecules, and molecular ions with high discrimination characteristics; the interactions effected between biological organisms and their environments are detectable through the molecular entities produced at the interfaces, for which the vibrational spectroscopic band signatures are unique. A very important attribute of Raman spectroscopy is the acquisition of molecular experimental data non-destructively without the need for chemical or mechanical pre-treatment of the specimen; this has been a major factor in the proposal for the adoption of Raman instrumentation on robotic landers and rovers for planetary exploration, particularly for the forthcoming European Space Agency (ESA)/National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) ExoMars mission. In this paper, the merits of using Raman spectroscopy for the recognition of key molecular biosignatures from several terrestrial extremophile specimens will be illustrated. The data and specimens used in this presentation have been acquired from Arctic and Antarctic cold deserts and a meteorite crater, from which it will be possible to assess spectral data relevant for the detection of extra-terrestrial extremophilic life signatures.

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