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Report

Teaser, summary, work performed and final results

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - COSMOS (Control and measurement of single macromolecules in space and time)

Teaser

We recently developed a new experimental approach to trapping a single molecule, such as a protein, in solution based on its electrical charge. The proposal focuses on developing a novel measurement principle (escape time electrometry - ETe) for highly precise measurements of...

Summary

We recently developed a new experimental approach to trapping a single molecule, such as a protein, in solution based on its electrical charge. The proposal focuses on developing a novel measurement principle (escape time electrometry - ETe) for highly precise measurements of electrical charge on single molecules in the fluid phase. One of the main goals of the project is to use the ETe methodology to rapidly measure distributions in electrical charge of biomolecular species in solution. The potential application base is extremely broad with areas of immediate interest including detection of: (1) heterogeneous states of multimeric proteins, (2) binding of metal cations to proteins, (3) small molecule binding to drug target proteins, (4) post-translational modifications such as phoshporylation, (5) conformational changes in biomolecules. The ETe measurement approach relies on optical observation of single molecules in a microscope and therefore requires the attachment of fluorescent labels to the molecule of interest. In a parallel sphere of activity we are also looking to develop the ability to develop an all electrical, label-free approach to the detection of the electrical properties of a single molecule in solution. The development of these new experimental approaches will not only enable researchers to address fundamental questions on the nature of molecular interactions and properties in solution but will also provide a new highly sensitive and precise biomedical detection technology that could have direct impact on aspects of societal health.

Work performed

The implementation of the project in the first reporting period has been successful. My research group relocated from Zurich to Oxford as of 01.06.2018. The first few months of the project were devoted entirely to setting up the laboratory from scratch, re-building experimental set-ups and restarting experiments. One of the major fronts on which we had to invest significant effort was the transfer of our nanofabrication process to the local cleanroom facilities. This enterprise is now nearing successful completion, but it has not come without fantastic team work and significant amounts of time and effort on the part of the group members funded by the ERC. The transition has been successful overall and our efforts are clearly beginning to bear fruit.

The recruited team started out with two doctoral (DPhil) students, and a postdoc working on theory and computation, all of who transferred with the group from Zurich to Oxford. Within 6 to 9 months of moving to Oxford we have recruited two additional full-time postdocs and one part-time technician on the experimental side, and an additional PhD student with a focus on computation. The team now has the right strength and mix of skills, has acquired the relevant background training in our fields of interest, and is well prepared to make a concerted move towards realising the goals of the project.

The main results achieved so far constitute the successful transfer and rebuilding of our laboratory and research at the new host institution and reproduction of previous electrometry measurements on single molecules in solution.

Final results

By the end of the project we expect to have developed new technologies that will enable for the first time high precision measurement of molecular properties in the fluid phase. We anticipate the ETe approach will have developed into a mature experimental platform, and that we will have a proof-of-concept working prototype for an all-electrical measurement of the properties of a single molecule in the fluid phase. In delivery high precision measurements of molecular charge and conformation at high throughput and at the single molecule level, both the microscopy-based ETe approach and the all-electrical approach currently under development constitute major progress in molecular measurement that are well beyond the state-of-the-art. We anticipate that the new opportunities for molecular measurement and detection that will emerge from the project will have significant impact both on fundamental research as well as on the biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors.

Website & more info

More info: http://krishnan.chem.ox.ac.uk/.