Redesign of Translocon EXP2 Nanopore for Detecting Peptide Fragments.

Nanopore sensing is a rapid, label-free technique that enables single-molecule detection and is successfully applied to nucleic acid sequencing. Extending this technology to the detection and sequencing of peptides and proteins is a key area of interest. However, the complex structures and diverse charge distributions of peptides and proteins present challenges for extensive detection using existing nanopores.

Complex and Non-sequential Current Signatures of a β-Hairpin Peptide Confined in a Nanopore.

Nanopore sensing is widely used for single-molecule detection, originally applied to nucleic acids and now extended to protein sensing. Our study focuses on the complex conformational changes of peptides in nanopores, which may have implications for peptide fingerprinting and protein identification. Specifically, we investigated the interaction of a β-hairpin peptide (SV28) within an α-hemolysin (αHL) nanopore.

A microfluidics platform for simultaneous evaluation of sensitivity and side effects of anti-cancer drugs using a three-dimensional culture method.

Organoids are stem cell-derived three-dimensional tissue cultures composed of multiple cell types that recapitulate the morphology and functions of their in vivo counterparts. Organ-on-a-chip devices are tiny chips with interconnected wells and channels designed using a perfusion system and microfluidics to precisely mimic the in vivo physiology and mechanical forces experienced by cells in the body. These techniques have recently been used to reproduce the structure and function of organs in vitro and are expected to be promising alternatives for animal experiments in the future.

Unraveling the molecular dissociation between aging and atherosclerosis: A bioinformatics approach.

Aim: In clinical practice, cardiologists frequently note substantial differences in coronary artery health among patients of the same age bracket. This observation led to our investigation into identifying genes that are shared between atherosclerosis and aging, as well as those that are specifically amplified in atherosclerosis alone.

Methods: Our study leveraged existing gene expression datasets from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), avoiding the need for new experimental research involving human or animal subjects.