Functional nucleic acid engineered double-barreled nanopores were designed and applied for measuring Na/K ratio (RNa/K) at single-cell level. The applicability of this nanotool is validated by practical probing intracellular RNa/K during the drug-induced primary stage of apoptotic volume decrease. Especially, the RNa/K has been shown by our nanotool to be different in cell lines with different metastatic potential.
Abstract:
The use of double-barreled nanopipette (θ-nanopipette) to electrically sample, manipulate, or detect biomaterials has recently seen strong growth in single-cell studies, driven by the potential of the nanodevices and applications that they may enable. Considering the pivotal roles of Na/K ratio (RNa/K) at cellular level, herein we describe an engineered θ-nanopipette for measuring single-cell RNa/K. The two independently addressable nanopores, located within one nanotip, allow respective customization of functional nucleic acids but simultaneous deciphering of Na and K levels inside a single cell of a non-Faradic manner. Two ionic current rectification signals, corresponding to the Na- and K-specific smart DNA responses, could be easily used to derive the RNa/K. The applicability of this nanotool is validated by practical probing intracellular RNa/K during the drug-induced primary stage of apoptotic volume decrease. Especially, the RNa/K has been shown by our nanotool to be different in cell lines with different metastatic potential. This work is expected to contribute to futuristic study of single-cell RNa/K in various physiological and pathological processes.
Author list:
Xiao-Mei Shi, Fang-Qing Liu, Bing Wang, Si-Yuan Yu, Yi-Tong Xu, Wei-Wei Zhao*, Dechen Jiang, Hong-Yuan Chen, Jing-Juan Xu*
How to cite:
X.-M. Shi, F.-Q. Liu, B. Wang, S.-Y. Yu, Y.-T. Xu, W.-W. Zhao, D. Jiang, H.-Y. Chen, J.-J. Xu, Exploration 2022, 2, 20220025.
https://doi.org/10.1002/EXP.20220025