Single molecule branch structure analysis of glycopolymers using nanopore

建立了一种基于纳米孔、纳米级库尔特计数器的单分子聚糖和多糖分支结构分析系统。β-聚糖通过在薄膜上制造的小孔（其尺寸与分子的直径相当）的易位诱导对应于每个分子的脉冲形电流变化信号。电流脉冲，归因于每个线性多糖分子的易位，观察多糖。结果表明，在横截面积上的分辨率足够高，以区分单个分子中的一个葡萄糖单元，并获得分支结构信息。这种分析技术不仅适用于聚糖，而且适用于更一般的支化聚合物。

An analysis system for branch structure of single molecule glycan and polysaccharide was developed using a nanopore, nano-scale version of Coulter counter. Translocation of polyelectrolyte glycans through a small pore fabricated on thin membrane, whose size is comparable to the diameter to the molecule, induces a pulse-shaped current change signal corresponding to each molecule. Current pulses, ascribed to the translocation of each linear polysaccharide molecule, were observed for polysaccharides. It was shown that the resolution in the cross-sectional area is high enough to distinguish of one glucose unit in the single molecule, and branch structure information was obtained. This analysis technique is promising not only for glycans but also for branched polymer in more general.