Single-molecule detection of nitrogen mustards by covalent reaction within a protein nanopore.

Mustards, including sulfur mustards and nitrogen mustards, form a class of cytotoxic, vesicant chemical warfare agents. Mustards have also been used to treat cancer and played a vital role in the development of chemotherapy. Additionally, because of their destructive properties, ease of synthesis, a...

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Main Authors: Wu, H, Bayley, H
Format: Journal article
Language:English
Published: 2008
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author Wu, H
Bayley, H
author_facet Wu, H
Bayley, H
author_sort Wu, H
collection OXFORD
description Mustards, including sulfur mustards and nitrogen mustards, form a class of cytotoxic, vesicant chemical warfare agents. Mustards have also been used to treat cancer and played a vital role in the development of chemotherapy. Additionally, because of their destructive properties, ease of synthesis, and the lack of effective antidotes, mustards are unquestionably terrorist threats. Therefore, quick and convenient detection of mustards is a critical issue. In the present study, we achieved detection of various mustards on the basis of their chemical reactivity by using engineered alpha-hemolysin (alphaHL) protein pores as sensor elements. We describe four classes of reactions for detecting mustards. These reactions occur between mustards and thiol groups contributed by cysteine side-chains within the lumen of the alphaHL pore or on an internal molecular adapter. The approach is quick and straightforward. It can confirm the existence of mustards in as little as 10 min at 50 microM or lower.
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spelling oxford-uuid:29b8b45a-6a50-400d-9729-ccbafb6930642022-03-26T12:20:51ZSingle-molecule detection of nitrogen mustards by covalent reaction within a protein nanopore.Journal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:29b8b45a-6a50-400d-9729-ccbafb693064EnglishSymplectic Elements at Oxford2008Wu, HBayley, HMustards, including sulfur mustards and nitrogen mustards, form a class of cytotoxic, vesicant chemical warfare agents. Mustards have also been used to treat cancer and played a vital role in the development of chemotherapy. Additionally, because of their destructive properties, ease of synthesis, and the lack of effective antidotes, mustards are unquestionably terrorist threats. Therefore, quick and convenient detection of mustards is a critical issue. In the present study, we achieved detection of various mustards on the basis of their chemical reactivity by using engineered alpha-hemolysin (alphaHL) protein pores as sensor elements. We describe four classes of reactions for detecting mustards. These reactions occur between mustards and thiol groups contributed by cysteine side-chains within the lumen of the alphaHL pore or on an internal molecular adapter. The approach is quick and straightforward. It can confirm the existence of mustards in as little as 10 min at 50 microM or lower.
spellingShingle Wu, H
Bayley, H
Single-molecule detection of nitrogen mustards by covalent reaction within a protein nanopore.
title Single-molecule detection of nitrogen mustards by covalent reaction within a protein nanopore.
title_full Single-molecule detection of nitrogen mustards by covalent reaction within a protein nanopore.
title_fullStr Single-molecule detection of nitrogen mustards by covalent reaction within a protein nanopore.
title_full_unstemmed Single-molecule detection of nitrogen mustards by covalent reaction within a protein nanopore.
title_short Single-molecule detection of nitrogen mustards by covalent reaction within a protein nanopore.
title_sort single molecule detection of nitrogen mustards by covalent reaction within a protein nanopore
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AT bayleyh singlemoleculedetectionofnitrogenmustardsbycovalentreactionwithinaproteinnanopore