Issue 11, 2024

Resistive pulse analysis of chiral amino acids utilizing metal–amino acid crystallization differences

Abstract

Here, we report a proof-of-concept resistive pulse method for analyzing chiral amino acids utilizing metal–amino acid crystallization differences. This method involves introducing an amino acid sample solution into a micropipette through a pressure-driven flow. The sample then mixes with a metal ion solution inside the pipette, forming metal–amino acid crystals. The crystal size depends on the enantiomeric excess (x) of chiral amino acid samples. Large x values lead to large crystals. The crystal size difference is then reflected in the resistive pulse size as they block the ionic transport in a micropipette to different extents. We used Cd-cystine crystallization as a model system and found approximately five times the mean current pulse size difference for racemic (x = 0) and L-only (x = +1) cystine samples. A similar result was observed for aspartate. Our discovery opens up new opportunities for micro/nanoscopic chiral amino acid analysis, which can potentially be used in single-cell analysis.

Graphical abstract: Resistive pulse analysis of chiral amino acids utilizing metal–amino acid crystallization differences

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
04 Mar 2024
Accepted
15 Apr 2024
First published
15 Apr 2024
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY-NC license

Analyst, 2024,149, 3108-3114

Resistive pulse analysis of chiral amino acids utilizing metal–amino acid crystallization differences

B. Stringer, A. Schmeltzer, C. H. Ryu, H. Ren and L. Luo, Analyst, 2024, 149, 3108 DOI: 10.1039/D4AN00347K

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