A nano-scale probing system with a gold nano-dot array for measurement of a single biomolecular interaction force

Abstract

A new nano-scale probing system was proposed and developed to measure and analyze the interaction force between biomolecules at the single molecular level. A probing instrument adopting the working principle of atomic force microscopy (AFM) was designed to measure a single biomolecular interaction force with a patterned gold nano-dot array and functionalized AFM probe. The constructed probing system was evaluated through measurement of the unbinding force between a protein (Vibrio cholerae toxin B subunit) and a carbohydrate (GM1 pentasaccharide) as a model single biomolecular interaction. Thus, the developed probing system might be a potential platform for the effective measurement of single biomolecular level interactions.