Single-molecule nanopore sensing of actin dynamics and drug binding

Abstract

Actin is a key protein in the dynamic processes within the eukaryotic cell. To date, methods exploring the molecular state of actin are limited to insights gained from structural approaches, providing a snapshot of protein folding, or methods that require chemical modifications compromising actin monomer thermostability. Nanopore sensing permits label-free investigation of native proteins and is ideally suited to study proteins such as actin that require specialised buffers and cofactors. Using nanopores we determined the state of actin at the macromolecular level (filamentous or globular) and in its monomeric form bound to inhibitors. We revealed urea-dependent and voltage-dependent transitional states and observed unfolding process within which sub-populations of transient actin oligomers are visible. We detected, in real-time, drug-binding and filament-growth events at the single-molecule level. This enabled us to calculate binding stoichiometries and to propose a model for protein dynamics using unmodified, native actin molecules, demostrating the promise of nanopores sensing for in-depth understanding of protein folding landscapes and for drug discovery.