Scalable production of highly sensitive nanosensors based on graphene functionalized with a designed G protein-coupled receptor.

Lerner, Mitchell B; Matsunaga, Felipe; Han, Gang Hee; Hong, Sung Ju; Xi, Jin; Crook, Alexander; Perez-Aguilar, Jose Manuel; Park, Yung Woo et al. · Nano Lett · 2014

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

We have developed a novel, all-electronic biosensor for opioids that consists of an engineered μ-opioid receptor protein, with high binding affinity for opioids, chemically bonded to a graphene field-effect transistor to read out ligand binding. A variant of the receptor protein that provided chemical recognition was computationally redesigned to enhance its solubility and stability in an aqueous environment. A shadow mask process was developed to fabricate arrays of hundreds of graphene transistors with average mobility of ∼1500 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) and yield exceeding 98%. The biosensor exhibits high sensitivity and selectivity for the target naltrexone, an opioid receptor antagonist, with a detection limit of 10 pg/mL.

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