Nanopore: Emerging for detecting protein post-translational modifications

Abstract

Protein post-translational modifications (PTMs) play pivotal roles in almost every cellular process, influencing protein stability, localization, interactions, and enzymatic activities. PTM analysis is crucial for biological and medical advancements, prompting interest in clinical-compatible methods. Nanopore technology emerges as an ideal solution due to its single-molecule sensitivity, ionic current insights, and real-time detection, allowing label-free and high-throughput PTM analysis. This is particularly valuable for exploring low-abundance modifications and dynamic processes. As PTMs pose challenges in protein sequencing, nanopore technology is positioned to impact a broad research domain, promising groundbreaking insights into biological systems and clinical applications. This review summarizes studies on PTM detection using nanopores, showcasing the technology's potential. With its promising development, nanopore research is expected to inspire further advancements and eventual commercialization for PTM detection.