Biophysical properties of the Bacillus anthracis PA63 ion channel

B. Nablo¹, K.M. Halverson², R.G. Panchal², S. Bavari², T.L. Nguyen³,

R. Gussio³, O. Krasilnikov⁴, M. Misakian¹ and J.J. Kasianowicz¹

¹ NIST, ²USAMRIID, ³NCI-SAIC, ⁴ U. Pernambuco

Bacterial pore-forming toxins (e.g., Staphylococcus aureus alpha-hemolysin) have the potential to selectively detect ions and distinguish between different types of single-stranded DNA. More recently, based on its ability to strongly bind full-length Lethal Factor secreted by Bacillus anthracis, the channel formed by the activated version of B. anthracis protective antigen (i.e., PA63) was used to monitor the effectiveness of a therapeutic agent against anthrax infection. To better adapt the PA63 channel for high-throughput screening and clinical applications, we are biophysically characterizing the PA63 channel with several different classes of polymers.

Author Information:

Author - Brian Nablo

Mentor – Michael Gaitan and John Kasianowicz

Division – 812.05 – EEEL – Semiconductor Electronics

Laboratory – Enabling Devices

Address – 225/A308

Mail Stop – 812.05

Phone – x2492

FAX – 301-948-4081

Email – brian.nablo@nist.gov

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