A partnership with the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program.
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"RNA in Motion: Single-Molecule Nanopore Detection of Conformational Dynamics and Drug Binding"Presented by: Date: February 16, 2026, 4:00-5:00 p.m. Location: Roy Blunt NextGen Precision Health Building To be added to the monthly calendar event, email Zezong Gu. |
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Description
Nucleic acids undergo conformational changes upon binding small molecules, and these structural transitions play central roles in gene regulation, RNA processing, and disease. However, existing methods to probe nucleic acid conformational dynamics typically require labeling and lack sufficient temporal resolution. In this seminar, we present a modular, label-free nanopore platform that enables real-time detection of small-molecule–induced conformational transitions of individual DNA and RNA molecules with millisecond resolution. Using an MspA protein nanopore, nucleic acids are non-covalently docked inside the pore, generating characteristic ionic current signatures that report ligand binding and release at the single-molecule level. We apply this approach to neurotransmitter-binding aptamers and regulatory RNA elements, including HIV TAR, the SMA-associated U1 snRNA–5′ splice-site duplex, and pre-miR-21. These studies reveal how RNA structural motifs and small-molecule binding reshape RNA conformational landscapes. Our results establish nanopores as a powerful single-molecule tool for RNA-targeted drug discovery, disease mechanism studies, and therapeutic RNA design (PNAS 120 (24) e2108118120).
Speaker
Dr. Li‑Qun “Andrew” Gu, PhD, is a Professor of Biological and Biomedical Engineering in the Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Missouri and an investigator with the Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center, where he leads an interdisciplinary laboratory at the interface of biomolecular engineering and nanobiotechnology. His research focuses on developing ultrasensitive, nanopore‑based single‑molecule technologies for rapid, label‑free detection of genetic, epigenetic, and proteomic biomarkers, with applications in disease diagnosis, personalized medicine, and high‑throughput molecular screening. Dr. Gu’s lab integrates smart polymers, microfluidics, and programmable nanopore biosensors to create robust diagnostic tools, including systems for non‑invasive cancer mutation detection and explorations into DNA‑based data storage and nucleic acid memory. Supported by NSF CAREER, NIH, and Coulter Translational Program awards, his work advances fundamental biosensing science while training the next generation of engineers and researchers.
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