Label-free detection and profiling of individual solution-phase molecules. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38720082/)

These scientists wanted to learn more about how molecules behave in solutions, which is where a lot of chemistry and biology happens. They used a special technique that allows them to study individual molecules without adding any labels or tags to them. This technique uses a very sensitive device called a Fabry-Perot microcavity to detect tiny biomolecules, even ones as small as a ten-amino-acid peptide.

By using this method, the scientists were able to see how different molecules move and interact in solution. They found that they could distinguish between different types of molecules that have the same weight and composition but different shapes. This is important because molecules can behave differently depending on their shape, and understanding this can help scientists in many areas of science.

Overall, this study showed that this new technique can help scientists learn more about the shapes, diversity, and movements of molecules in solutions, which can be very useful in chemistry and biology research.

Needham LM., Saavedra C., Rasch JK., Sole-Barber D., Schweitzer BS., Fairhall AJ., Vollbrecht CH., Wan S., Podorova Y., Bergsten AJ., Mehlenbacher B., Zhang Z., Tenbrake L., Saimi J., Kneely LC., Kirkwood JS., Pfeifer H., Chapman ER., Goldsmith RH. Label-free detection and profiling of individual solution-phase molecules. Nature. 2024 May 8. doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-07370-8.