(360a) EF-Hand Peptide Aptamer Sensing of Rare Earth Elements

Peptides derived from the EF-hand loops of the protein lanmodulin have been shown to have a high affinity (~ 5 µM KD) for rare earth elements. The affinity and selectivity of these peptides enables them to potentially be used as a biorecognition element for the detection of REEs. Facile means of detecting REEs in the field could be useful in their detection in industrial waste streams and environmental samples. In addition, studies inspired by increasing concerns about the bioaccumulation of REEs will require the aid of easy-to-use sensors. In this work, we investigate the utility of an EF-hand loop peptide sequence derived from lanmodulin in an electrochemical sensing platform, where current changes as target material binds and peptides undergo conformational shifts. Data is shared which demonstrate the combination of the electrochemical platform and peptide aptamer is capable of selective sensing of rare earth elements in simple solutions at levels relevant to human health.