40 CFR 79.67 - Glial fibrillary acidic protein assay.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 16 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Glial fibrillary acidic protein assay... Glial fibrillary acidic protein assay. (a) Purpose. Chemical-induced injury of the nervous system, i.e... paragraph (e)(3) in this section). Assays of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), the major intermediate...

Relative quantification of protein-protein interactions using a dual luciferase reporter pull-down assay system.

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Shuaizheng Jia

Full Text Available The identification and quantitative analysis of protein-protein interactions are essential to the functional characterization of proteins in the post-proteomics era. The methods currently available are generally time-consuming, technically complicated, insensitive and/or semi-quantitative. The lack of simple, sensitive approaches to precisely quantify protein-protein interactions still prevents our understanding of the functions of many proteins. Here, we develop a novel dual luciferase reporter pull-down assay by combining a biotinylated Firefly luciferase pull-down assay with a dual luciferase reporter assay. The biotinylated Firefly luciferase-tagged protein enables rapid and efficient isolation of a putative Renilla luciferase-tagged binding protein from a relatively small amount of sample. Both of these proteins can be quantitatively detected using the dual luciferase reporter assay system. Protein-protein interactions, including Fos-Jun located in the nucleus; MAVS-TRAF3 in cytoplasm; inducible IRF3 dimerization; viral protein-regulated interactions, such as MAVS-MAVS and MAVS-TRAF3; IRF3 dimerization; and protein interaction domain mapping, are studied using this novel assay system. Herein, we demonstrate that this dual luciferase reporter pull-down assay enables the quantification of the relative amounts of interacting proteins that bind to streptavidin-coupled beads for protein purification. This study provides a simple, rapid, sensitive, and efficient approach to identify and quantify relative protein-protein interactions. Importantly, the dual luciferase reporter pull-down method will facilitate the functional determination of proteins.

Content of Asthmagen Natural Rubber Latex Allergens in Commercial Disposable Gloves.

Science.gov (United States)

Bittner, C; Garrido, M V; Krach, L H; Harth, V

The use of natural rubber latex (NRL) gloves in many occupations may lead to latex sensitization, allergic asthma, and skin reactions. Due to their good properties and environmental safety NRL gloves are still being used in the healthcare setting, but also in the food industry, by hairdressers, cleaners, etc. The aim of our study was to assess the protein and NRL allergen content in commercial gloves by different methods, including a new assay. Twenty commercially available NRL gloves were analyzed. Protein extraction was performed according to the international standard ASTM D-5712. Total protein content was measured with a modified Lowry method, NRL content with the CAP Inhibition Assay, the Beezhold ELISA Inhibition Assay, and an innovative ELISA with IgY-antibodies extracted from eggs of NRL-immunized hens (IgY Inhibition Assay). We found a high protein content in a range of 215.0-1304.7 μg/g in 8 out of the 20 NRL gloves. Seven of the 20 gloves were powdered, four of them with a high protein content. In gloves with high protein content, the immunological tests detected congruently high levels of NRL allergen. We conclude that a high percentage of commercially available NRL gloves still represent a risk for NRL allergy, including asthma. The modified Lowry Method allows to infer on the latex allergen content.

High-throughput kinase assays with protein substrates using fluorescent polymer superquenching

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Weatherford Wendy

2005-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background High-throughput screening is used by the pharmaceutical industry for identifying lead compounds that interact with targets of pharmacological interest. Because of the key role that aberrant regulation of protein phosphorylation plays in diseases such as cancer, diabetes and hypertension, kinases have become one of the main drug targets. With the exception of antibody-based assays, methods to screen for specific kinase activity are generally restricted to the use of small synthetic peptides as substrates. However, the use of natural protein substrates has the advantage that potential inhibitors can be detected that affect enzyme activity by binding to a site other than the catalytic site. We have previously reported a non-radioactive and non-antibody-based fluorescence quench assay for detection of phosphorylation or dephosphorylation using synthetic peptide substrates. The aim of this work is to develop an assay for detection of phosphorylation of chemically unmodified proteins based on this polymer superquenching platform. Results Using a modified QTL Lightspeed™ assay, phosphorylation of native protein was quantified by the interaction of the phosphorylated proteins with metal-ion coordinating groups co-located with fluorescent polymer deposited onto microspheres. The binding of phospho-protein inhibits a dye-labeled "tracer" peptide from associating to the phosphate-binding sites present on the fluorescent microspheres. The resulting inhibition of quench generates a "turn on" assay, in which the signal correlates with the phosphorylation of the substrate. The assay was tested on three different proteins: Myelin Basic Protein (MBP, Histone H1 and Phosphorylated heat- and acid-stable protein (PHAS-1. Phosphorylation of the proteins was detected by Protein Kinase Cα (PKCα and by the Interleukin -1 Receptor-associated Kinase 4 (IRAK4. Enzyme inhibition yielded IC50 values that were comparable to those obtained using

High-throughput kinase assays with protein substrates using fluorescent polymer superquenching.

Science.gov (United States)

Rininsland, Frauke; Stankewicz, Casey; Weatherford, Wendy; McBranch, Duncan

2005-05-31

High-throughput screening is used by the pharmaceutical industry for identifying lead compounds that interact with targets of pharmacological interest. Because of the key role that aberrant regulation of protein phosphorylation plays in diseases such as cancer, diabetes and hypertension, kinases have become one of the main drug targets. With the exception of antibody-based assays, methods to screen for specific kinase activity are generally restricted to the use of small synthetic peptides as substrates. However, the use of natural protein substrates has the advantage that potential inhibitors can be detected that affect enzyme activity by binding to a site other than the catalytic site. We have previously reported a non-radioactive and non-antibody-based fluorescence quench assay for detection of phosphorylation or dephosphorylation using synthetic peptide substrates. The aim of this work is to develop an assay for detection of phosphorylation of chemically unmodified proteins based on this polymer superquenching platform. Using a modified QTL Lightspeed assay, phosphorylation of native protein was quantified by the interaction of the phosphorylated proteins with metal-ion coordinating groups co-located with fluorescent polymer deposited onto microspheres. The binding of phospho-protein inhibits a dye-labeled "tracer" peptide from associating to the phosphate-binding sites present on the fluorescent microspheres. The resulting inhibition of quench generates a "turn on" assay, in which the signal correlates with the phosphorylation of the substrate. The assay was tested on three different proteins: Myelin Basic Protein (MBP), Histone H1 and Phosphorylated heat- and acid-stable protein (PHAS-1). Phosphorylation of the proteins was detected by Protein Kinase Calpha (PKCalpha) and by the Interleukin -1 Receptor-associated Kinase 4 (IRAK4). Enzyme inhibition yielded IC50 values that were comparable to those obtained using peptide substrates. Statistical parameters that

Childhood mourning. An impossible desire in Lois Lowry's a Summer to Die.

Science.gov (United States)

Hyun, Aerin

2012-01-01

In Lois Lowry's A Summer to Die, protagonist Meg Chalmers appears wiser than her thirteen years, able to handle such painful crises as her sister's death to leukemia, moving to a new town in the middle of a school year, and witnessing the birth of her neighbors' son with an ease and grace equal to the remarkably well-adjusted adults in her life. She also appears to have better sense than some of the not-so-well-adjusted adults who threaten to disrupt her world, such as Clarice Callaway (the town busybody) and Martin Huntington (the-opportunistic lawyer) and even at times her adult friends and neighbors Will, Ben, and Maria.

DOE Zero Energy Ready Home Case Study: Thrive Home Builders, Lowry Plan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

2017-09-01

Thrive Home Builders built this 4,119-ft2 home at the Lowry development in Denver, Colorado, to the high-performance criteria of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Zero Energy Ready Home Program. Despite the dense positioning of the homes, mono-plane roof designs afforded plenty of space for the 8.68 kW of photovoltaic panels. With the PV, the home achieves a Home Energy Rating System (HERS) score of 4 and the home owners should enjoy energy bills of about $-11 a year. Without the PV, the home would score a HERS 38 (far lower than the HERS 80 to 100 of typical new homes).

Cysteine residue is not essential for CPM protein thermal-stability assay.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Zhaoshuai; Ye, Cui; Zhang, Xinyi; Wei, Yinan

2015-05-01

A popular thermal-stability assay developed especially for the study of membrane proteins uses a thiol-specific probe, 7-diethylamino-3-(4-maleimidophenyl)-4-methylcoumarin (CPM). The fluorescence emission of CPM surges when it forms a covalent bond with the side chain of a free Cys, which becomes more readily accessible upon protein thermal denaturation. Interestingly, the melting temperatures of membrane proteins determined using the CPM assay in literature are closely clustered in the temperature range 45-55 °C. A thorough understanding of the mechanism behind the observed signal change is critical for the accurate interpretation of the protein unfolding. Here we used two α-helical membrane proteins, AqpZ and AcrB, as model systems to investigate the nature of the fluorescence surge in the CPM assay. We found that the transition temperatures measured using circular-dichroism (CD) spectroscopy and the CPM assay were significantly different. To eliminate potential artifact that might arise from the presence of detergent, we monitored the unfolding of two soluble proteins. We found that, contrary to current understanding, the presence of a sulfhydryl group was not a prerequisite for the CPM thermal-stability assay. The observed fluorescence increase is probably caused by binding of the fluorophore to hydrophobic patches exposed upon protein unfolding.

Thermal precipitation fluorescence assay for protein stability screening.

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Junping; Huang, Bo; Wang, Xianping; Zhang, Xuejun C

2011-09-01

A simple and reliable method of protein stability assessment is desirable for high throughput expression screening of recombinant proteins. Here we described an assay termed thermal precipitation fluorescence (TPF) which can be used to compare thermal stabilities of recombinant protein samples directly from cell lysate supernatants. In this assay, target membrane proteins are expressed as recombinant fusions with a green fluorescence protein tag and solubilized with detergent, and the fluorescence signals are used to report the quantity of the fusion proteins in the soluble fraction of the cell lysate. After applying a heat shock, insoluble protein aggregates are removed by centrifugation. Subsequently, the amount of remaining protein in the supernatant is quantified by in-gel fluorescence analysis and compared to samples without a heat shock treatment. Over 60 recombinant membrane proteins from Escherichia coli were subject to this screening in the presence and absence of a few commonly used detergents, and the results were analyzed. Because no sophisticated protein purification is required, this TPF technique is suitable to high throughput expression screening of recombinant membrane proteins as well as soluble ones and can be used to prioritize target proteins based on their thermal stabilities for subsequent large scale expression and structural studies. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A new lowry's technique for quantitative measurement of protein

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Ge; Zou Wenquan; Sun Jianzhong; Zhang Yanggang; Shu Bohua; Liu Shenpei; Gong Xiaoliang

1990-01-01

According to the queneching principle in beta ray measurement, liquid scintillation counters are used for quantitative measurement of protein. The results show linear relationship between the colored protein samples with different concentrations and the counting rate of LSC. It is proved that LSC method is less erroneous and has larger measurement range than the traditional photoelectric colorimetry, and the analysis is easy to be automatized

Optimization of protein samples for NMR using thermal shift assays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kozak, Sandra; Lercher, Lukas; Karanth, Megha N.; Meijers, Rob; Carlomagno, Teresa; Boivin, Stephane

2016-01-01

Maintaining a stable fold for recombinant proteins is challenging, especially when working with highly purified and concentrated samples at temperatures >20 °C. Therefore, it is worthwhile to screen for different buffer components that can stabilize protein samples. Thermal shift assays or ThermoFluor"® provide a high-throughput screening method to assess the thermal stability of a sample under several conditions simultaneously. Here, we describe a thermal shift assay that is designed to optimize conditions for nuclear magnetic resonance studies, which typically require stable samples at high concentration and ambient (or higher) temperature. We demonstrate that for two challenging proteins, the multicomponent screen helped to identify ingredients that increased protein stability, leading to clear improvements in the quality of the spectra. Thermal shift assays provide an economic and time-efficient method to find optimal conditions for NMR structural studies.

Optimization of protein samples for NMR using thermal shift assays

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kozak, Sandra [European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Hamburg Outstation, SPC Facility (Germany); Lercher, Lukas; Karanth, Megha N. [European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), SCB Unit (Germany); Meijers, Rob [European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Hamburg Outstation, SPC Facility (Germany); Carlomagno, Teresa, E-mail: teresa.carlomagno@oci.uni-hannover.de [European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), SCB Unit (Germany); Boivin, Stephane, E-mail: sboivin77@hotmail.com, E-mail: s.boivin@embl-hamburg.de [European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Hamburg Outstation, SPC Facility (Germany)

2016-04-15

Maintaining a stable fold for recombinant proteins is challenging, especially when working with highly purified and concentrated samples at temperatures >20 °C. Therefore, it is worthwhile to screen for different buffer components that can stabilize protein samples. Thermal shift assays or ThermoFluor{sup ®} provide a high-throughput screening method to assess the thermal stability of a sample under several conditions simultaneously. Here, we describe a thermal shift assay that is designed to optimize conditions for nuclear magnetic resonance studies, which typically require stable samples at high concentration and ambient (or higher) temperature. We demonstrate that for two challenging proteins, the multicomponent screen helped to identify ingredients that increased protein stability, leading to clear improvements in the quality of the spectra. Thermal shift assays provide an economic and time-efficient method to find optimal conditions for NMR structural studies.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY OF SUS SCROFA TISSUE EXTRACTS PROTEIN-PEPTIDE COMPONENTS

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Ekaterina R.. Vasilevskaya

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The article presents a comparative analysis of four methods for quantifying the protein-peptide complexes content in extracts obtained from animal raw materials, as well as the low- and highmolecular weight extract fractions: the direct spectrophotometric determination at wavelengths of 260 and 280 nm with subsequent calculation by the Kalckar formula; the biuret reaction by the Kingsley-Weichselbaum method; the method with Bradford reagent and the standard Lowry method. Experimental data analysis demonstrates that in case of the extract that contains protein-peptidic complexes in different molecular weights range, the Kingsley-Weichselbaum method shows the highest quality of protein concentration determination; while studying highmolecular weight fraction (more than 30 kDa, it is possible to obtain more information by combining the spectrophotometric method and the Kingsley-Weichselbaum method. Low-molecular weight fractions (less than 30 kD should be investigated by complex methods including the spectrophotometric method, Lowry and Bradford methods. These methods make it possible to presumably estimate protein molecules size ranges (by amount of peptide bonds, and also to determine hydrophobic and aromatic amino acids presence.

Evaluation of colorimetric assays for analyzing reductively methylated proteins: Biases and mechanistic insights.

Science.gov (United States)

Brady, Pamlea N; Macnaughtan, Megan A

2015-12-15

Colorimetric protein assays, such as the Coomassie blue G-250 dye-binding (Bradford) and bicinchoninic acid (BCA) assays, are commonly used to quantify protein concentration. The accuracy of these assays depends on the amino acid composition. Because of the extensive use of reductive methylation in the study of proteins and the importance of biological methylation, it is necessary to evaluate the impact of lysyl methylation on the Bradford and BCA assays. Unmodified and reductively methylated proteins were analyzed using the absorbance at 280 nm to standardize the concentrations. Using model compounds, we demonstrate that the dimethylation of lysyl ε-amines does not affect the proteins' molar extinction coefficients at 280 nm. For the Bradford assay, the responses (absorbance per unit concentration) of the unmodified and reductively methylated proteins were similar, with a slight decrease in the response upon methylation. For the BCA assay, the responses of the reductively methylated proteins were consistently higher, overestimating the concentrations of the methylated proteins. The enhanced color formation in the BCA assay may be due to the lower acid dissociation constants of the lysyl ε-dimethylamines compared with the unmodified ε-amine, favoring Cu(II) binding in biuret-like complexes. The implications for the analysis of biologically methylated samples are discussed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of Colorimetric Assays for Analyzing Reductively Methylated Proteins: Biases and Mechanistic Insights

OpenAIRE

Brady, Pamlea N.; Macnaughtan, Megan A.

2015-01-01

Colorimetric protein assays, such as the Coomassie blue G-250 dye-binding (Bradford) and bicinchoninic acid (BCA) assays, are commonly used to quantify protein concentration. The accuracy of these assays depends on the amino acid composition. Because of the extensive use of reductive methylation in the study of proteins and the importance of biological methylation, it is necessary to evaluate the impact of lysyl methylation on the Bradford and BCA assays. Unmodified and reductively methylated...

Relationship of Quantity of Citric Acid and Protein Content of Mycelia during Citric Acid Production by Three Strains of Aspergillus niger

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdullah-Al-Mahin; Alamgir Z. Chowdhury; Rehana Begum

2006-01-01

The amount of protein in the surface grown mycelia of three strains of Aspergillus niger (CA16,79/20 and 318) was found to decrease with the increase of citric acid production in sucrose based fermentation medium. Throughout the study period of 6 to 10 days of fermentation, highest amount of citric acid was produced by Aspergillus niger 318 although the amount of protein in mycelia was lowest for this strain. On the other hand, lowest amount of citric acid was produced by the strain CA 16 which in tern produced highest amount of mycelial protein. Aspergillus niger 79/20 produced both intermediate level of protein and citric acid. The Protein was estimated by three commonly used methods namely: Kjeldahl, Biuret and Lowry methods. Kjeldahl and Lowry method gave the highest and lowest results respectively for protein determination in all cases.(authors)

A STUDY ON THE INTERNAL MIGRATION FLOWS IN TURKEY: LOWRY HYPOTHESIS

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FERHAT TOPBAŞ

2013-06-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study is to re-examine Lowry hypothesis that were examined for Turkey in period of 1965–1980 by Gedik (1992 and period of 1985–1990 by Yamak and Küçükkale (2001 by using The Census of Population 1975, 1980, 1985, 1990 and 2000 in Turkey. For this reason, the relationships between in-migration and out-migration and net migration have investigated with population size, net migration rate and per capita income factors. Analysis that involve in all provinces called general model is not considered in social, economic and urban development factors. In addition, estimated restriction models that are considered urban development are involved population, net migration rate and per capita income factors. In conclusion we have exposed comparatively relationship between internal migration flows and urban development frame of estimated models.

Low cut-off values increase diagnostic performance of protein S assays

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mulder, Rene; ten Kate, Min Ki; Kluin-Nelemans, Hanneke C.; Mulder, Andre B.

Conflicting data have been reported on the accuracy of protein S (PS) assays for detection of hereditary PS deficiency. In this study we assessed the diagnostic performance of two total PS antigen assays, four free PS assays and three PS activity assays in a group of 28 heterozygous carriers of

Method for determining the concentration of adsorbed protein and cell biomass in cellulose fermentations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moreira, A R; Phillips, J A; Humphrey, A E

1978-09-01

The method presented is based on the determination of the total Lowry protein of the solids and the total Kjeldahl nitrogen of the solids. Experimental data proving the validity of the method are reported. (JSR)

Prediction of Protein-Protein Interactions by NanoLuc-Based Protein-Fragment Complementation Assay | Office of Cancer Genomics

Science.gov (United States)

The CTD2 Center at Emory has developed a new NanoLuc®-based protein-fragment complementation assay (NanoPCA) which allows the detection of novel protein-protein interactions (PPI). NanoPCA allows the study of PPI dynamics with reversible interactions.  Read the abstract. Experimental Approaches Read the detailed Experimetnal Approaches. 

Analysis of protein stability and ligand interactions by thermal shift assay.

Science.gov (United States)

Huynh, Kathy; Partch, Carrie L

2015-02-02

Purification of recombinant proteins for biochemical assays and structural studies is time-consuming and presents inherent difficulties that depend on the optimization of protein stability. The use of dyes to monitor thermal denaturation of proteins with sensitive fluorescence detection enables rapid and inexpensive determination of protein stability using real-time PCR instruments. By screening a wide range of solution conditions and additives in a 96-well format, the thermal shift assay easily identifies conditions that significantly enhance the stability of recombinant proteins. The same approach can be used as an initial low-cost screen to discover new protein-ligand interactions by capitalizing on increases in protein stability that typically occur upon ligand binding. This unit presents a methodological workflow for small-scale, high-throughput thermal denaturation of recombinant proteins in the presence of SYPRO Orange dye. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Rapid Diagnostic Assay for Intact Influenza Virus Using a High Affinity Hemagglutinin Binding Protein.

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Caitlin E; Holstein, Carly A; Strauch, Eva-Maria; Bennett, Steven; Chevalier, Aaron; Nelson, Jorgen; Fu, Elain; Baker, David; Yager, Paul

2017-06-20

Influenza is a ubiquitous and recurring infection that results in approximately 500 000 deaths globally each year. Commercially available rapid diagnostic tests are based upon detection of the influenza nucleoprotein, which are limited in that they are unable to differentiate by species and require an additional viral lysis step. Sample preprocessing can be minimized or eliminated by targeting the intact influenza virus, thereby reducing assay complexity and leveraging the large number of hemagglutinin proteins on the surface of each virus. Here, we report the development of a paper-based influenza assay that targets the hemagglutinin protein; the assay employs a combination of antibodies and novel computationally designed, recombinant affinity proteins as the capture and detection agents. This system leverages the customizability of recombinant protein design to target the conserved receptor-binding pocket of the hemagglutinin protein and to match the trimeric nature of hemagglutinin for improved avidity. Using this assay, we demonstrate the first instance of intact influenza virus detection using a combination of antibody and affinity proteins within a porous network. The recombinant head region binder based assays yield superior analytical sensitivity as compared to the antibody based assay, with lower limits of detection of 3.54 × 10 7 and 1.34 × 10 7 CEID 50 /mL for the mixed and all binder stacks, respectively. Not only does this work describe the development of a novel influenza assay, it also demonstrates the power of recombinant affinity proteins for use in rapid diagnostic assays.

Protein-carbohydrate complex reveals circulating metastatic cells in a microfluidic assay

KAUST Repository

Simone, Giuseppina

2013-02-11

Advances in carbohydrate sequencing technologies reveal the tremendous complexity of the glycome and the role that glycomics might have to bring insight into the biological functions. Carbohydrate-protein interactions, in particular, are known to be crucial to most mammalian physiological processes as mediators of cell adhesion and metastasis, signal transducers, and organizers of protein interactions. An assay is developed here to mimic the multivalency of biological complexes that selectively and sensitively detect carbohydrate-protein interactions. The binding of β-galactosides and galectin-3 - a protein that is correlated to the progress of tumor and metastasis - is examined. The efficiency of the assay is related to the expression of the receptor while anchoring to the interaction\\'s strength. Comparative binding experiments reveal molecular binding preferences. This study establishes that the assay is robust to isolate metastatic cells from colon affected patients and paves the way to personalized medicine. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Protein-carbohydrate complex reveals circulating metastatic cells in a microfluidic assay

KAUST Repository

Simone, Giuseppina; Malara, Natalia Maria; Trunzo, Valentina; Perozziello, Gerardo; Neužil, Pavel; Francardi, Marco; Roveda, Laura; Renne, Maria; Prati, Ubaldo; Mollace, Vincenzo; Manz, Andreas; Di Fabrizio, Enzo M.

2013-01-01

Advances in carbohydrate sequencing technologies reveal the tremendous complexity of the glycome and the role that glycomics might have to bring insight into the biological functions. Carbohydrate-protein interactions, in particular, are known to be crucial to most mammalian physiological processes as mediators of cell adhesion and metastasis, signal transducers, and organizers of protein interactions. An assay is developed here to mimic the multivalency of biological complexes that selectively and sensitively detect carbohydrate-protein interactions. The binding of β-galactosides and galectin-3 - a protein that is correlated to the progress of tumor and metastasis - is examined. The efficiency of the assay is related to the expression of the receptor while anchoring to the interaction's strength. Comparative binding experiments reveal molecular binding preferences. This study establishes that the assay is robust to isolate metastatic cells from colon affected patients and paves the way to personalized medicine. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

High content screening for G protein-coupled receptors using cell-based protein translocation assays

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grånäs, Charlotta; Lundholt, Betina Kerstin; Heydorn, Arne

2005-01-01

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) have been one of the most productive classes of drug targets for several decades, and new technologies for GPCR-based discovery promise to keep this field active for years to come. While molecular screens for GPCR receptor agonist- and antagonist-based drugs...... will continue to be valuable discovery tools, the most exciting developments in the field involve cell-based assays for GPCR function. Some cell-based discovery strategies, such as the use of beta-arrestin as a surrogate marker for GPCR function, have already been reduced to practice, and have been used...... as valuable discovery tools for several years. The application of high content cell-based screening to GPCR discovery has opened up additional possibilities, such as direct tracking of GPCRs, G proteins and other signaling pathway components using intracellular translocation assays. These assays provide...

Rara causa de discapacidad intelectual: síndrome de Coffin Lowry

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Elibett Carcasés Carcasés

2015-12-01

Full Text Available El síndrome de Coffin–Lowry (CLS es una rara forma sindrómica de retardo mental, que muestra una herencia dominante ligada al X. Sus signos principales son el retardo del desarrollo psicomotor y del crecimiento, las dismorfias craneofaciales, las anomalías digitales y las alteraciones esqueléticas progresivas. Se aplicó el método clínico y la técnica comparativa o de patrón para realizar el diagnóstico del CLS en escolar femenina, blanca, de 8 años, que llegó a servicio de Genética remitida de la consulta de Ortopedia, donde era atendida por hiperlaxitud articular y escoliosis. Por su baja frecuencia esta entidad es poco conocida, por lo que resulta interesante la presentación de este caso, identificando las principales manifestaciones clínicas, que permiten un diagnóstico precoz y el manejo adecuado que incluye al paciente y su familia.

Molecular Interactions of High Energy Fuels and Jet Fuels with Oncogenic Viruses and Endogenous Viruses.

Science.gov (United States)

1984-05-01

using BSA as a standard. Lowry Protein Assay. A solution (hereafter termed Regent A) was made up containing 0.5 ml of 1% cupric sulfate and 0.5 ml of...2% potas- sium tartrate per 50 ml of 2% sodium carbonate. Standard tubes were made up containing 20, 40, 80, 120, 160 and 200 mg, respectively, of

Challenges in the Development of Functional Assays of Membrane Proteins

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Sophie Demarche

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Lipid bilayers are natural barriers of biological cells and cellular compartments. Membrane proteins integrated in biological membranes enable vital cell functions such as signal transduction and the transport of ions or small molecules. In order to determine the activity of a protein of interest at defined conditions, the membrane protein has to be integrated into artificial lipid bilayers immobilized on a surface. For the fabrication of such biosensors expertise is required in material science, surface and analytical chemistry, molecular biology and biotechnology. Specifically, techniques are needed for structuring surfaces in the micro- and nanometer scale, chemical modification and analysis, lipid bilayer formation, protein expression, purification and solubilization, and most importantly, protein integration into engineered lipid bilayers. Electrochemical and optical methods are suitable to detect membrane activity-related signals. The importance of structural knowledge to understand membrane protein function is obvious. Presently only a few structures of membrane proteins are solved at atomic resolution. Functional assays together with known structures of individual membrane proteins will contribute to a better understanding of vital biological processes occurring at biological membranes. Such assays will be utilized in the discovery of drugs, since membrane proteins are major drug targets.

Solid-phase assay for the phosphorylation of proteins blotted on nitrocellulose membrane filters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Valtorta, F.; Schiebler, W.; Jahn, R.; Ceccarelli, B.; Greengard, P.

1986-01-01

A new procedure for the phosphorylation and assay of phosphoproteins is described. Proteins are solubilized from tissue samples, separated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, transferred onto nitrocellulose membrane filters, and the blotted polypeptides are phyosphorylated with the catalytic subunit of cyclic AMP (adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate)-dependent protein kinase. The method was developed for the assay of dephosphosynapsin I, but it has also proven suitable for the phosphorylation of other proteins. The patterns of phosphorylation of tissue samples phosphorylated using the new method are similar to those obtained using the conventional test tube assay. Once phosphorylated, the adsorbed proteins can be digested with proteases and subjected to phosphopeptide mapping. The phosphorylated blotted proteins can also be analyzed by overlay techniques for the immunological detection of polypeptides

A plasma coagulation assay for an activated protein C-independent anticoagulant activity of protein S

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Wijnen, M.; van 't Veer, C.; Meijers, J. C.; Bertina, R. M.; Bouma, B. N.

1998-01-01

To study the physiological importance of the activated protein C (APC)-independent anticoagulant activity of protein S, we developed an assay specific for this activity. The ability of protein S to prolong the clotting time in an APC-independent way was expressed as the ratio of the clotting time in

Miniaturized Aptamer-Based Assays for Protein Detection

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Alessandro Bosco

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The availability of devices for cancer biomarker detection at early stages of the disease is one of the most critical issues in biomedicine. Towards this goal, to increase the assay sensitivity, device miniaturization strategies empowered by the employment of high affinity protein binders constitute a valuable approach. In this work we propose two different surface-based miniaturized platforms for biomarker detection in body fluids: the first platform is an atomic force microscopy (AFM-based nanoarray, where AFM is used to generate functional nanoscale areas and to detect biorecognition through careful topographic measurements; the second platform consists of a miniaturized electrochemical cell to detect biomarkers through electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS analysis. Both devices rely on robust and highly-specific protein binders as aptamers, and were tested for thrombin detection. An active layer of DNA-aptamer conjugates was immobilized via DNA directed immobilization on complementary single-stranded DNA self-assembled monolayers confined on a nano/micro area of a gold surface. Results obtained with these devices were compared with the output of surface plasmon resonance (SPR assays used as reference. We succeeded in capturing antigens in concentrations as low as a few nM. We put forward ideas to push the sensitivity further to the pM range, assuring low biosample volume (μL range assay conditions.

Methods and devices for protein assays

Science.gov (United States)

Chhabra, Swapnil [San Jose, CA; Cintron, Jose M [Indianapolis, IN; Shediac, Renee [Oakland, CA

2009-11-03

Methods and devices for protein assays based on Edman degradation in microfluidic channels are disclosed herein. As disclosed, the cleaved amino acid residues may be immobilized in an array format and identified by detectable labels, such as antibodies, which specifically bind given amino acid residues. Alternatively, the antibodies are immobilized in an array format and the cleaved amino acids are labeled identified by being bound by the antibodies in the array.

Radiometric immunosorbent assay for the detection of anti-hormone-binding protein antibodies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pierce, E.A.; Dame, M.C.; DeLuca, H.F.

1986-01-01

A radiometric immunosorbent assay (RISA) for the detection of monoclonal antibodies to hormone-binding proteins has been developed. The assay involves incubating hybridoma supernatants in microtiter wells that have been coated with goat anti-mouse IgG antibodies. Any mouse IgG in the test supernatant is thus specifically retained in the wells. Radioactive ligand-binding protein complexes are then incubated in the wells. The presence of anti-binding protein antibodies in the supernatant is indicated by specific retention of radioactive ligand-binding protein complexes in the wells. Crude antigen preparations, such as tissue homogenates, can be used to detect antibodies. The assay is capable of detecting antibody at concentrations 20 ng/ml (approx. 100 pM IgG). The RISA has been used successfully to screen for monoclonal antibodies to the intracellular receptor for 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 and should be useful for the detection of antibodies to ligand-binding proteins in general

A two-hybrid assay to study protein interactions within the secretory pathway.

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Danielle H Dube

Full Text Available Interactions of transcriptional activators are difficult to study using transcription-based two-hybrid assays due to potent activation resulting in false positives. Here we report the development of the Golgi two-hybrid (G2H, a method that interrogates protein interactions within the Golgi, where transcriptional activators can be assayed with negligible background. The G2H relies on cell surface glycosylation to report extracellularly on protein-protein interactions occurring within the secretory pathway. In the G2H, protein pairs are fused to modular domains of the reporter glycosyltransferase, Och1p, and proper cell wall formation due to Och1p activity is observed only when a pair of proteins interacts. Cells containing interacting protein pairs are identified by selectable phenotypes associated with Och1p activity and proper cell wall formation: cells that have interacting proteins grow under selective conditions and display weak wheat germ agglutinin (WGA binding by flow cytometry, whereas cells that lack interacting proteins display stunted growth and strong WGA binding. Using this assay, we detected the interaction between transcription factor MyoD and its binding partner Id2. Interfering mutations along the MyoD:Id2 interaction interface ablated signal in the G2H assay. Furthermore, we used the G2H to detect interactions of the activation domain of Gal4p with a variety of binding partners. Finally, selective conditions were used to enrich for cells encoding interacting partners. The G2H detects protein-protein interactions that cannot be identified via traditional two-hybrid methods and should be broadly useful for probing previously inaccessible subsets of the interactome, including transcriptional activators and proteins that traffic through the secretory pathway.

Assessing protein oxidation by inorganic nanoparticles with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Wenjie; Luna-Velasco, Antonia; Sierra-Alvarez, Reyes; Field, Jim A

2013-03-01

Growth in the nanotechnology industry is leading to increased production of engineered nanoparticles (NPs). This has given rise to concerns about the potential adverse and toxic effects to biological system and the environment. An important mechanism of NP toxicity is oxidative stress caused by the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) or via direct oxidation of biomolecules. In this study, a protein oxidation assay was developed as an indicator of biomolecule oxidation by NPs. The oxidation of the protein, bovine serum albumin (BSA) was evaluated with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to measure the protein carbonyl derivatives formed from protein oxidation. The results showed that some NPs such as Cu(0), CuO, Mn(2)O(3), and Fe(0) caused oxidation of BSA; whereas, many of the other NPs tested were not reactive or very slowly reactive with BSA. The mechanisms involved in the oxidation of BSA protein by the reactive NPs could be attributed to the combined effects of ROS-dependent and direct protein oxidation mechanisms. The ELISA assay is a promising method for the assessment of protein oxidation by NPs, which can provide insights on NP toxicity mechanisms. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The application of diode laser colorimetry coupled with fiber optic dipping probe for quantitative detection of a protein

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Sung Ho; Yoo, Jong Shin

1996-01-01

The in-situ, simple and inexpensive analysis of protein was achieved by the portable diode laser absorption spectrometry, which consisted of visible diode laser, photodiode, optical fiber and dipping probe. It gives comparable detection limit to the use of conventional UV/Vis spectrometer for the determination of protein by Lowry method.

Melamine and Cyanuric Acid do not interfere with Bradford and Ninhydrin assays for protein determination.

Science.gov (United States)

Field, Anjalie; Field, Jeffrey

2010-08-01

In the fall of 2007 pet food contaminated with melamine and cyanuric acid caused kidney stones in thousands of animals. In the summer of 2008, a more serious outbreak of adulterated dairy food caused the deaths of six infants and sickened about 290,000 children in China. In all cases, melamine was likely added to inflate the apparent protein content of the foods. To determine if we could measure protein without interference from melamine and cyanuric acid we tested these compounds in the Bradford and Ninhydrin assays, two common dye-based assays for protein, as well as by ammonia release, the most common assay used in the food industry. Neither compound was detected in the Ninhydrin and Bradford assays at concentrations of >100 μg/ml. The ammonia assay detected melamine but was inconclusive with respect to cyanuric acid. To develop an accurate test for food that would not detect either chemical as a protein, assays were run on cat food and reconstituted milk powder. The Bradford assay readily measured the protein content of each food, and importantly, the addition of melamine or cyanuric acid to reconstituted milk did not affect the readings. The protein concentrations obtained for reconstituted milk powder were as expected, but those for the cat food were 10 to 30-fold lower, due to its low solubility. We conclude that dye-binding assays can be employed to detect protein in food without interference from melamine and cyanuric acid, thus reducing the incentive to use them as additives.

Development and Fit-for-Purpose Validation of a Soluble Human Programmed Death-1 Protein Assay.

Science.gov (United States)

Ni, Yan G; Yuan, Xiling; Newitt, John A; Peterson, Jon E; Gleason, Carol R; Haulenbeek, Jonathan; Santockyte, Rasa; Lafont, Virginie; Marsilio, Frank; Neely, Robert J; DeSilva, Binodh; Piccoli, Steven P

2015-07-01

Programmed death-1 (PD-1) protein is a co-inhibitory receptor which negatively regulates immune cell activation and permits tumors to evade normal immune defense. Anti-PD-1 antibodies have been shown to restore immune cell activation and effector function-an exciting breakthrough in cancer immunotherapy. Recent reports have documented a soluble form of PD-1 (sPD-1) in the circulation of normal and disease state individuals. A clinical assay to quantify sPD-1 would contribute to the understanding of sPD-1-function and facilitate the development of anti-PD-1 drugs. Here, we report the development and validation of a sPD-1 protein assay. The assay validation followed the framework for full validation of a biotherapeutic pharmacokinetic assay. A purified recombinant human PD-1 protein was characterized extensively and was identified as the assay reference material which mimics the endogenous analyte in structure and function. The lower limit of quantitation (LLOQ) was determined to be 100 pg/mL, with a dynamic range spanning three logs to 10,000 pg/mL. The intra- and inter-assay imprecision were ≤15%, and the assay bias (percent deviation) was ≤10%. Potential matrix effects were investigated in sera from both normal healthy volunteers and selected cancer patients. Bulk-prepared frozen standards and pre-coated Streptavidin plates were used in the assay to ensure consistency in assay performance over time. This assay appears to specifically measure total sPD-1 protein since the human anti-PD-1 antibody, nivolumab, and the endogenous ligands of PD-1 protein, PDL-1 and PDL-2, do not interfere with the assay.

Quantitative Assays for RAS Pathway Proteins and Phosphorylation States

Science.gov (United States)

The NCI CPTAC program is applying its expertise in quantitative proteomics to develop assays for RAS pathway proteins. Targets include key phosphopeptides that should increase our understanding of how the RAS pathway is regulated.

Rapid method for protein quantitation by Bradford assay after elimination of the interference of polysorbate 80.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Yongfeng; Wei, Haiming; Sun, Rui; Tian, Zhigang; Zheng, Xiaodong

2016-02-01

Bradford assay is one of the most common methods for measuring protein concentrations. However, some pharmaceutical excipients, such as detergents, interfere with Bradford assay even at low concentrations. Protein precipitation can be used to overcome sample incompatibility with protein quantitation. But the rate of protein recovery caused by acetone precipitation is only about 70%. In this study, we found that sucrose not only could increase the rate of protein recovery after 1 h acetone precipitation, but also did not interfere with Bradford assay. So we developed a method for rapid protein quantitation in protein drugs even if they contained interfering substances. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Plasma myelin basic protein assay using Gilford enzyme immunoassay cuvettes.

Science.gov (United States)

Groome, N P

1981-10-01

The assay of myelin basic protein in body fluids has potential clinical importance as a routine indicator of demyelination. Preliminary details of a competitive enzyme immunoassay for this protein have previously been published by the author (Groome, N. P. (1980) J. Neurochem. 35, 1409-1417). The present paper now describes the adaptation of this assay for use on human plasma and various aspects of routine data processing. A commercially available cuvette system was found to have advantages over microtitre plates but required a permuted arrangement of sample replicates for consistent results. For dose interpolation, the standard curve could be fitted to a three parameter non-linear equation by regression analysis or linearised by the logit/log transformation.

Evaluation of Multiplexed Foot-and-Mouth Disease Nonstructural Protein Antibody Assay Against Standardized Bovine Serum Panel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Perkins, J; Parida, S; Clavijo, A

2007-05-14

Liquid array technology has previously been used to show proof-of-principle of a multiplexed non structural protein serological assay to differentiate foot-and-mouth infected and vaccinated animals. The current multiplexed assay consists of synthetically produced peptide signatures 3A, 3B and 3D and recombinant protein signature 3ABC in combination with four controls. To determine diagnostic specificity of each signature in the multiplex, the assay was evaluated against a naive population (n = 104) and a vaccinated population (n = 94). Subsequently, the multiplexed assay was assessed using a panel of bovine sera generated by the World Reference Laboratory for foot-and-mouth disease in Pirbright, UK. This sera panel has been used to assess the performance of other singleplex ELISA-based non-structural protein antibody assays. The 3ABC signature in the multiplexed assay showed comparative performance to a commercially available non-structural protein 3ABC ELISA (Cedi test{reg_sign}) and additional information pertaining to the relative diagnostic sensitivity of each signature in the multiplex is acquired in one experiment. The encouraging results of the evaluation of the multiplexed assay against a panel of diagnostically relevant samples promotes further assay development and optimization to generate an assay for routine use in foot-and-mouth disease surveillance.

Development of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method to detect mustard protein in mustard seed oil

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Koppelman, S.J.; Vlooswijk, R.; Bottger, G.; Duijn, G. van; Schaft, P. van der; Dekker, J.; Bemgen, H. van

2007-01-01

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the detection of mustard protein was developed. The assay is based on a polyclonal antiserum directed against a mixture of mustard proteins raised in rabbits. The assay has a detection limit of 1.5 ppm (milligrams per kilogram) and is suitable for the

Assaying Auxin Receptor Activity Using SPR Assays with F-Box Proteins and Aux/IAA Degrons.

Science.gov (United States)

Quareshy, Mussa; Uzunova, Veselina; Prusinska, Justyna M; Napier, Richard M

2017-01-01

The identification of TIR1 as an auxin receptor combined with advanced biophysical instrumentation has led to the development of real-time activity assays for auxins. Traditionally, molecules have been assessed for auxinic activity using bioassays, and agrochemical compound discovery continues to be based on "spray and pray" technologies. Here, we describe the methodology behind an SPR-based assay that uses TIR1 and related F-box proteins with surface plasmon resonance spectrometry for rapid compound screening. In addition, methods for collecting kinetic binding data and data processing are given so that they may support programs for rational design of novel auxin ligands.

Biological evaluation of RVNRL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Geertsma, R.E.; Orzechowski, T.J.H.; Jonker, M.; Dorpema, J.W.; Van Asten, J.A.A.M.

1996-01-01

Cytotoxicity testing (cell growth inhibition, LDH-assay) has shown that RVNRL materials are considerably less cytotoxic than sulphur-vulcanised materials. Also the effect of applying different leaching times during the production process was investigated and gave interesting results. Protein testing (BCA - comparable to a Lowry assay ) has shown that some, but not all proteins are destroyed during irradiation. For the total protein content of the materials as determined in this way, the effect of leaching proved to be very important. This was also checked by; SDS-PAGE assays: After irradiation a smear is observed with SDS-PAGE; when the irradiated material has been leached, most of the smear has disappeared. An important protein (14 kD) is still present and seems hardly to be affected. The materials have also been evaluated clinically, using well characterised patient sera (Western blotting) in order to determine whether the remaining proteins are allergenic

Protein Analytical Assays for Diagnosing, Monitoring, and Choosing Treatment for Cancer Patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alicia D. Powers

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Cancer treatment is often hindered by inadequate methods for diagnosing the disease or insufficient predictive capacity regarding therapeutic efficacy. Targeted cancer treatments, including Bcr-Abl and EGFR kinase inhibitors, have increased survival for some cancer patients but are ineffective in other patients. In addition, many patients who initially respond to targeted inhibitor therapy develop resistance during the course of treatment. Molecular analysis of cancer cells has emerged as a means to tailor treatment to particular patients. While DNA analysis can provide important diagnostic information, protein analysis is particularly valuable because proteins are more direct mediators of normal and diseased cellular processes. In this review article, we discuss current and emerging protein assays for improving cancer treatment, including trends toward assay miniaturization and measurement of protein activity.

PROFIL PROTEIN SUSU DAN PRODUK OLAHANNYA

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R. Susanti

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis kadar protein dan profil protein pada beberapa susu (susu kedelai, susu kambing dan olahannya (yogurt, tofu. Kadar protein diukur dengan metode Lowry, sedangkan profil protein dianalisis menggunakan SDS PAGE. Data yang diperoleh dianalisis secara deskriptif. Kadar protein tertinggi pada sampel yang dianalisis terdapat pada produk yogurt A (579,5 mg/ml, disusul susu kedelai (289,99 mg/ml dan susu kambing (133,1 mg/ml. Analisis profil protein terlihat pita protein dengan mobilitas terendah sampai tertinggi terletak pada berat molekul 14-150 KDa. Pita protein khas yang hanya dimiliki susu kambing adalah pita 150kDa. Sementara pita protein khas yang hanya dimiliki susu kedelai adalah pita 44 kDa dan 55kDa. Pita protein yang khas hanya dimiliki yogurt A (dengan bakteri Lactobacillus bulgaricus dan Streptococcus thermophillus adalah pita 65Da. Semua jenis susu dan olahannya memiliki pita 70kDa, kecuali susu kedelai. Profil protein susu kedelai dan tofu menunjukkan profil protein yang sangat berbeda, namun keduanya memiliki pita 18kDa.This study aimed to observe protein level and profiles on some milks (soy milk, goat's milk and dairy (yogurt, tofu product. Protein content was observed by Lowry method, whereas the protein profiles were analyzed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Data were analyzed descriptively. The highest protein content of the observed sample was in yogurt A products (579,5 mg/ml, followed by soy milk (289,99 mg/ml and goat's milk (133,1 mg/ml. Analysis of protein profiles showed protein bands with lowest to highest mobility lies in the molecular weight of 14-150 KDa. Typical protein band of goat's milk was a 150kDa band. While the typical protein bands of soy milk were 44 kDa and 55kDa band. The typical protein band of yogurt A (with Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophillus bacterium was 65Da. All types of milks and dairy had 70kDa band, except for soy milk. Protein

A novel protease activity assay using a protease-responsive chaperone protein

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sao, Kentaro; Murata, Masaharu; Fujisaki, Yuri; Umezaki, Kaori; Mori, Takeshi; Niidome, Takuro; Katayama, Yoshiki; Hashizume, Makoto

2009-01-01

Protease activity assays are important for elucidating protease function and for developing new therapeutic agents. In this study, a novel turbidimetric method for determining the protease activity using a protease-responsive chaperone protein is described. For this purpose, a recombinant small heat-shock protein (sHSP) with an introduced Factor Xa protease recognition site was synthesized in bacteria. This recombinant mutant, FXa-HSP, exhibited chaperone-like activity at high temperatures in cell lysates. However, the chaperone-like activity of FXa-HSP decreased dramatically following treatment with Factor Xa. Protein precipitation was subsequently observed in the cell lysates. The reaction was Factor Xa concentration-dependent and was quantitatively suppressed by a specific inhibitor for Factor Xa. Protein aggregation was detected by a simple method based on turbidimetry. The results clearly demonstrate that this assay is an effective, easy-to-use method for determining protease activities without the requirement of labeling procedures and the use of radioisotopes.

A novel protease activity assay using a protease-responsive chaperone protein

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sao, Kentaro [Graduate School of Systems Life Sciences, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395 (Japan); Murata, Masaharu, E-mail: m-murata@dem.med.kyushu-u.ac.jp [Department of Advanced Medical Initiatives, Faculty of Medical Science, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku Fukuoka 812-8582 (Japan); Fujisaki, Yuri; Umezaki, Kaori [Department of Advanced Medical Initiatives, Faculty of Medical Science, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku Fukuoka 812-8582 (Japan); Mori, Takeshi; Niidome, Takuro; Katayama, Yoshiki [Graduate School of Systems Life Sciences, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395 (Japan); Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, Kyushu University, Nishi-ku Fukuoka 819-0395 (Japan); Center for Future Chemistry, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395 (Japan); Hashizume, Makoto [Department of Advanced Medical Initiatives, Faculty of Medical Science, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku Fukuoka 812-8582 (Japan)

2009-06-05

Protease activity assays are important for elucidating protease function and for developing new therapeutic agents. In this study, a novel turbidimetric method for determining the protease activity using a protease-responsive chaperone protein is described. For this purpose, a recombinant small heat-shock protein (sHSP) with an introduced Factor Xa protease recognition site was synthesized in bacteria. This recombinant mutant, FXa-HSP, exhibited chaperone-like activity at high temperatures in cell lysates. However, the chaperone-like activity of FXa-HSP decreased dramatically following treatment with Factor Xa. Protein precipitation was subsequently observed in the cell lysates. The reaction was Factor Xa concentration-dependent and was quantitatively suppressed by a specific inhibitor for Factor Xa. Protein aggregation was detected by a simple method based on turbidimetry. The results clearly demonstrate that this assay is an effective, easy-to-use method for determining protease activities without the requirement of labeling procedures and the use of radioisotopes.

A Lateral Flow Protein Microarray for Rapid and Sensitive Antibody Assays

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Helene Andersson-Svahn

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Protein microarrays are useful tools for highly multiplexed determination of presence or levels of clinically relevant biomarkers in human tissues and biofluids. However, such tools have thus far been restricted to laboratory environments. Here, we present a novel 384-plexed easy to use lateral flow protein microarray device capable of sensitive (< 30 ng/mL determination of antigen-specific antibodies in ten minutes of total assay time. Results were developed with gold nanobeads and could be recorded by a cell-phone camera or table top scanner. Excellent accuracy with an area under curve (AUC of 98% was achieved in comparison with an established glass microarray assay for 26 antigen-specific antibodies. We propose that the presented framework could find use in convenient and cost-efficient quality control of antibody production, as well as in providing a platform for multiplexed affinity-based assays in low-resource or mobile settings.

A recombinant fusion protein-based, fluorescent protease assay for high throughput-compatible substrate screening.

Science.gov (United States)

Bozóki, Beáta; Gazda, Lívia; Tóth, Ferenc; Miczi, Márió; Mótyán, János András; Tőzsér, József

2018-01-01

In connection with the intensive investigation of proteases, several methods have been developed for analysis of the substrate specificity. Due to the great number of proteases and the expected target molecules to be analyzed, time- and cost-efficient high-throughput screening (HTS) methods are preferred. Here we describe the development and application of a separation-based HTS-compatible fluorescent protease assay, which is based on the use of recombinant fusion proteins as substrates of proteases. The protein substrates used in this assay consists of N-terminal (hexahistidine and maltose binding protein) fusion tags, cleavage sequences of the tobacco etch virus (TEV) and HIV-1 proteases, and a C-terminal fluorescent protein (mApple or mTurquoise2). The assay is based on the fluorimetric detection of the fluorescent proteins, which are released from the magnetic bead-attached substrates by the proteolytic cleavage. The protease assay has been applied for activity measurements of TEV and HIV-1 proteases to test the suitability of the system for enzyme kinetic measurements, inhibition studies, and determination of pH optimum. We also found that denatured fluorescent proteins can be renatured after SDS-PAGE of denaturing conditions, but showed differences in their renaturation abilities. After in-gel renaturation both substrates and cleavage products can be identified by in-gel UV detection. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for measurements of soluble HLA-G protein

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, M; Dahl, M; Buus, S

2014-01-01

. We report a novel method, a competitive immunoassay, for measuring HLA-G5/sHLA-G1 in biological fluids. The sHLA-G immunoassay is based upon a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) principle. It includes a recombinant sHLA-G1 protein in complex with β2-microglobulin and a peptide...... as a standard, biotinylated recombinant sHLA-G1 as an indicator, and the MEM-G/9 anti-HLA-G monoclonal antibody (mAb) as the capture antibody. The specificity and sensitivity of the assay were evaluated. Testing with different recombinant HLA class I proteins and different anti-HLA class I mAbs showed....../ml. An intra-assay coefficient of variation (CV) of 15.5% at 88 ng/ml and an inter-assay CV of 23.1% at 39 ng/ml were determined. An assay based on the competitive sHLA-G ELISA may be important for measurements of sHLA-G proteins in several conditions: assisted reproduction, organ transplantation, cancer...

Superfund explanation of significant difference for the record of decision (EPA Region 8): Lowry Landfill, Aurora, CO, October 24, 1997

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1999-03-01

Please be advised that there is an error within Attachment E (Technical Evaluation of Proposed Ground-Water Treatment and Disposal Alternatives) of the ''Responsiveness Summary for the Second Explanation of Significant Differences, Lowry Landfill Superfund Site'' document. The evaluation table, which summarizes the rankings of the two cleanup alternatives, failed to include numerical values for State Acceptance and Community Acceptance. Enclosed is a copy of the table as it should have appeared in Attachment E. Copies of this errata sheet are being mailed to all recipients of the Responsiveness Summary

Endotoxin testing of proteins for parenteral administration using the Mono Mac 6 assay

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Moesby, Lise; Hansen, E W; Christensen, J D

2000-01-01

Pharmaceutical products containing proteins cause problems in testing for endotoxin and pyrogens. Many proteins interfere with the LAL test and the proteins are immunogenic in rabbits. The monocytic cell line Mono Mac 6 is an alternative assay for detection of endotoxin and other pyrogens....

Lectin binding assays for in-process monitoring of sialylation in protein production.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Weiduan; Chen, Jianmin; Yamasaki, Glenn; Murphy, John E; Mei, Baisong

2010-07-01

Many therapeutic proteins require appropriate glycosylation for their biological activities and plasma half life. Coagulation factor VIII (FVIII) is a glycoprotein which has extensive post-translational modification by N-linked glycosylation. The terminal sialic acid in the N-linked glycans of FVIII is required for maximal circulatory half life. The extent of FVIII sialylation can be determined by high pH anion-exchange chromatography coupled with a pulse electrochemical detector (HPAEC-PED), but this requires a large amount of purified protein. Using FVIII as a model, the objective of the present study was to develop assays that enable detection and prediction of sialylation deficiency at an early stage in the process and thus prevent downstream product quality excursions. Lectin ECA (Erythrina Cristagalli) binds to unsialylated Galbeta1-4 GlcNAc and the ECA-binding level (i.e., terminal Gal(beta1-4) exposure) is inversely proportional to the level of sialylation. By using ECA, a cell-based assay was developed to measure the global sialylation profile in FVIII producing cells. To examine the Galbeta1-4 exposure on the FVIII molecule in bioreactor tissue culture fluid (TCF), an ELISA-based ECA-FVIII binding assay was developed. The ECA-binding specificity in both assays was assessed by ECA-specific sugar inhibitors and neuraminidase digestion. The ECA-binding specificity was also independently confirmed by a ST3GAL4 siRNA knockdown experiment. To establish the correlation between Galbeta1-4 exposure and the HPAEC-PED determined FVIII sialylation value, the FVIII containing bioreactor TCF and the purified FVIII samples were tested with ECA ELISA binding assay. The results indicated an inverse correlation between ECA binding and the corresponding HPAEC-PED sialylation value. The ECA-binding assays are cost effective and can be rapidly performed, thereby making them effective for in-process monitoring of protein sialylation.

A force-based, parallel assay for the quantification of protein-DNA interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Limmer, Katja; Pippig, Diana A; Aschenbrenner, Daniela; Gaub, Hermann E

2014-01-01

Analysis of transcription factor binding to DNA sequences is of utmost importance to understand the intricate regulatory mechanisms that underlie gene expression. Several techniques exist that quantify DNA-protein affinity, but they are either very time-consuming or suffer from possible misinterpretation due to complicated algorithms or approximations like many high-throughput techniques. We present a more direct method to quantify DNA-protein interaction in a force-based assay. In contrast to single-molecule force spectroscopy, our technique, the Molecular Force Assay (MFA), parallelizes force measurements so that it can test one or multiple proteins against several DNA sequences in a single experiment. The interaction strength is quantified by comparison to the well-defined rupture stability of different DNA duplexes. As a proof-of-principle, we measured the interaction of the zinc finger construct Zif268/NRE against six different DNA constructs. We could show the specificity of our approach and quantify the strength of the protein-DNA interaction.

A force-based, parallel assay for the quantification of protein-DNA interactions.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katja Limmer

Full Text Available Analysis of transcription factor binding to DNA sequences is of utmost importance to understand the intricate regulatory mechanisms that underlie gene expression. Several techniques exist that quantify DNA-protein affinity, but they are either very time-consuming or suffer from possible misinterpretation due to complicated algorithms or approximations like many high-throughput techniques. We present a more direct method to quantify DNA-protein interaction in a force-based assay. In contrast to single-molecule force spectroscopy, our technique, the Molecular Force Assay (MFA, parallelizes force measurements so that it can test one or multiple proteins against several DNA sequences in a single experiment. The interaction strength is quantified by comparison to the well-defined rupture stability of different DNA duplexes. As a proof-of-principle, we measured the interaction of the zinc finger construct Zif268/NRE against six different DNA constructs. We could show the specificity of our approach and quantify the strength of the protein-DNA interaction.

Regulation of Estrogen Receptor Transcription in Breast Carcinoma.

Science.gov (United States)

1998-10-01

positive human endometrial carcinoma cell line was obtained from P. G. Satyaswaroop, Hershey , PA. All other cell lines were obtained from American...extract from isolated mammalian nuclei. Nucleic Acids Res. 11, 1475-1489 (1983).. 22. Peterson , G.L. A Simplification of the Protein Assay Method of Lowry...Current Protocols in Molecular Biology (eds. Kingston, R.E.) 12.11.1-12.11.8 (John Wiley & Sons, Inc, Boston, MA, 1996 ). 28. Stanton, A.G. Primer of

Highly sensitive reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography assay for the detection of Tamm-Horsfall protein in human urine.

Science.gov (United States)

Akimoto, Masaru; Hokazono, Eisaku; Ota, Eri; Tateishi, Takiko; Kayamori, Yuzo

2016-01-01

Tamm-Horsfall protein (also known as uromodulin) is the most abundant urinary protein in healthy individuals. Since initially characterized by Tamm and Horsfall, the amount of urinary excretion and structural mutations of Tamm-Horsfall protein is associated with kidney diseases. However, currently available assays for Tamm-Horsfall protein, which are mainly enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay-based, suffer from poor reproducibility and might give false negative results. We developed a novel, quantitative assay for Tamm-Horsfall protein using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. A precipitation pretreatment avoided urine matrix interference and excessive sample dilution. High-performance liquid chromatography optimization based on polarity allowed excellent separation of Tamm-Horsfall protein from other major urine components. Our method exhibited high precision (based on the relative standard deviations of intraday [≤2.77%] and interday [≤5.35%] repetitions). The Tamm-Horsfall protein recovery rate was 100.0-104.2%. The mean Tamm-Horsfall protein concentration in 25 healthy individuals was 31.6 ± 18.8 mg/g creatinine. There was a strong correlation between data obtained by high-performance liquid chromatography and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (r = 0.906), but enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay values tended to be lower than high-performance liquid chromatography values at low Tamm-Horsfall protein concentrations. The high sensitivity and reproducibility of our Tamm-Horsfall protein assay will reduce the number of false negative results of the sample compared with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Moreover, our method is superior to other high-performance liquid chromatography methods, and a simple protocol will facilitate further research on the physiological role of Tamm-Horsfall protein. © The Author(s) 2015.

Testing the utility of fluorescent proteins in Mimulus lewisii by an Agrobacterium-mediated transient assay.

Science.gov (United States)

Ding, Baoqing; Yuan, Yao-Wu

2016-04-01

The Agrobacterium -mediated transient expression assay by leaf infiltration in Mimulus lewisii is robust. Fluorescent proteins EGFP, EYFP and DsRed give bright fluorescence signals in the infiltrated tissue. Mimulus lewisii is an emerging developmental genetic model system. Recently developed genomic and genetic resources and a stable transformation protocol have greatly facilitated the identification and functional characterization of genes controlling the development of ecologically important floral traits using this species. To further expedite gene and protein function analyses in M. lewisii, we adopted and simplified the Agrobacterium-mediated transient gene expression method routinely used in tobacco plants. With the validated transient assay, we examined the performance of fluorescent proteins EGFP, EYFP and DsRed in M. lewisii. All three proteins gave bright fluorescence signals when transiently expressed in agroinfiltrated leaves. Furthermore, we demonstrated the utility of fluorescent proteins in M. lewisii by showing the nuclear localization of Reduced Carotenoid Pigmentation 1 (RCP1), a recently discovered R2R3-MYB transcription factor that regulates carotenoid pigmentation during flower development. Both the transient assay and the fluorescent proteins are valuable additions to the M. lewisii toolbox, making this emerging genetic and developmental model system even more powerful.

The cell-based L-glutathione protection assays to study endocytosis and recycling of plasma membrane proteins.

Science.gov (United States)

Cihil, Kristine M; Swiatecka-Urban, Agnieszka

2013-12-13

Membrane trafficking involves transport of proteins from the plasma membrane to the cell interior (i.e. endocytosis) followed by trafficking to lysosomes for degradation or to the plasma membrane for recycling. The cell based L-glutathione protection assays can be used to study endocytosis and recycling of protein receptors, channels, transporters, and adhesion molecules localized at the cell surface. The endocytic assay requires labeling of cell surface proteins with a cell membrane impermeable biotin containing a disulfide bond and the N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) ester at 4 ºC - a temperature at which membrane trafficking does not occur. Endocytosis of biotinylated plasma membrane proteins is induced by incubation at 37 ºC. Next, the temperature is decreased again to 4 ºC to stop endocytic trafficking and the disulfide bond in biotin covalently attached to proteins that have remained at the plasma membrane is reduced with L-glutathione. At this point, only proteins that were endocytosed remain protected from L-glutathione and thus remain biotinylated. After cell lysis, biotinylated proteins are isolated with streptavidin agarose, eluted from agarose, and the biotinylated protein of interest is detected by western blotting. During the recycling assay, after biotinylation cells are incubated at 37 °C to load endocytic vesicles with biotinylated proteins and the disulfide bond in biotin covalently attached to proteins remaining at the plasma membrane is reduced with L-glutathione at 4 ºC as in the endocytic assay. Next, cells are incubated again at 37 °C to allow biotinylated proteins from endocytic vesicles to recycle to the plasma membrane. Cells are then incubated at 4 ºC, and the disulfide bond in biotin attached to proteins that recycled to the plasma membranes is reduced with L-glutathione. The biotinylated proteins protected from L-glutathione are those that did not recycle to the plasma membrane.

A homogeneous fluorometric assay platform based on novel synthetic proteins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vardar-Schara, Goenuel; Krab, Ivo M.; Yi, Guohua; Su, Wei Wen

2007-01-01

Novel synthetic recombinant sensor proteins have been created to detect analytes in solution, in a rapid single-step 'mix and read' noncompetitive homogeneous assay process, based on modulating the Foerster resonance energy transfer (FRET) property of the sensor proteins upon binding to their targets. The sensor proteins comprise a protein scaffold that incorporates a specific target-capturing element, sandwiched by genetic fusion between two molecules that form a FRET pair. The utility of the sensor proteins was demonstrated via three examples, for detecting an anti-biotin Fab antibody, a His-tagged recombinant protein, and an anti-FLAG peptide antibody, respectively, all done directly in solution. The diversity of sensor-target interactions that we have demonstrated in this study points to a potentially universal applicability of the biosensing concept. The possibilities for integrating a variety of target-capturing elements with a common sensor scaffold predict a broad range of practical applications

Using an enzymatic galactose assay to detect lactose glycation extents of two proteins caseinate and soybean protein isolate via the Maillard reaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xiao-Peng; Zhao, Xin-Huai

2017-06-01

Glycation of food proteins via the Maillard reaction has been widely studied in the recent years; however, the amount of saccharide connected to proteins is usually not determined. An enzymatic galactose assay was proposed firstly in this study to detect lactose glycation extents of caseinate and soybean protein isolate (SPI) during the Maillard reaction at two temperatures and different times. The separated glycated proteins were hydrolysed to release galactose necessary for the enzymatic assay and glycation calculation. Caseinate and SPI both obtained the highest lactose glycation extents at 100 °C or 121 °C by a reaction time of 180 or 20 min. Short- and long-time reaction resulted in lower glycation extents. During the reaction, three chemical indices (absorbences at 294/490 nm and fluorescence intensities) of reaction mixtures increased continually, but another index reactable NH 2 of glycated proteins showed the opposite trend. In general, changing profiles of the four indices were inconsistent with those profiles of lactose glycation extents of glycated proteins, implying practical limitation of the four indices in studies. This proposed enzymatic assay could directly detect lactose glycation of the two proteins, and thus was more useful than the four chemical indices to monitor glycation of the two proteins. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Employment of colorimetric enzyme assay for monitoring expression and solubility of GST fusion proteins targeted to inclusion bodies.

Science.gov (United States)

Mačinković, Igor S; Abughren, Mohamed; Mrkic, Ivan; Grozdanović, Milica M; Prodanović, Radivoje; Gavrović-Jankulović, Marija

2013-12-01

High levels of recombinant protein expression can lead to the formation of insoluble inclusion bodies. These complex aggregates are commonly solubilized in strong denaturants, such as 6-8M urea, although, if possible, solubilization under milder conditions could facilitate subsequent refolding and purification of bioactive proteins. Commercially available GST-tag assays are designed for quantitative measurement of GST activity under native conditions. GST fusion proteins accumulated in inclusion bodies are considered to be undetectable by such assays. In this work, solubilization of recombinantly produced proteins was performed in 4M urea. The activity of rGST was assayed in 2M urea and it was shown that rGST preserves 85% of its activity under such denaturing conditions. A colorimetric GST activity assay with 1-chloro-2, 4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB) was examined for use in rapid detection of expression targeted to inclusion bodies and for the identification of inclusion body proteins which can be solubilized in low concentrations of chaotropic agents. Applicability of the assay was evaluated by tracking protein expression of two GST-fused allergens of biopharmaceutical value in E. coli, GST-Der p 2 and GST-Mus a 5, both targeted to inclusion bodies. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Contextualizando reações ácido-base de acordo com a teoria protônica de Brönsted-Lowry usando comprimidos de propranolol e nimesulida

OpenAIRE

Gonsalves, Arlan de Assis; Araújo, Cleônia Roberta Melo; Leite Filho, Carlos Alberto; Medeiros, Felipe Santana de

2013-01-01

This paper reports the use of alternative materials for teaching experimental chemistry. In this context, nimesulide and propranolol tablets were used to teach chemical concepts about acid-base reactions according to Brönsted-Lowry protonic Theory. Important topics of Organic, Analytical and Pharmaceutical Chemistry were discussed, such as purification by acid-base extraction, solubility of organic compounds in aqueous solutions, buffers, the dissociation constant (pKa), potentiometric titrat...

Malcolm Lowry en el ocaso del imperio

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Nair María Anaya Ferreira

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Este artículo propone una lectura de Bajo el volcán, de Malcolm Lowry, centrada en la importancia de la historia moderna y la presencia del Imperio Británico en la narración del último día de Geoffrey Firmin. Siguiendo la noción de una “lectura contrapuntística” de los textos canónicos ingleses formulada por Edward Said, planteo que al haber nacido en la India, el Cónsul (británico no logra tener un sentido de pertenencia a la Gran Bretaña, sino que se encuentra en una situación intersticial y liminal que anticipa la ruptura entre una identidad imperial y una identidad nacional, una de las problemáticas mayores abordadas en los estudios teóricos actuales sobre la identidad (especialmente en los estudios poscoloniales. Desde esta perspectiva, el énfasis en situación imperial permite una lectura que rompe con las interpretaciones de México como un “paraíso infernal” que ha perpetuado el estereotipo de nuestro país incluso en estudios críticos sobre el novelista. The purpose of this article is to offer a reading of Malcolm Lowry’s Under the Volcano focused on the importance of modern history and the presence of the British Empire in the narration of the last day of Geoffrey Firmin. Following Edward Said’s notion of a “contrapuntal reading” of canonical texts, my view is that being an Anglo-Indian, the (British Consul lacks a sense of belonging in regard to a British identity. He lives, therefore, both in a interstitial and a liminar situation which anticipates the breaking up between a sense of national identity and a sense of imperial identity, which constitutes, in fact, one of the main subjects in contemporary theoretical studies about identity (especially in Postcolonial Studies. From this point of view, the current interpretation breaks with a very common reading of the novel in which Mexico is just seen as an “infernal paradise”, an image which has perpetuated a degrading stereotype of the country

Potency assay design for adjuvanted recombinant proteins as malaria vaccines.

Science.gov (United States)

Giersing, Birgitte K; Dubovsky, Filip; Saul, Allan; Denamur, Francoise; Minor, Philip; Meade, Bruce

2006-05-15

Many licensed vaccines are composed of live, attenuated or inactivated whole-cell microorganisms, or they comprise purified components from whole-cell extracts or culture supernatants. For some diseases, pathology is fairly well understood, and there may be known correlates of protection that provide obvious parameters for assessment of vaccine potency. However, this is not always the case, and some effective vaccines are routinely used even though the mechanisms or correlates of protection are unknown. Some more modern vaccine approaches employ purified recombinant proteins, based on molecules that appear on the surface of the pathogen. This is one of the strategies that has been adopted in the quest to develop a malaria vaccine. Use of these parasite antigens as vaccine candidates is supported by substantial epidemiological data, and some have demonstrated the ability to elicit protective responses in animal models of malaria infection. However, there is as yet no immunological correlate of protection and no functional assays or animal models that have demonstrated the ability to predict efficacy in humans. There is little precedence for the most appropriate and practical method for assessing potency of vaccines based on these recombinant molecules for malaria vaccines. This is likely because the majority of malaria vaccine candidates have only recently entered clinical evaluation. The PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative (MVI) convened a panel with expertise in potency assay design from industry, governmental institutions, and regulatory bodies to discuss and review the rationale, available methods, and best approaches for assessing the potency of recombinant proteins, specifically for their use as malarial vaccines. The aim of this meeting was to produce a discussion document on the practical potency assessment of recombinant protein malaria vaccines, focusing on early phase potency assay development.

Determinação de proteínas totais via espectrofometria: vantagens e desvantagens dos métodos existentes Determination of total protein by spectrophotometry: advantages and disadvantages of proposed methods

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Dimas A. M. Zaia

1998-11-01

Full Text Available Spectrophotometric determination of total protein is used in several areas such as clinical analysis, food science and technology, biochemistry, protein chemistry, physiology. Five spectrophotometric methods are mostly used: biuret, Lowry, Bradford, Smith and UV absorption. In this review a general overview of these methods is presented (interferences, applications; other methodologies are also discussed.

Analysis of Protein by Spectrophotometric and Computer Colour Based Intensity Method from Stem of Pea (Pisum sativum at Different Stages

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Afsheen Mushtaque Shah

2010-12-01

Full Text Available In this study proteins were analyzed from pea plants at three different growth stages of stem by spectrophotometric i.e Lowry and Bradford quantitative methods and computer colour intensity based method. Though Spectrophotometric methods are regarded as classical methods, we report an alternate computer based method which gave comparable results. Computer software was developed the for protein analysis which is easier, time and money saving method as compared to the classical methods.

A simple coated-tube assay for alpha-foeto protein for clinical use

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dakubu, S.; Ahene, I.S.; Foli, A.K.

1977-01-01

A standard method for coating plastic tubes with antiserum has been applied to coat tubes with rabbit antiserum to human alpha-foeto protein. The coated plastic tubes have been used to set up a radioimmunoassay system which is sensitive and convenient for use on the occasional clinical sample. For a successful coated-tube assay, it was found necessary to modify the final incubation mixture from what was suitable in a standard double antibody assay system. (orig.) [de

Probing intracellular motor protein activity using an inducible cargo trafficking assay.

Science.gov (United States)

Kapitein, Lukas C; Schlager, Max A; van der Zwan, Wouter A; Wulf, Phebe S; Keijzer, Nanda; Hoogenraad, Casper C

2010-10-06

Although purified cytoskeletal motor proteins have been studied extensively with the use of in vitro approaches, a generic approach to selectively probe actin and microtubule-based motor protein activity inside living cells is lacking. To examine specific motor activity inside living cells, we utilized the FKBP-rapalog-FRB heterodimerization system to develop an in vivo peroxisomal trafficking assay that allows inducible recruitment of exogenous and endogenous kinesin, dynein, and myosin motors to drive specific cargo transport. We demonstrate that cargo rapidly redistributes with distinct dynamics for each respective motor, and that combined (antagonistic) actions of more complex motor combinations can also be probed. Of importance, robust cargo redistribution is readily achieved by one type of motor protein and does not require the presence of opposite-polarity motors. Simultaneous live-cell imaging of microtubules and kinesin or dynein-propelled peroxisomes, combined with high-resolution particle tracking, revealed that peroxisomes frequently pause at microtubule intersections. Titration and washout experiments furthermore revealed that motor recruitment by rapalog-induced heterodimerization is dose-dependent but irreversible. Our assay directly demonstrates that robust cargo motility does not require the presence of opposite-polarity motors, and can therefore be used to characterize the motile properties of specific types of motor proteins. Copyright © 2010 Biophysical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Kadar Protein Klebsiella pneumoniae Hasil Pemanasan 65 Derajat Celcius

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Irawan Sugoro

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Klebsiella pneumoniae is one of a coliform bacteria that causing mastitis. This disease were founded in dairy cows and can be prevented by vaccination. The research has been conducted to determine the inactive times, the protein concentration and profile of K. pneumoniae which inactivated by heating of 65oC as material of mastitis vaccine. The cells culture inactivated by the different times, i.e. 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 minutes. The inactive times was determined by the drop test method, whereas the protein concentration of cells were determined by Lowry method. The results showed that the inactive times occured after 30 minute, and has a significant different on the protein concentration of bacteria cells that inactivated by the different times.

A two-site immunoradiometric assay for human pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A) using monoclonal antibodies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mowles, E.A.; Pinto-Furtado, L.G.; Bolton, A.E.

1986-01-01

A rapid, sensitive immunoradiometric assay has been developed for human pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A) using a purified mouse monoclonal antibody as the tracer and a rabbit polyclonal antibody to this protein in the solid-phase antibody preparation. The assay showed no measurable cross-reaction (< 0.1%) against a range of purified human placental proteins, and a good correlation with a previously described radioimmunoassay procedure when tested on samples taken throughout normal human pregnancies. No PAPP-A-like immunological activity could be detected in sera from non-pregnant women, confirming the absence of this protein from the circulation outside pregnancy. (Auth.)

Solid-phase immunoradiometric assay for C-reactive protein using magnetisable cellulose particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beer, F.C. de; Pepys, M.B.

1982-01-01

An immunoradiometric assay (IRMA) for C-reactive protein (CRP) was developed using magnetisable cellulose particles as the solid-phase support for anti-CRP antibodies. 125 I-labelled immunopurified anti-CRP antibody was used to quantitate the amount of CRP taken up by the solid phase. Unbound label was easily and rapidly removed by decantation after sedimenting the particles on a magnet. The assay could detect 1 μg CRP/l and had a range of up to 10 mg/l with the portion of the standard curve between 10 μg/l and 2-3 mg/l being linear. Fifty samples per hour could be processed manually from serum to CRP result with an intra-assay CV of 5.2% and an inter-assay CV of 10.0%, based on 5 replicates of 5 samples with CRP levels between 2 mg/l and 180 mg/l run in 5 separate assays. Fifty clinical samples were assayed in parallel with a standard electroimmunoassay and yielded a linear correlation coefficient (r) of 0.975 and a slope of 0.98. With its single, brief incubation step including all reagents and its simple phase separation procedure the present method may be the assay of choice when precise measurement of CRP concentrations is required rapidly. (Auth.)

Using constitutive activity to define appropriate high-throughput screening assays for orphan g protein-coupled receptors.

Science.gov (United States)

Ngo, Tony; Coleman, James L J; Smith, Nicola J

2015-01-01

Orphan G protein-coupled receptors represent an underexploited resource for drug discovery but pose a considerable challenge for assay development because their cognate G protein signaling pathways are often unknown. In this methodological chapter, we describe the use of constitutive activity, that is, the inherent ability of receptors to couple to their cognate G proteins in the absence of ligand, to inform the development of high-throughput screening assays for a particular orphan receptor. We specifically focus on a two-step process, whereby constitutive G protein coupling is first determined using yeast Gpa1/human G protein chimeras linked to growth and β-galactosidase generation. Coupling selectivity is then confirmed in mammalian cells expressing endogenous G proteins and driving accumulation of transcription factor-fused luciferase reporters specific to each of the classes of G protein. Based on these findings, high-throughput screening campaigns can be performed on the already miniaturized mammalian reporter system.

Using an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and a protein phosphatase inhibition assay (PPIA) for the detection of microcystins and nodularins.

Science.gov (United States)

Carmichael, W W; An, J

1999-01-01

Cyanotoxins produced by cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) include potent neurotoxins and hepatotoxins. The hepatotoxins include cyclic peptide microcystins and nodularins plus the alkaloid cylindrospermopsins. Among the cyanotoxins the microcystins have proven to be the most widespread, and are most often implicated in animal and human poisonings. This paper presents a practical guide to two widely used methods for detecting and quantifying microcystins and nodularins in environmental samples-the enzyme linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) and the protein phosphatase inhibition assay (PPIA).

Detection of NT-pro BNP using fluorescent protein modified by streptavidin as a label in immunochromatographic assay

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Haixia Li

2016-12-01

Full Text Available A novel fluorescent immunochromatographic assay for the detection of NT-proBNP in human serum has been developed. Based on a sandwich-type immunoassay format, analytes in samples were captured by one monoclonal antibody labeled with fluorescent protein and “sandwiched” by another monoclonal antibody immobilized on the nitrocellulose membrane, the fluorescence and concentration of analytes were measured and then calculated by fluoroanalyzer. The fluorescent protein is a fusion protein and was prepared through the application of Streptavidin gene SA, β subunit cpcB of Phycocyanin, lyase alr0617, and phycoerythrobilin synthetase gene ho1, pebA, pebB for covalent binding. It is characterized with higher stability, good solubility in water and it is not easy to quench fluorescence. Take the advantages of fluorescent protein, the immunochromatographic assay exhibited a wide linear range for NT-proBNP from 200 pg ml−1 to 26,000 pg ml−1, with a detection limit of 47 pg ml−1 under optimal conditions. Compared with chemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA, 131 human serum samples were analyzed and the correlation coefficient of the developed immunoassay was 0.978. These results demonstrated that fluorescent immunochromatographic assay is a more rapid, sensitive, specific method and could be developed into a platform for more biomarkers determination in clinical practice. Keywords: NT-pro BNP, Fluorescent protein, Immunochromatographic assay

Interpretation of protein quantitation using the Bradford assay: comparison with two calculation models.

Science.gov (United States)

Ku, Hyung-Keun; Lim, Hyuk-Min; Oh, Kyong-Hwa; Yang, Hyo-Jin; Jeong, Ji-Seon; Kim, Sook-Kyung

2013-03-01

The Bradford assay is a simple method for protein quantitation, but variation in the results between proteins is a matter of concern. In this study, we compared and normalized quantitative values from two models for protein quantitation, where the residues in the protein that bind to anionic Coomassie Brilliant Blue G-250 comprise either Arg and Lys (Method 1, M1) or Arg, Lys, and His (Method 2, M2). Use of the M2 model yielded much more consistent quantitation values compared with use of the M1 model, which exhibited marked overestimations against protein standards. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A protein chip membrane-capture assay for botulinum neurotoxin activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marconi, Severine; Ferracci, Geraldine; Berthomieu, Maelys; Kozaki, Shunji; Miquelis, Raymond; Boucraut, Jose; Seagar, Michael

2008-01-01

Botulinum neurotoxins A and B (BoNT/A and B) are neuromuscular blocking agents which inhibit neurotransmission by cleaving the intra-cellular presynaptic SNARE proteins SNAP-25 and VAMP2, localized respectively in plasma membrane and synaptic vesicles. These neurotoxins are both dangerous pathogens and powerful therapeutic agents with numerous clinical and cosmetic applications. Consequently there is a need for in vitro assays of their biological activity to screen for potential inhibitors and to replace the widely used in vivo mouse assay. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) was used to measure membrane vesicle capture by antibodies against SNAP-25 and VAMP2. Substrate cleavage by BoNTs modified capture providing a method to assay toxin activity. Firstly using synaptic vesicles as a substrate, a comparison of the EC 50 s for BoNT/B obtained by SPR, ELISA or flow cytometry indicated similar sensitivity although SPR assays were more rapid. Sonication of brain or neuronal cultures generated plasma membrane fragments with accessible intra-cellular epitopes adapted to measurement of BoNT/A activity. SPR responses were proportional to antigen concentration permitting detection of as little as 4 pM SNAP-25 in crude lysates. BoNT/A activity was assayed using monoclonal antibodies that specifically recognize a SNAP-25 epitope generated by the proteolytic action of the toxin. Incubation of intact primary cultured neurons with BoNT/A yielded an EC 50 of 0.5 pM. The SPR biosensor method was sensitive enough to monitor BoNT/A and B activity in cells cultured in a 96-well format providing an alternative to experimental animals for toxicological assays

Protein A磁珠检测朊病毒方法的建立%The foundation of Protein A magnetism to detect Prion assay

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

李奇; 杨阳; 吕鹏; 宋博翠; 白宗瑞; 陈志宝

2009-01-01

建立Protein A磁珠法检测朊病毒,将朊病毒抗体IH2包被后的Protein A磁珠与蛋白酶K消化过的攻毒小鼠脑组织匀浆液混合,经免疫沉淀缓冲液温和洗脱杂蛋白,再经0.2 M甘氨酸将目的蛋白洗脱并且利用聚丙酰胺凝胶电泳检测.通过聚丙酰胺凝胶电泳检测出25 KD的目的蛋白带,经与正常未消化的朊蛋白条带相比较,证实检测出朊病毒.Protein A磁珠具有高效特异的与抗体IgG结合的特点,与多克隆抗体混合后可有效结合IgG.该方法较免疫组织化学和Western-blot技术简便快速,且磁珠可以回收再使用,使成本低廉.%Objective The country need the fast and effective detection for Prion asthe high risk country where Scrapie and BSE may bresk out. The common assay of Western-Blot and Immunohistochemistry consume a long time and the associated experience is needed. Protein A magnetism has the feature of binding IgG differential.h could bind the IgG adequately,when mixing with polyclonal antibody.After intermixing with brain tissue protein digested by protein kinase, Prion could easily elute from Protein A magnetism.Interest protein band is 25KD through SDS-PAGE. When definiting the molecular weight of Priori,the result of detection is educed by SDS-PAGE electrophoresis. The assay is more handier and faster than common assay. The magnetism can reclaim and reuse,which reduce the cost.The assay of detection is a innovation and many branches could generally applicated it.

Simulating the influence of plasma protein on measured receptor affinity in biochemical assays reveals the utility of Schild analysis for estimating compound affinity for plasma proteins.

Science.gov (United States)

Blakeley, D; Sykes, D A; Ensor, P; Bertran, E; Aston, P J; Charlton, S J

2015-11-01

Plasma protein binding (PPB) influences the free fraction of drug available to bind to its target and is therefore an important consideration in drug discovery. While traditional methods for assessing PPB (e.g. rapid equilibrium dialysis) are suitable for comparing compounds with relatively weak PPB, they are not able to accurately discriminate between highly bound compounds (typically >99.5%). The aim of the present work was to use mathematical modelling to explore the potential utility of receptor binding and cellular functional assays to estimate the affinity of compounds for plasma proteins. Plasma proteins are routinely added to in vitro assays, so a secondary goal was to investigate the effect of plasma proteins on observed ligand-receptor interactions. Using the principle of conservation of mass and the law of mass action, a cubic equation was derived describing the ligand-receptor complex [LR] in the presence of plasma protein at equilibrium. The model demonstrates the profound influence of PPB on in vitro assays and identifies the utility of Schild analysis, which is usually applied to determine receptor-antagonist affinities, for calculating affinity at plasma proteins (termed KP ). We have also extended this analysis to functional effects using operational modelling and demonstrate that these approaches can also be applied to cell-based assay systems. These mathematical models can potentially be used in conjunction with experimental data to estimate drug-plasma protein affinities in the earliest phases of drug discovery programmes. © 2015 The British Pharmacological Society.

Selective functional activity measurement of a PEGylated protein with a modification-dependent activity assay.

Science.gov (United States)

Weber, Alfred; Engelmaier, Andrea; Mohr, Gabriele; Haindl, Sonja; Schwarz, Hans Peter; Turecek, Peter L

2017-01-05

BAX 855 (ADYNOVATE) is a PEGylated recombinant factor VIII (rFVIII) that showed prolonged circulatory half-life compared to unmodified rFVIII in hemophilic patients. Here, the development and validation of a novel assay is described that selectively measures the activity of BAX 855 as cofactor for the serine protease factor IX, which actives factor X. This method type, termed modification-dependent activity assay, is based on PEG-specific capture of BAX 855 by an anti-PEG IgG preparation, followed by a chromogenic FVIII activity assay. The assay principle enabled sensitive measurement of the FVIII cofactor activity of BAX 855 down to the pM-range without interference by non-PEGylated FVIII. The selectivity of the capture step, shown by competition studies to primarily target the terminal methoxy group of PEG, also allowed assessment of the intactness of the attached PEG chains. Altogether, the modification-dependent activity not only enriches, but complements the group of methods to selectively, accurately, and precisely measure a PEGylated drug in complex biological matrices. In contrast to all other methods described so far, it allows measurement of the biological activity of the PEGylated protein. Data obtained demonstrate that this new method principle can be extended to protein modifications other than PEGylation and to a variety of functional activity assays. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Assessing transmissible spongiform encephalopathy species barriers with an in vitro prion protein conversion assay

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Christopher J.; Carlson, Christina M.; Morawski, Aaron R.; Manthei, Alyson; Cashman, Neil R.

2015-01-01

Studies to understanding interspecies transmission of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs, prion diseases) are challenging in that they typically rely upon lengthy and costly in vivo animal challenge studies. A number of in vitro assays have been developed to aid in measuring prion species barriers, thereby reducing animal use and providing quicker results than animal bioassays. Here, we present the protocol for a rapid in vitroprion conversion assay called the conversion efficiency ratio (CER) assay. In this assay cellular prion protein (PrPC) from an uninfected host brain is denatured at both pH 7.4 and 3.5 to produce two substrates. When the pH 7.4 substrate is incubated with TSE agent, the amount of PrPC that converts to a proteinase K (PK)-resistant state is modulated by the original host’s species barrier to the TSE agent. In contrast, PrPC in the pH 3.5 substrate is misfolded by any TSE agent. By comparing the amount of PK-resistant prion protein in the two substrates, an assessment of the host’s species barrier can be made. We show that the CER assay correctly predicts known prion species barriers of laboratory mice and, as an example, show some preliminary results suggesting that bobcats (Lynx rufus) may be susceptible to white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) chronic wasting disease agent.

Detection of proteins using a colorimetric bio-barcode assay.

Science.gov (United States)

Nam, Jwa-Min; Jang, Kyung-Jin; Groves, Jay T

2007-01-01

The colorimetric bio-barcode assay is a red-to-blue color change-based protein detection method with ultrahigh sensitivity. This assay is based on both the bio-barcode amplification method that allows for detecting miniscule amount of targets with attomolar sensitivity and gold nanoparticle-based colorimetric DNA detection method that allows for a simple and straightforward detection of biomolecules of interest (here we detect interleukin-2, an important biomarker (cytokine) for many immunodeficiency-related diseases and cancers). The protocol is composed of the following steps: (i) conjugation of target capture molecules and barcode DNA strands onto silica microparticles, (ii) target capture with probes, (iii) separation and release of barcode DNA strands from the separated probes, (iv) detection of released barcode DNA using DNA-modified gold nanoparticle probes and (v) red-to-blue color change analysis with a graphic software. Actual target detection and quantification steps with premade probes take approximately 3 h (whole protocol including probe preparations takes approximately 3 days).

A fluorescent-based HPLC assay for quantification of cysteine and cysteamine adducts in Escherichia coli-derived proteins.

Science.gov (United States)

Soriano, Brian D; Tam, Lei-Ting T; Lu, Hsieng S; Valladares, Violeta G

2012-01-01

Recombinant proteins expressed in Escherichia coli are often produced as unfolded, inactive forms accumulated in inclusion bodies. Redox-coupled thiols are typically employed in the refolding process in order to catalyze the formation of correct disulfide bonds at maximal folding efficiency. These thiols and the recombinant proteins can form mixed disulfide bonds to generate thiol-protein adducts. In this work, we apply a fluorescent-based assay for the quantification of cysteine and cysteamine adducts as observed in E. coli-derived proteins. The thiols are released by reduction of the adducted protein, collected and labeled with a fluorescent reagent, 6-aminoquinolyl-N-hydroxysuccinimidyl carbamate. The derivatized thiols are separated by reversed-phase HPLC and can be accurately quantified after method optimization. The estimated thiol content represents total amount of adducted forms present in the analyzed samples. The limit of quantification (LOQ) was established; specifically, the lowest amount of quantifiable cysteine adduction is 30 picograms and the lowest amount of quantifiable cysteamine adduction is 60 picograms. The assay is useful for quantification of adducts in final purified products as well as in-process samples from various purification steps. The assay indicates that the purification process accomplishes a decrease in cysteine adduction from 0.19 nmol adduct/nmol protein to 0.03 nmol adduct/nmol protein as well as a decrease in cysteamine adduction from 0.24 nmol adduct/nmol protein to 0.14 nmol adduct/nmol protein. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The influence of hapten density on the assay of penicilloylated proteins in fluids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, D.; Dewdney, J.M.; Edwards, R.G.

1985-01-01

The use of inhibition radioimmunoassays for the measurement of penicilloylated proteins in biological fluids is compromised by the dominant influence of hapten density. Precise quantitation, and therefore assessment of antigenicity and immunogenicity, cannot be achieved in the absence of knowledge of the number and distribution of haptenic groups on the protein carrier. These assays may not, therefore, be appropriate for the measurement of potential allergenic residues in food products. (Auth.)

Hormone assay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eisentraut, A.M.

1977-01-01

An improved radioimmunoassay is described for measuring total triiodothyronine or total thyroxine levels in a sample of serum containing free endogenous thyroid hormone and endogenous thyroid hormone bound to thyroid hormone binding protein. The thyroid hormone is released from the protein by adding hydrochloric acid to the serum. The pH of the separated thyroid hormone and thyroid hormone binding protein is raised in the absence of a blocking agent without interference from the endogenous protein. 125 I-labelled thyroid hormone and thyroid hormone antibodies are added to the mixture, allowing the labelled and unlabelled thyroid hormone and the thyroid hormone antibody to bind competitively. This results in free thyroid hormone being separated from antibody bound thyroid hormone and thus the unknown quantity of thyroid hormone may be determined. A thyroid hormone test assay kit is described for this radioimmunoassay. It provides a 'single tube' assay which does not require blocking agents for endogenous protein interference nor an external solid phase sorption step for the separation of bound and free hormone after the competitive binding step; it also requires a minimum number of manipulative steps. Examples of the assay are given to illustrate the reproducibility, linearity and specificity of the assay. (UK)

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay characterization of Basal variation and heritability of systemic microfibrillar-associated protein 4

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sækmose, Susanne Gjørup; Schlosser, Anders; Holst, René

2013-01-01

Microfibrillar-associated protein 4 (MFAP4) is a systemic biomarker that is significantly elevated in samples from patients suffering from hepatic cirrhosis. The protein is generally localized to elastic fibers and other connective tissue fibers in the extracellular matrix (ECM), and variation...... in systemic MFAP4 (sMFAP4) has the potential to reflect diverse diseases with increased ECM turnover. Here, we aimed to validate an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the measurement of sMFAP4 with an emphasis on the robustness of the assay. Moreover, we aimed to determine confounders influencing...

Evaluation of a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for measurements of soluble HLA-G protein.

Science.gov (United States)

Rasmussen, M; Dahl, M; Buus, S; Djurisic, S; Ohlsson, J; Hviid, T V F

2014-08-01

The human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class Ib molecule, HLA-G, has gained increased attention because of its assumed important role in immune regulation. The HLA-G protein exists in several soluble isoforms. Most important are the actively secreted HLA-G5 full-length isoform generated by alternative splicing retaining intron 4 with a premature stop codon, and the cleavage of full-length membrane-bound HLA-G1 from the cell surface, so-called soluble HLA-G1 (sHLA-G1). A specific and sensitive immunoassay for measurements of soluble HLA-G is mandatory for conceivable routine testing and research projects. We report a novel method, a competitive immunoassay, for measuring HLA-G5/sHLA-G1 in biological fluids. The sHLA-G immunoassay is based upon a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) principle. It includes a recombinant sHLA-G1 protein in complex with β2-microglobulin and a peptide as a standard, biotinylated recombinant sHLA-G1 as an indicator, and the MEM-G/9 anti-HLA-G monoclonal antibody (mAb) as the capture antibody. The specificity and sensitivity of the assay were evaluated. Testing with different recombinant HLA class I proteins and different anti-HLA class I mAbs showed that the sHLA-G immunoassay was highly specific. Optimal combinations of competitor sHLA-G1 and capture mAb concentrations were determined. Two versions of the assay were tested. One with a relatively wide dynamic range from 3.1 to 100.0 ng/ml, and another more sensitive version ranging from 1.6 to 12.5 ng/ml. An intra-assay coefficient of variation (CV) of 15.5% at 88 ng/ml and an inter-assay CV of 23.1% at 39 ng/ml were determined. An assay based on the competitive sHLA-G ELISA may be important for measurements of sHLA-G proteins in several conditions: assisted reproduction, organ transplantation, cancer, and certain pregnancy complications, both in research studies and possibly in the future also for clinical routine use. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley

The Rapid Diagnosis of Leptospirosis: A Prospective Comparison of the Dot Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay and the Genus-Specific Microscopic Agglutination Test at Different Stages of Illness

Science.gov (United States)

1988-04-01

reference laboratories. Sim- ting" I liL of leptospiral antigen (770 ng of protein , Lowry pler techniques have been described, but information is...agitated for I win. tive, nonpathogenic antigen J41 - Leptospira b~fexa sero- and incubated for 30 min at room temperature (-.23 C). var Patoc I - to...authors have found that leptospiral test (0) by wetk of illness, expressed in percentage- of antilbodies detected by EI.IS4 appear early 161. There was

Avaliação de métodos espectrofotométricos para determinação de proteína em amostras de lagoas de estabilização Evaluation of spectrophotometric methods for protein determination in waste stabilization ponds sample

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adriana Cristina Poli Miwa

2008-06-01

Full Text Available Esta pesquisa teve como objetivo principal comparar cinco métodos espectrofotométricos para determinação de proteínas em amostras provenientes de estações de tratamento de efluentes sanitários. O intuito foi definir uma metodologia de aplicação rápida, fácil e confiável para este tipo de amostra. As lagoas de estabilização, como sistemas de tratamento biológico, têm como principais constituintes proteínas, carboidratos e lipídeos, mas também apresentam muitos compostos interferentes, como por exemplo, uréia, detergentes e compostos fenólicos, que podem prejudicar a quantificação de tais parâmetros. Os métodos analisados foram Lowry, Biureto, Bradford e Ácido bicinconínico. O método de Lowry mostrou-se mais adequado às características da amostra, com boa reprodutibilidade, reagente específico, custo moderado e ausência de substancias interferentes.This research had as main objective to compare five spectrophotometric methods for protein determination in samples proceeding from sanitary effluent of treatment plant. Intention was to define a methodology that is of fast and easy and reliable application for this type of sample. The stabilization ponds, as systems of biological treatment, have as main constituent proteins, carbohydrates and lipids, but also they present many interfering composites, for example, phenolic urea, detergents and composites, that can harm the quantification of such parameters. The analyzed methods had been Lowry, Biuret, Bradford and Acid bicinconinic. The method of Lowry revealed more adequate to the characteristics of the sample, with good reproducibility, specific reagent, moderate cost and absence of interfering substance.

G protein-coupled receptor internalization assays in the high-content screening format.

Science.gov (United States)

Haasen, Dorothea; Schnapp, Andreas; Valler, Martin J; Heilker, Ralf

2006-01-01

High-content screening (HCS), a combination of fluorescence microscopic imaging and automated image analysis, has become a frequently applied tool to study test compound effects in cellular disease-modeling systems. This chapter describes the measurement of G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) internalization in the HCS format using a high-throughput, confocal cellular imaging device. GPCRs are the most successful group of therapeutic targets on the pharmaceutical market. Accordingly, the search for compounds that interfere with GPCR function in a specific and selective way is a major focus of the pharmaceutical industry today. This chapter describes methods for the ligand-induced internalization of GPCRs labeled previously with either a fluorophore-conjugated ligand or an antibody directed against an N-terminal tag of the GPCR. Both labeling techniques produce robust assay formats. Complementary to other functional GPCR drug discovery assays, internalization assays enable a pharmacological analysis of test compounds. We conclude that GPCR internalization assays represent a valuable medium/high-throughput screening format to determine the cellular activity of GPCR ligands.

Performance of scintillation proximity assay (SPA) to measure the level of VEGFR 1 protein

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

LEE, So-Young; LIM, Jae-Cheong; KIM, Jin-Joo

2014-01-01

Scintillation proximity assay is a one of radioimmunoassay and can be assayed without the washing or filtration procedures normally used to separate bound from free fractions. Due to its simplicity and high-throughput protocol, it is broadly applicable to immunology, receptor binding, monitoring receptor-ligand interactions and enzyme reactions. Briefly, an antibody or receptor is coated on SPA beads. When a radiolabeled antigen or ligand binds to the beads, the SPA beads stimulate to emit short range electrons. The 3 H and 125 I are commonly used for radiolabeling and the produced photons are detectable with a liquid scintillation counter (LSC). A binding affinity of unlabeled ligands can be determined by competitive reaction of the radiolabeled ligands. Bevacizumab is a recombinant humanized monoclonal antibody, and can stop or delay growth of tumors by inhibiting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Bevacizumab was approved by FDA for metastatic cancer such as colorectal cancers, ovarian cancers, breast cancers and glioblastoma multiform of the brain. Recently, Dan G. duda et al. was reported that the concentration of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1 (VEGFR-1) in plasma may potentially be used as a negative selection biomarker. In this study, we describe a method using scintillation proximity assay to detect the amounts of VEGFR-1 protein. This method is successfully used to measure the concentration of VEGFR-1 protein in human cell extracts. In summary, a simple and sensitive assay is developed for measuring the amount of VEGFR 1 protein in cancer cell lysate using SPA beads. The antibody coating on the beads and antigen binding are achieved in one mixing step

Performance of scintillation proximity assay (SPA) to measure the level of VEGFR 1 protein

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

LEE, So-Young; LIM, Jae-Cheong; KIM, Jin-Joo [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2014-10-15

Scintillation proximity assay is a one of radioimmunoassay and can be assayed without the washing or filtration procedures normally used to separate bound from free fractions. Due to its simplicity and high-throughput protocol, it is broadly applicable to immunology, receptor binding, monitoring receptor-ligand interactions and enzyme reactions. Briefly, an antibody or receptor is coated on SPA beads. When a radiolabeled antigen or ligand binds to the beads, the SPA beads stimulate to emit short range electrons. The {sup 3}H and {sup 125}I are commonly used for radiolabeling and the produced photons are detectable with a liquid scintillation counter (LSC). A binding affinity of unlabeled ligands can be determined by competitive reaction of the radiolabeled ligands. Bevacizumab is a recombinant humanized monoclonal antibody, and can stop or delay growth of tumors by inhibiting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Bevacizumab was approved by FDA for metastatic cancer such as colorectal cancers, ovarian cancers, breast cancers and glioblastoma multiform of the brain. Recently, Dan G. duda et al. was reported that the concentration of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1 (VEGFR-1) in plasma may potentially be used as a negative selection biomarker. In this study, we describe a method using scintillation proximity assay to detect the amounts of VEGFR-1 protein. This method is successfully used to measure the concentration of VEGFR-1 protein in human cell extracts. In summary, a simple and sensitive assay is developed for measuring the amount of VEGFR 1 protein in cancer cell lysate using SPA beads. The antibody coating on the beads and antigen binding are achieved in one mixing step.

Setting up a Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer high throughput screening assay to search for protein/protein interaction inhibitors in mammalian cells.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cyril eCouturier

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Each step of the cell life and its response or adaptation to its environment are mediated by a network of protein/protein interactions termed interactome. Our knowledge of this network keeps growing due to the development of sensitive techniques devoted to study these interactions. The bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET technique was primarily developed to allow the dynamic monitoring of protein-protein interactions in living cells, and has widely been used to study receptor activation by intra- or extra-molecular conformational changes within receptors and activated complexes in mammal cells. Some interactions are described as crucial in human pathological processes, and a new class of drugs targeting them has recently emerged. The BRET method is well suited to identify inhibitors of protein-protein interactions and here is described why and how to set up and optimize a High Throughput Screening assay based on BRET to search for such inhibitory compounds. The different parameters to take into account when developing such BRET assays in mammal cells are reviewed to give general guidelines: considerations on the targeted interaction, choice of BRET version, inducibility of the interaction, kinetic of the monitored interaction, and of the BRET reading, influence substrate concentration, number of cells and medium composition used on the Z’ factor, and expected interferences for colored or fluorescent compounds.

A histidine-rich protein 2-based malaria drug sensitivity assay for field use.

Science.gov (United States)

Noedl, Harald; Attlmayr, Bernhard; Wernsdorfer, Walther H; Kollaritsch, Herwig; Miller, Robert S

2004-12-01

With the spread of antimalarial drug resistance, simple and reliable tools for the assessment of antimalarial drug resistance, particularly in endemic regions and under field conditions, have become more important than ever before. We therefore developed a histidine-rich protein 2 (HRP2)-based drug sensitivity assay for testing of fresh isolates of Plasmodium falciparum in the field. In contrast to the HRP2 laboratory assay, the field assay uses a procedure that further simplifies the handling and culturing of malaria parasites by omitting centrifugation, washing, the use of serum, and dilution with uninfected red blood cells. A total of 40 fresh Plasmodium falciparum isolates were successfully tested for their susceptibility to dihydroartemisinin, mefloquine, quinine, and chloroquine (50% inhibitory concentration [IC50] = 3.43, 61.89, 326.75, and 185.31 nM, respectively). Results very closely matched those obtained with a modified World Health Organization schizont maturation assay (R2 = 0.96, P < 0.001; mean log difference at IC50 = 0.054).

Identification of RNAIII-binding proteins in Staphylococcus aureus using tethered RNAs and streptavidin aptamers based pull-down assay.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xu; Zhu, Qing; Tian, Tian; Zhao, Changlong; Zang, Jianye; Xue, Ting; Sun, Baolin

2015-05-15

It has been widely recognized that small RNAs (sRNAs) play important roles in physiology and virulence control in bacteria. In Staphylococcus aureus, many sRNAs have been identified and some of them have been functionally studied. Since it is difficult to identify RNA-binding proteins (RBPs), very little has been known about the RBPs in S. aureus, especially those associated with sRNAs. Here we adopted a tRNA scaffold streptavidin aptamer based pull-down assay to identify RBPs in S. aureus. The tethered RNA was successfully captured by the streptavidin magnetic beads, and proteins binding to RNAIII were isolated and analyzed by mass spectrometry. We have identified 81 proteins, and expressed heterologously 9 of them in Escherichia coli. The binding ability of the recombinant proteins with RNAIII was further analyzed by electrophoresis mobility shift assay, and the result indicates that proteins CshA, RNase J2, Era, Hu, WalR, Pyk, and FtsZ can bind to RNAIII. This study suggests that some proteins can bind to RNA III in S. aureus, and may be involved in RNA III function. And tRSA based pull-down assay is an effective method to search for RBPs in bacteria, which should facilitate the identification and functional study of RBPs in diverse bacterial species.

Analysis of Nanobody-Epitope Interactions in Living Cells via Quantitative Protein Transport Assays.

Science.gov (United States)

Früholz, Simone; Pimpl, Peter

2017-01-01

Over the past few decades, quantitative protein transport analyses have been used to elucidate the sorting and transport of proteins in the endomembrane system of plants. Here, we have applied our knowledge about transport routes and the corresponding sorting signals to establish an in vivo system for testing specific interactions between soluble proteins.Here, we describe the use of quantitative protein transport assays in tobacco mesophyll protoplasts to test for interactions occurring between a GFP-binding nanobody and its GFP epitope. For this, we use a secreted GFP-tagged α-amylase as a reporter together with a vacuolar-targeted RFP-tagged nanobody. The interaction between these proteins is then revealed by a transport alteration of the secretory reporter due to the interaction-triggered attachment of the vacuolar sorting signal.

Inactive Doses and Protein Concentration of Gamma Irradiated Yersinia Enterocolitica

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Irawan Sugoro; Sandra Hermanto

2009-01-01

Yersinia enterocolitica is one of bacteria which cause coliform mastitis in dairy cows. The bacteria could be inactivated by gamma irradiation as inactivated vaccine candidate. The experiment has been conducted to determine the inactive doses and the protein concentration of Yersinia enterocolitica Y3 which has been irradiated by gamma rays. The cells cultures were irradiated by gamma rays with doses of 0, 100, 200, 400, 600, 800, 1.000 and 1.500 Gy (doses rate was 1089,59 Gy/hours). The inactive dose was determined by the drop test method and the protein concentration of cells were determined by Lowry method. The results showed that the inactive doses occurred on 800 – 1500 Gy. The different irradiation doses of cell cultures showed the effect of gamma irradiation on the protein concentration that was random and has a significant effect on the protein concentration. (author)

Immobilizing affinity proteins to nitrocellulose: a toolbox for paper-based assay developers.

Science.gov (United States)

Holstein, Carly A; Chevalier, Aaron; Bennett, Steven; Anderson, Caitlin E; Keniston, Karen; Olsen, Cathryn; Li, Bing; Bales, Brian; Moore, David R; Fu, Elain; Baker, David; Yager, Paul

2016-02-01

To enable enhanced paper-based diagnostics with improved detection capabilities, new methods are needed to immobilize affinity reagents to porous substrates, especially for capture molecules other than IgG. To this end, we have developed and characterized three novel methods for immobilizing protein-based affinity reagents to nitrocellulose membranes. We have demonstrated these methods using recombinant affinity proteins for the influenza surface protein hemagglutinin, leveraging the customizability of these recombinant "flu binders" for the design of features for immobilization. The three approaches shown are: (1) covalent attachment of thiolated affinity protein to an epoxide-functionalized nitrocellulose membrane, (2) attachment of biotinylated affinity protein through a nitrocellulose-binding streptavidin anchor protein, and (3) fusion of affinity protein to a novel nitrocellulose-binding anchor protein for direct coupling and immobilization. We also characterized the use of direct adsorption for the flu binders, as a point of comparison and motivation for these novel methods. Finally, we demonstrated that these novel methods can provide improved performance to an influenza hemagglutinin assay, compared to a traditional antibody-based capture system. Taken together, this work advances the toolkit available for the development of next-generation paper-based diagnostics.

Cytotoxicity Test Based on Human Cells Labeled with Fluorescent Proteins: Fluorimetry, Photography, and Scanning for High-Throughput Assay.

Science.gov (United States)

Kalinina, Marina A; Skvortsov, Dmitry A; Rubtsova, Maria P; Komarova, Ekaterina S; Dontsova, Olga A

2018-06-01

High- and medium-throughput assays are now routine methods for drug screening and toxicology investigations on mammalian cells. However, a simple and cost-effective analysis of cytotoxicity that can be carried out with commonly used laboratory equipment is still required. The developed cytotoxicity assays are based on human cell lines stably expressing eGFP, tdTomato, mCherry, or Katushka2S fluorescent proteins. Red fluorescent proteins exhibit a higher signal-to-noise ratio, due to less interference by medium autofluorescence, in comparison to green fluorescent protein. Measurements have been performed on a fluorescence scanner, a plate fluorimeter, and a camera photodocumentation system. For a 96-well plate assay, the sensitivity per well and the measurement duration were 250 cells and 15 min for the scanner, 500 cells and 2 min for the plate fluorimeter, and 1000 cells and less than 1 min for the camera detection. These sensitivities are similar to commonly used MTT (tetrazolium dye) assays. The used scanner and the camera had not been previously applied for cytotoxicity evaluation. An image processing scheme for the high-resolution scanner is proposed that significantly diminishes the number of control wells, even for a library containing fluorescent substances. The suggested cytotoxicity assay has been verified by measurements of the cytotoxicity of several well-known cytotoxic drugs and further applied to test a set of novel bacteriotoxic compounds in a medium-throughput format. The fluorescent signal of living cells is detected without disturbing them and adding any reagents, thus allowing to investigate time-dependent cytotoxicity effects on the same sample of cells. A fast, simple and cost-effective assay is suggested for cytotoxicity evaluation based on mammalian cells expressing fluorescent proteins and commonly used laboratory equipment.

Improving colorimetric assays through protein enzyme-assisted gold nanoparticle amplification.

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Xiaoji; Xu, Wei; Liu, Xiaogang

2012-09-18

The discovery of the DNA-mediated assembly of gold nanoparticles was a great moment in the history of science; this understanding and chemical control enabled the rational design of functional nanomaterials as novel probes in biodetection. In contrast with conventional probes such as organic dyes, gold nanoparticles exhibit high photostability and unique size-dependent optical properties. Because of their high extinction coefficients and strong distance dependent optical properties, these nanoparticles have emerged over the past decade as a promising platform for rapid, highly sensitive colorimetric assays that allow for the visual detection of low concentrations of metal ions, small molecules, and biomacromolecules. These discoveries have deepened our knowledge of biological phenomena and facilitated the development of many new diagnostic and therapeutic tools. Despite these many advances and continued research efforts, current nanoparticle-based colorimetric detection systems still suffer from several drawbacks, such as limited sensitivity and selectivity. This Account describes the recent development of colorimetric assays based on protein enzyme-assisted gold nanoparticle amplification. The benefits of such detection systems include significantly improved detection sensitivity and selectivity. First, we discuss the general design of enzyme-modified nanoparticle systems in colorimetric assays. We show that a quantitative understanding of the unique properties of different enzymes is paramount for effective biological assays. We then examine the assays for nucleic acid detection based on different types of enzymes, including endonucleases, ligases, and polymerases. For each of these assays, we identify the underlying principles that contribute to the enhanced detection capability of nanoparticle systems and illustrate them with selected examples. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the combination of gold nanoparticles and specific enzymes can probe enzyme dynamics

Detection of Antibodies to U.S. Isolates of Avian Pneumovirus by a Recombinant Nucleocapsid Protein-Based Sandwich Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay

OpenAIRE

Gulati, Baldev R.; Munir, Shirin; Patnayak, Devi P.; Goyal, Sagar M.; Kapur, Vivek

2001-01-01

The nucleocapsid (N) protein of subgroup C (United States-specific) avian pneumovirus (APV/US) was expressed in Escherichia coli, and antibodies to the recombinant N protein were shown to specifically recognize the ≈47-kDa N protein of APV/US by Western immunoblot analysis. The recombinant APV/US N protein was used in a sandwich-capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the resulting assay was found to be more sensitive and specific than the routine indirect ELISA for the detecti...

Quantitative determination of polysulfide in albumins, plasma proteins and biological fluid samples using a novel combined assays approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Ikeda, Mayumi; Ishima, Yu; Shibata, Akitomo; Chuang, Victor T G; Sawa, Tomohiro; Ihara, Hideshi; Watanabe, Hiroshi; Xian, Ming; Ouchi, Yuya; Shimizu, Taro; Ando, Hidenori; Ukawa, Masami; Ishida, Tatsuhiro; Akaike, Takaaki; Otagiri, Masaki; Maruyama, Toru

2017-05-29

Hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) signaling involves polysulfide (RSS n SR') formation on various proteins. However, the current lack of sensitive polysulfide detection assays poses methodological challenges for understanding sulfane sulfur homeostasis and signaling. We developed a novel combined assay by modifying Sulfide Antioxidant Buffer (SAOB) to produce an "Elimination Method of Sulfide from Polysulfide" (EMSP) treatment solution that liberates sulfide, followed with methylene blue (MB) sulfide detection assay. The combined EMSP-MB sulfide detection assay performed on low molecular weight sulfur species showed that sulfide was produced from trisulfide compounds such as glutathione trisulfide and diallyl trisulfide, but not from the thiol compounds such as cysteine, cystine and glutathione. In the case of plasma proteins, this novel combined detection assay revealed that approximately 14.7, 1.7, 3.9, 3.7 sulfide mol/mol released from human serum albumin, α 1 -anti-trypsin, α 1 -acid glycoprotein and ovalbumin, respectively, suggesting that serum albumin is a major pool of polysulfide in human blood circulation. Taken together with the results of albumins of different species, the liberated sulfide has a good correlation with cysteine instead of methionine, indicating the site of incorporation of polysulfide is cysteine. With this novel sulfide detention assay, approximately 8,000, 120 and 1100 μM of polysulfide concentrations was quantitated in human healthy plasma, saliva and tear, respectively. Our promising polysulfide specific detection assay can be a very important tool because quantitative determination of polysulfide sheds light on the functional consequence of protein-bound cysteine polysulfide and expands the research area of reactive oxygen to reactive polysulfide species. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Identification and characterization of protein interactions in the mammalian mRNA processing body using a novel two-hybrid assay

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bloch, Donald B., E-mail: bloch@helix.mgh.harvard.edu; Nobre, Rita A.; Bernstein, Gillian A.; Yang, Wei-Hong

2011-09-10

Components of the mRNA processing body (P-body) regulate critical steps in mRNA storage, transport, translation and degradation. At the core of the P-body is the decapping complex, which removes the 5' cap from de-adenylated mRNAs and mediates an irreversible step in mRNA degradation. The assembly of P-bodies in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Arabidopsis thaliana and Drosophila melanogaster has been previously described. Less is known about the assembly of mammalian P-bodies. To investigate the interactions that occur between components of mammalian P-bodies, we developed a fluorescence-based, two-hybrid assay system. The assay depends on the ability of one P-body component, fused to an exogenous nuclear localization sequence (NLS), to recruit other P-body components to the nucleus. The assay was used to investigate interactions between P-body components Ge-1, DCP2, DCP1, EDC3, RAP55, and RCK. The results of this study show that the modified two-hybrid assay can be used to identify protein interactions that occur in a macromolecular complex. The assay can also be used to efficiently detect protein interaction domains. The results provide important insights into mammalian P-body assembly and demonstrate similarities, and critical differences, between P-body assembly in mammalian cells compared with that of other species. -- Research highlights: {yields} A two-hybrid assay was developed to study interactions in macromolecular complexes. {yields} The assay was applied to interactions between components of mRNA P-bodies. {yields} The assay effectively and efficiently identified protein interaction domains. {yields} P-body assembly in mammalian cells differs from that in other species.

Identification and characterization of protein interactions in the mammalian mRNA processing body using a novel two-hybrid assay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bloch, Donald B.; Nobre, Rita A.; Bernstein, Gillian A.; Yang, Wei-Hong

2011-01-01

Components of the mRNA processing body (P-body) regulate critical steps in mRNA storage, transport, translation and degradation. At the core of the P-body is the decapping complex, which removes the 5' cap from de-adenylated mRNAs and mediates an irreversible step in mRNA degradation. The assembly of P-bodies in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Arabidopsis thaliana and Drosophila melanogaster has been previously described. Less is known about the assembly of mammalian P-bodies. To investigate the interactions that occur between components of mammalian P-bodies, we developed a fluorescence-based, two-hybrid assay system. The assay depends on the ability of one P-body component, fused to an exogenous nuclear localization sequence (NLS), to recruit other P-body components to the nucleus. The assay was used to investigate interactions between P-body components Ge-1, DCP2, DCP1, EDC3, RAP55, and RCK. The results of this study show that the modified two-hybrid assay can be used to identify protein interactions that occur in a macromolecular complex. The assay can also be used to efficiently detect protein interaction domains. The results provide important insights into mammalian P-body assembly and demonstrate similarities, and critical differences, between P-body assembly in mammalian cells compared with that of other species. -- Research highlights: → A two-hybrid assay was developed to study interactions in macromolecular complexes. → The assay was applied to interactions between components of mRNA P-bodies. → The assay effectively and efficiently identified protein interaction domains. → P-body assembly in mammalian cells differs from that in other species.

Multiplexed homogeneous proximity ligation assays for high throughput protein biomarker research in serological material

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lundberg, Martin; Thorsen, Stine Buch; Assarsson, Erika

2011-01-01

A high throughput protein biomarker discovery tool has been developed based on multiplexed proximity ligation assays (PLA) in a homogeneous format in the sense of no washing steps. The platform consists of four 24-plex panels profiling 74 putative biomarkers with sub pM sensitivity each consuming...... sequences are united by DNA ligation upon simultaneous target binding forming a PCR amplicon. Multiplex PLA thereby converts multiple target analytes into real-time PCR amplicons that are individually quantificatied using microfluidic high capacity qPCR in nano liter volumes. The assay shows excellent...

C-Reactive Protein (CRP) Test

Science.gov (United States)

... can be caused by a number of different pathological conditions such as arthritis , lupus , or inflammatory bowel ... clinchem.org . Accessed October 2011. Lowry, F. (2010 March 23). CRP Test Guides Antibiotic Prescribing for Respiratory ...

The production of KIR-Fc fusion proteins and their use in a multiplex HLA class I binding assay.

Science.gov (United States)

Hilton, Hugo G; Moesta, Achim K; Guethlein, Lisbeth A; Blokhuis, Jeroen; Parham, Peter; Norman, Paul J

2015-10-01

Soluble recombinant proteins that comprise the extracellular part of a surface expressed receptor attached to the Fc region of an IgG antibody have facilitated the determination of ligand specificity for an array of immune system receptors. Among such receptors is the family of killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR) that recognize HLA class I ligands. These receptors, expressed on natural killer (NK) cells and T cells, play important roles in both immune defense and placental development in early pregnancy. Here we describe a method for the production of two domain KIR-Fc fusion proteins using baculovirus infected insect cells. This method is more scalable than traditional mammalian cell expression systems and produces efficiently folded proteins that carry posttranslational modifications found in native KIR. We also describe a multiplex binding assay using the Luminex platform that determines the avidity and specificity of two domain KIR-Fc for a panel of microbeads, each coated with one of 97 HLA class I allotypes. This assay is simple to perform, and represents a major improvement over the assays used previously, which were limited in the number of KIR and HLA class I combinations that could be assayed at any one time. The results obtained from this assay can be used to predict the response of NK cell and T cells when their KIR recognize HLA class I. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Time-gated luminescence assay using nonmetal probes for determination of protein kinase activity-based disease markers.

Science.gov (United States)

Kasari, Marje; Padrik, Peeter; Vaasa, Angela; Saar, Kristi; Leppik, Krista; Soplepmann, Jaan; Uri, Asko

2012-03-15

A novel nonmetal optical probe ARC-1063 whose long-lifetime luminescence is induced by association with the target protein kinase is used for the measurement of the concentration of catalytic subunit of protein kinase A (PKAc) in complicated biological solutions. High affinity (K(D) = 10 pM toward PKAc) and unique optical properties of the probe enable its application for the measurement of picomolar concentrations of PKAc in the presence of high concentrations of other proteins. The described assay is applicable in the high-throughput format with the instrument setups designed for lanthanide-based time-gated (time-resolved) luminescence methods. The assay is used for demonstration that extracellular PKAc (ECPKA) is present in plasma samples of all healthy persons and cancer patients but great care must be taken for procedures of treatment of blood samples to avoid disruption, damage, or activation of platelets in the course of plasma (or serum) preparation and conservation. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Contextualizando reações ácido-base de acordo com a teoria protônica de Brönsted-Lowry usando comprimidos de propranolol e nimesulida

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arlan de Assis Gonsalves

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This paper reports the use of alternative materials for teaching experimental chemistry. In this context, nimesulide and propranolol tablets were used to teach chemical concepts about acid-base reactions according to Brönsted-Lowry protonic Theory. Important topics of Organic, Analytical and Pharmaceutical Chemistry were discussed, such as purification by acid-base extraction, solubility of organic compounds in aqueous solutions, buffers, the dissociation constant (pKa, potentiometric titration and ionization of drugs in biological fluids. The purification of propranolol and nimesulide from tablets produced yields of 75% and 90%, respectively. The experimental values of pKa for both drugs were in agreement with those from the literature.

Nanoparticle-assay marker interaction: effects on nanotoxicity assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Xinxin; Xiong, Sijing; Huang, Liwen Charlotte; Ng, Kee Woei; Loo, Say Chye Joachim

2015-01-01

Protein-based cytotoxicity assays such as lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) are commonly used in cytotoxic evaluation of nanoparticles (NPs) despite numerous reports on possible interactions with protein markers in these assays that can confound the results obtained. In this study, conventional cytotoxicity assays where assay markers may (LDH and TNF- α) or may not (PicoGreen and WST-8) come into contact with NPs were used to evaluate the cytotoxicity of NPs. The findings revealed selective interactions between negatively charged protein assay markers (LDH and TNF- α) and positively charged ZnO NPs under abiotic conditions. The adsorption and interaction with these protein assay markers were strongly influenced by surface charge, concentration, and specific surface area of the NPs, thereby resulting in less than accurate cytotoxic measurements, as observed from actual cell viability measurements. An improved protocol for LDH assay was, therefore, proposed and validated by eliminating any effects associated with protein-particle interactions. In view of this, additional measures and precautions should be taken when evaluating cytotoxicity of NPs with standard protein-based assays, particularly when they are of opposite charges.

Development and optimization of a cell-based assay for the selection of synthetic compounds that potentiate bone morphogenetic protein-2 activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Okada, Motohiro; Sangadala, Sreedhara; Liu, Yunshan; Yoshida, Munehito; Reddy, Boojala Vijay B; Titus, Louisa; Boden, Scott D

2009-12-01

The requirement of large amounts of the recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) produces a huge translational barrier for its routine clinical use due to high cost. This leads to an urgent need to develop alternative methods to lower costs and/or increase efficacies for using BMP-2. In this study, we describe the development and optimization of a cell-based assay that is sensitive, reproducible, and reliable in identifying reagents that potentiate the effects of BMP-2 in inducing transdifferentiation of C2C12 myoblasts into the osteoblastic phenotype. The assay is based on a BMP-responsive Smad1-driven luciferase reporter gene. LIM mineralization protein-1 (LMP-1) is a novel intracellular LIM domain protein that has been shown by our group to enhance cellular responsiveness to BMP-2. Our previous report elucidated that the binding of LMP-1 with the WW2 domain in Smad ubiquitin regulatory factor-1 (Smurf1) rescues the osteogenic Smads from degradation. Here, using the optimized cell-based assay, we first evaluated the activity of the recombinantly prepared proteins, LMP-1, and its mutant (LMP-1DeltaSmurf1) that lacks the Smurf1-WW2 domain-binding motif. Both the wild type and the mutant proteins were engineered to contain an 11-amino acid HIV-TAT protein derived membrane transduction domain to aid the cellular delivery of recombinant proteins. The cell-based reporter assay confirmed that LMP-1 potentiates the BMP-induced stimulation of C2C12 cells towards the osteoblastic phenotype. The potentiating effect of LMP-1 was significantly reduced when a specific-motif known to interact with Smurf1 was mutated. We validated the results obtained in the reporter assay by also monitoring the expression of mRNA for osteocalcin and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) which is widely accepted osteoblast differentiation marker genes. Finally, we provide further confirmation of our results by measuring the activity of alkaline phosphatase in support of the accuracy and

Performance of a Multiplex Serological Helicobacter pylori Assay on a Novel Microfluidic Assay Platform

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Angela Filomena

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Infection with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori occurs in 50% of the world population, and is associated with the development of ulcer and gastric cancer. Serological diagnostic tests indicate an H. pylori infection by detecting antibodies directed against H. pylori proteins. In addition to line blots, multiplex assay platforms provide smart solutions for the simultaneous analysis of antibody responses towards several H. pylori proteins. We used seven H. pylori proteins (FliD, gGT, GroEL, HpaA, CagA, VacA, and HP0231 and an H. pylori lysate for the development of a multiplex serological assay on a novel microfluidic platform. The reaction limited binding regime in the microfluidic channels allows for a short incubation time of 35 min. The developed assay showed very high sensitivity (99% and specificity (100%. Besides sensitivity and specificity, the technical validation (intra-assay CV = 3.7 ± 1.2% and inter-assay CV = 5.5 ± 1.2% demonstrates that our assay is also a robust tool for the analysis of the H. pylori-specific antibody response. The integration of the virulence factors CagA and VacA allow for the assessment of the risk for gastric cancer development. The short assay time and the performance of the platform shows the potential for implementation of such assays in a clinical setting.

Identification of mitochondrial carriers in Saccharomyces cerevisiae by transport assay of reconstituted recombinant proteins.

Science.gov (United States)

Palmieri, Ferdinando; Agrimi, Gennaro; Blanco, Emanuela; Castegna, Alessandra; Di Noia, Maria A; Iacobazzi, Vito; Lasorsa, Francesco M; Marobbio, Carlo M T; Palmieri, Luigi; Scarcia, Pasquale; Todisco, Simona; Vozza, Angelo; Walker, John

2006-01-01

The inner membranes of mitochondria contain a family of carrier proteins that are responsible for the transport in and out of the mitochondrial matrix of substrates, products, co-factors and biosynthetic precursors that are essential for the function and activities of the organelle. This family of proteins is characterized by containing three tandem homologous sequence repeats of approximately 100 amino acids, each folded into two transmembrane alpha-helices linked by an extensive polar loop. Each repeat contains a characteristic conserved sequence. These features have been used to determine the extent of the family in genome sequences. The genome of Saccharomyces cerevisiae contains 34 members of the family. The identity of five of them was known before the determination of the genome sequence, but the functions of the remaining family members were not. This review describes how the functions of 15 of these previously unknown transport proteins have been determined by a strategy that consists of expressing the genes in Escherichia coli or Saccharomyces cerevisiae, reconstituting the gene products into liposomes and establishing their functions by transport assay. Genetic and biochemical evidence as well as phylogenetic considerations have guided the choice of substrates that were tested in the transport assays. The physiological roles of these carriers have been verified by genetic experiments. Various pieces of evidence point to the functions of six additional members of the family, but these proposals await confirmation by transport assay. The sequences of many of the newly identified yeast carriers have been used to characterize orthologs in other species, and in man five diseases are presently known to be caused by defects in specific mitochondrial carrier genes. The roles of eight yeast mitochondrial carriers remain to be established.

Microbead agglutination based assays

KAUST Repository

Kodzius, Rimantas

2013-01-21

We report a simple and rapid room temperature assay for point-of-care (POC) testing that is based on specific agglutination. Agglutination tests are based on aggregation of microbeads in the presence of a specific analyte thus enabling the macroscopic observation. Such tests are most often used to explore antibody-antigen reactions. Agglutination has been used for protein assays using a biotin/streptavidin system as well as a hybridization based assay. The agglutination systems are prone to selftermination of the linking analyte, prone to active site saturation and loss of agglomeration at high analyte concentrations. We investigated the molecular target/ligand interaction, explaining the common agglutination problems related to analyte self-termination, linkage of the analyte to the same bead instead of different microbeads. We classified the agglutination process into three kinds of assays: a two- component assay, a three-component assay and a stepped three- component assay. Although we compared these three kinds of assays for recognizing DNA and protein molecules, the assay can be used for virtually any molecule, including ions and metabolites. In total, the optimized assay permits detecting analytes with high sensitivity in a short time, 5 min, at room temperature. Such a system is appropriate for POC testing.

Determination of soluble protein contents from RVNRL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wan Manshol Wan Zin; Nurulhuda Othman

1996-01-01

This project was carried out to determine the soluble protein contents on RVNRL film vulcanisates, with respect to the RVNRL storage time, gamma irradiation dose absorbed by the latex and the effect of different leaching time and leaching conditions. These three factors are important in the hope to determine the best possible mean of minimizing the soluble protein contents in products made from RVNRL. Within the nine months storage period employed in the study, the results show that, the longer the storage period the less the soluble protein extracted from the film samples. Gamma irradiation dose absorbed by the samples, between 5.3 kGy to 25.2 kGy seems to influence the soluble protein contents of the RVNRL films vulcanisates. The higher the dose the more was the soluble protein extracted from the film samples. At an absorbed dose of 5.3 kGy and 25.2 kGy, the soluble contents were 0. 198 mg/ml and 0.247 mg/ml respectively. At a fixed leaching temperature, the soluble proteins increases with leaching time and at a fixed leaching time, the soluble proteins increases with leaching temperature. ne highest extractable protein contents was determined at a leaching time of 10 minutes and leaching temperature of 90'C The protein analysis were done by using Modified Lowry Method

Nanoparticle-assay marker interaction: effects on nanotoxicity assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao, Xinxin; Xiong, Sijing; Huang, Liwen Charlotte; Ng, Kee Woei; Loo, Say Chye Joachim

2015-01-01

Protein-based cytotoxicity assays such as lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) are commonly used in cytotoxic evaluation of nanoparticles (NPs) despite numerous reports on possible interactions with protein markers in these assays that can confound the results obtained. In this study, conventional cytotoxicity assays where assay markers may (LDH and TNF- α) or may not (PicoGreen and WST-8) come into contact with NPs were used to evaluate the cytotoxicity of NPs. The findings revealed selective interactions between negatively charged protein assay markers (LDH and TNF- α) and positively charged ZnO NPs under abiotic conditions. The adsorption and interaction with these protein assay markers were strongly influenced by surface charge, concentration, and specific surface area of the NPs, thereby resulting in less than accurate cytotoxic measurements, as observed from actual cell viability measurements. An improved protocol for LDH assay was, therefore, proposed and validated by eliminating any effects associated with protein–particle interactions. In view of this, additional measures and precautions should be taken when evaluating cytotoxicity of NPs with standard protein-based assays, particularly when they are of opposite charges

Nanoparticle-assay marker interaction: effects on nanotoxicity assessment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhao, Xinxin; Xiong, Sijing; Huang, Liwen Charlotte; Ng, Kee Woei, E-mail: kwng@ntu.edu.sg; Loo, Say Chye Joachim, E-mail: joachimloo@ntu.edu.sg [Nanyang Technological University, School of Materials Science and Engineering (Singapore)

2015-01-15

Protein-based cytotoxicity assays such as lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) are commonly used in cytotoxic evaluation of nanoparticles (NPs) despite numerous reports on possible interactions with protein markers in these assays that can confound the results obtained. In this study, conventional cytotoxicity assays where assay markers may (LDH and TNF- α) or may not (PicoGreen and WST-8) come into contact with NPs were used to evaluate the cytotoxicity of NPs. The findings revealed selective interactions between negatively charged protein assay markers (LDH and TNF- α) and positively charged ZnO NPs under abiotic conditions. The adsorption and interaction with these protein assay markers were strongly influenced by surface charge, concentration, and specific surface area of the NPs, thereby resulting in less than accurate cytotoxic measurements, as observed from actual cell viability measurements. An improved protocol for LDH assay was, therefore, proposed and validated by eliminating any effects associated with protein–particle interactions. In view of this, additional measures and precautions should be taken when evaluating cytotoxicity of NPs with standard protein-based assays, particularly when they are of opposite charges.

Novel multiplexed assay for identifying SH2 domain antagonists of STAT family proteins.

Science.gov (United States)

Takakuma, Kazuyuki; Ogo, Naohisa; Uehara, Yutaka; Takahashi, Susumu; Miyoshi, Nao; Asai, Akira

2013-01-01

Some of the signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) family members are constitutively activated in a wide variety of human tumors. The activity of STAT depends on their Src homology 2 (SH2) domain-mediated binding to sequences containing phosphorylated tyrosine. Thus, antagonizing this binding is a feasible approach to inhibiting STAT activation. We have developed a novel multiplexed assay for STAT3- and STAT5b-SH2 binding, based on amplified luminescent proximity homogeneous assay (Alpha) technology. AlphaLISA and AlphaScreen beads were combined in a single-well assay, which allowed the binding of STAT3- and STAT5b-SH2 to phosphotyrosine peptides to be simultaneously monitored. Biotin-labeled recombinant human STAT proteins were obtained as N- and C-terminal deletion mutants. The spacer length of the DIG-labeled peptide, the reaction time, and the concentration of sodium chloride were optimized to establish a HTS system with Z' values of greater than 0.6 for both STAT3- and STAT5b-SH2 binding. We performed a HTS campaign for chemical libraries using this multiplexed assay and identified hit compounds. A 2-chloro-1,4-naphthalenedione derivative, Compound 1, preferentially inhibited STAT3-SH2 binding in vitro, and the nuclear translocation of STAT3 in HeLa cells. Initial structure activity relationship (SAR) studies using the multiplexed assay showed the 3-substituent effect on both the activity and selectivity of STAT3 and STAT5b inhibition. Therefore, this multiplexed assay is useful for not only searching for potential lead compounds but also obtaining SAR data for developing new STAT3/STAT5b inhibitors.

A simple purification and activity assay of the coagulant protein from Moringa oleifera seed.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghebremichael, Kebreab A; Gunaratna, K R; Henriksson, Hongbin; Brumer, Harry; Dalhammar, Gunnel

2005-06-01

Use of extracts from Moringa oleifera (MO) is of great interest for low-cost water treatment. This paper discusses water and salt extraction of a coagulant protein from the seed, purification using ion exchange, its chemical characteristics, coagulation and antimicrobial properties. The coagulant from both extracts is a cationic protein with pI greater than 9.6 and molecular mass less than 6.5 kDa. Mass spectrometric analysis of the purified water extract indicated that it contained at least four homologous proteins, based on MS/MS peptide sequence data. The protein is thermoresistant and remained active after 5h heat treatment at 95 degrees C. The coagulant protein showed both flocculating and antibacterial effects of 1.1--4 log reduction. With samples of high turbidity, the MO extract showed similar coagulation activity as alum. Cecropin A and MO extract were found to have similar flocculation effects for clay and microorganisms. Simple methods for both the purification and assay of MO coagulating proteins are presented, which are necessary for large-scale water treatment applications.

Exploring physical and chemical factors influencing the properties of recombinant prion protein and the real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) assay.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Keding; Sloan, Angela; Avery, Kristen M; Coulthart, Michael; Carpenter, Michael; Knox, J David

2014-01-01

Real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC), a highly specific and sensitive assay able to detect low levels of the disease-inducing isoform of the prion protein (PrP(d)) in brain tissue biopsies and cerebral spinal fluid, has great potential to become a method for diagnosing prion disease ante mortem. In order to standardize the assay method for routine analysis, an understanding of how physical and chemical factors affect the stability of the recombinant prion protein (rPrP) substrate and the RT-QuIC assay's sensitivity, specificity, and reproducibility is required. In this study, using sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease brain homogenate to seed the reactions and an in vitro-expressed recombinant prion protein, hamster rPrP, as the substrate, the following factors affecting the RT-QuIC assay were examined: salt and substrate concentrations, substrate storage, and pH. Results demonstrated that both the generation of the quality and quantities of rPrP substrate critical to the reaction, as well as the RT-QuIC reaction itself required strict adherence to specific physical and chemical conditions. Once optimized, the RT-QuIC assay was confirmed to be a very specific and sensitive assay method for sCJD detection. Findings in this study indicate that further optimization and standardization of RT-QuIC assay is required before it can be adopted as a routine diagnostic test.

Use of hydrophilic extra-viral domain of canine distemper virus H protein for enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay development.

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Ki-hyun; Kim, Jeongmi; Yoo, Hyun-ah; Kim, Dae-hee; Park, Seung-yong; Song, Chang-seon; Choi, In-soo; Lee, Joong-bok

2014-12-01

Simple methods for measuring the levels of serum antibody against canine distemper virus (CDV) would assist in the effective vaccination of dogs. To develop an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) specific for CDV, we expressed hydrophilic extra-viral domain (HEVD) protein of the A75/17-CDV H gene in a pET 28a plasmid-based Escherichia (E.) coli vector system. Expression was confirmed by dot and Western blotting. We proposed that detection of E. coli-expressed H protein might be conformation- dependent because intensities of the reactions observed with these two methods varied. The H gene HEVD protein was further purified and used as an antigen for an ELISA. Samples from dogs with undetectable to high anti-CDV antibody titers were analyzed using this HEVD-specific ELISA and a commercial CDV antibody detection kit (ImmunoComb). Levels of HEVD antigenicity measured with the assays and immunochromatography correlated. These data indicated that the HEDV protein may be used as antigen to develop techniques for detecting antibodies against CDV.

Competition between bound and free peptides in an ELISA-based procedure that assays peptides derived from protein digests

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pace Umberto

2006-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background We describe an ELISA-based method that can be used to identify and quantitate proteins in biological samples. In this method, peptides in solution, derived from proteolytic digests of the sample, compete with substrate-attached synthetic peptides for antibodies, also in solution, generated against the chosen peptides. The peptides used for the ELISA are chosen on the basis of their being (i products of the proteolytic (e.g. tryptic digestion of the protein to be identified and (ii unique to the target protein, as far as one can know from the published sequences. Results In this paper we describe the competition assay and we define the optimal conditions for the most effective assay. We have performed an analysis of the kinetics of interaction between the four components of the assay: the plastic substratum to which the peptide is bound, the bound peptide itself, the competing added peptide, and the antibody that is specific for the peptide and we compare the results of theoretical simulations to the actual data in some model systems. Conclusion The data suggest that the peptides bind to the plastic substratum in more than one conformation and that, once bound, the peptide displays different affinities for the antibody, depending on how it has bound to the plate

Magnetic levitation as a platform for competitive protein-ligand binding assays.

Science.gov (United States)

Shapiro, Nathan D; Soh, Siowling; Mirica, Katherine A; Whitesides, George M

2012-07-17

This paper describes a method based on magnetic levitation (MagLev) that is capable of indirectly measuring the binding of unlabeled ligands to unlabeled protein. We demonstrate this method by measuring the affinity of unlabeled bovine carbonic anhydrase (BCA) for a variety of ligands (most of which are benzene sulfonamide derivatives). This method utilizes porous gel beads that are functionalized with a common aryl sulfonamide ligand. The beads are incubated with BCA and allowed to reach an equilibrium state in which the majority of the immobilized ligands are bound to BCA. Since the beads are less dense than the protein, protein binding to the bead increases the overall density of the bead. This change in density can be monitored using MagLev. Transferring the beads to a solution containing no protein creates a situation where net protein efflux from the bead is thermodynamically favorable. The rate at which protein leaves the bead for the solution can be calculated from the rate at which the levitation height of the bead changes. If another small molecule ligand of BCA is dissolved in the solution, the rate of protein efflux is accelerated significantly. This paper develops a reaction-diffusion (RD) model to explain both this observation, and the physical-organic chemistry that underlies it. Using this model, we calculate the dissociation constants of several unlabeled ligands from BCA, using plots of levitation height versus time. Notably, although this method requires no electricity, and only a single piece of inexpensive equipment, it can measure accurately the binding of unlabeled proteins to small molecules over a wide range of dissociation constants (K(d) values within the range from ~10 nM to 100 μM are measured easily). Assays performed using this method generally can be completed within a relatively short time period (20 min-2 h). A deficiency of this system is that it is not, in its present form, applicable to proteins with molecular weight greater

THE COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE ACTIVITY ASSAY METHODS FOR MG2+-DEPENDENT NA+/K+-ACTIVATED ATPASE IN ERYTHROCYTE MEMBRANES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Polina Anatolevna Petrova

2017-12-01

Full Text Available This review considers the methodological reasons for the wide range of results for the red blood cells Mg2+-dependent Na+/K+-ATPase activity described by different authors. We assert that the differences in the Na+/K+-ATPase activity obtained by the researchers are due to the methodological peculiarities associated with methods of obtaining and measurement of the enzyme activity, such as red blood cells separation and storage (centrifugation, concentration and composition of the lysing solution, time and temperature of hemolysis and freezing, as well as the peculiarities of methods for the quantitative determination of protein and inorganic phosphorus. On the basis of the literature data analysis we recommend that for the most accurate determination of the Na+/K+-ATPase activity it is better to use the chelator in the lysing buffer solution and Fiske-Subbarow and Lowry methods for the determination of inorganic phosphorus and quantitative protein content, respectively.

Development of a Novel Green Fluorescent Protein-Based Binding Assay to Study the Association of Plakins with Intermediate Filament Proteins.

Science.gov (United States)

Favre, Bertrand; Begré, Nadja; Bouameur, Jamal-Eddine; Borradori, Luca

2016-01-01

Protein-protein interactions are fundamental for most biological processes, such as the formation of cellular structures and enzymatic complexes or in signaling pathways. The identification and characterization of protein-protein interactions are therefore essential for understanding the mechanisms and regulation of biological systems. The organization and dynamics of the cytoskeleton, as well as its anchorage to specific sites in the plasma membrane and organelles, are regulated by the plakins. These structurally related proteins anchor different cytoskeletal networks to each other and/or to other cellular structures. The association of several plakins with intermediate filaments (IFs) is critical for maintenance of the cytoarchitecture. Pathogenic mutations in the genes encoding different plakins can lead to dramatic manifestations, occurring principally in the skin, striated muscle, and/or nervous system, due to cytoskeletal disorganization resulting in abnormal cell fragility. Nevertheless, it is still unclear how plakins bind to IFs, although some general rules are slowly emerging. We here describe in detail a recently developed protein-protein fluorescence binding assay, based on the production of recombinant proteins tagged with green fluorescent protein (GFP) and their use as fluid-phase fluorescent ligands on immobilized IF proteins. Using this method, we have been able to assess the ability of C-terminal regions of GFP-tagged plakin proteins to bind to distinct IF proteins and IF domains. This simple and sensitive technique, which is expected to facilitate further studies in this area, can also be potentially employed for any kind of protein-protein interaction studies. © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Assay of mouse-cell clones for retrovirus p30 protein by use of an automated solid-state radioimmunoassay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kennel, S.J.; Tnnant, R.W.

1979-01-01

A solid-state radioimmunoassay system has been developed that is useful for automated analysis of samples in microtiter plates. Assays for interspecies and type-specific antigenic determinants of the C-type retrovirus protein, p30, have been used to identify clones of cells producing this protein. This method allows testing of at least 1000 clones a day, making it useful for studies of frequencies of virus protein induction, defective virus production, and formation of recombinant viruses

Serodiagnosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis: assessment of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using a peptide sequence from gene B protein

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, A T; Gaafar, A; Ismail, A

1996-01-01

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using a 28 amino acid sequence of the repetitive element of gene B protein (GBP) from Leishmania major was developed for serodiagnosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL). The assay was compared to ELISAs using crude amastigote and promastigote antigens from...... samples from healthy Sudanese individuals living in an area endemic for malaria but free of leish-maniasis were negative in all the assays. Significantly higher levels of antibodies were found in the patients who had suffered from the disease for more than eight weeks than in patients with a shorter...

Mechanism of SOS PR-domain autoinhibition revealed by single-molecule assays on native protein from lysate.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Young Kwang; Low-Nam, Shalini T; Chung, Jean K; Hansen, Scott D; Lam, Hiu Yue Monatrice; Alvarez, Steven; Groves, Jay T

2017-04-28

The guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) Son of Sevenless (SOS) plays a critical role in signal transduction by activating Ras. Here we introduce a single-molecule assay in which individual SOS molecules are captured from raw cell lysate using Ras-functionalized supported membrane microarrays. This enables characterization of the full-length SOS protein, which has not previously been studied in reconstitution due to difficulties in purification. Our measurements on the full-length protein reveal a distinct role of the C-terminal proline-rich (PR) domain to obstruct the engagement of allosteric Ras independently of the well-known N-terminal domain autoinhibition. This inhibitory role of the PR domain limits Grb2-independent recruitment of SOS to the membrane through binding of Ras·GTP in the SOS allosteric binding site. More generally, this assay strategy enables characterization of the functional behaviour of GEFs with single-molecule precision but without the need for purification.

New sensitive and specific assay for human immunodeficiency virus antibodies using labeled recombinant fusion protein and time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay.

OpenAIRE

Siitari, H; Turunen, P; Schrimsher, J; Nunn, M

1990-01-01

A new, rapid method for the detection of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) antibody by time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay (TR-FIA) was developed. In this assay format, microtitration strips were coated with a recombinant fusion protein, and the same protein was labeled with europium and added into the wells simultaneously with the test specimens. The recombinant fusion protein contained the HIV-1 p24 gag protein sequence that carried an insertion, near the carboxyl terminus, of a 23-am...

Protein assay structured on paper by using lithography

Science.gov (United States)

Wilhelm, E.; Nargang, T. M.; Al Bitar, W.; Waterkotte, B.; Rapp, B. E.

2015-03-01

There are two main challenges in producing a robust, paper-based analytical device. The first one is to create a hydrophobic barrier which unlike the commonly used wax barriers does not break if the paper is bent. The second one is the creation of the (bio-)specific sensing layer. For this proteins have to be immobilized without diminishing their activity. We solve both problems using light-based fabrication methods that enable fast, efficient manufacturing of paper-based analytical devices. The first technique relies on silanization by which we create a flexible hydrophobic barrier made of dimethoxydimethylsilane. The second technique demonstrated within this paper uses photobleaching to immobilize proteins by means of maskless projection lithography. Both techniques have been tested on a classical lithography setup using printed toner masks and on a lithography system for maskless lithography. Using these setups we could demonstrate that the proposed manufacturing techniques can be carried out at low costs. The resolution of the paper-based analytical devices obtained with static masks was lower due to the lower mask resolution. Better results were obtained using advanced lithography equipment. By doing so we demonstrated, that our technique enables fabrication of effective hydrophobic boundary layers with a thickness of only 342 μm. Furthermore we showed that flourescine-5-biotin can be immobilized on the non-structured paper and be employed for the detection of streptavidinalkaline phosphatase. By carrying out this assay on a paper-based analytical device which had been structured using the silanization technique we proofed biological compatibility of the suggested patterning technique.

Solid-phase immunoradiometric assay for serum amyloid A protein using magnetisable cellulose particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De Beer, F.C.; Dyck, R.F.; Pepys, M.B.

1982-01-01

An immunoradiometric assay for human serum amyloid A protein (SAA) was developed using magnetisable cellulose particles as the solid phase. Rabbit antiserum to SAA was raised by immunization with SAA isolated from acute-phase serum by gel filtration in formic acid. The antiserum was rendered monospecific for SAA by solid-phase immunoabsorption with normal human serum, which contains only traces of SAA, and some was coupled covalently to the cellulose particles. Immunopurified anti-SAA antibodies were isolated from the monospecific anti-SAA serum by binding to, and elution from insolubilized acute-phase serum and were radiolabelled with 125 I. The assay was calibrated with an acute phase serum which contained 6000 times more SAA than normal sera with the lowest detectable level of SAA, and an arbitrary value of 6000 U/l was assigned to this standard. Sera were tested in the native, undenatured state and there was no increase in SAA immunoreactivity following alkali treatment or heating. The assay range was from 1-2000 U/l so that all SAA levels above 6 U/l could be measured on a single (1:6) dilution of serum. The intra- and interassay coefficients of variation were 11.7 and 15.0% respectively. Among 100 healthy normal subjects (50 male, 50 female) the median SAA level was 9 U/l, range <1-100, with 93% below 20 U/l and only 2% below the lower limit of sensitivity of the assay (1 U/l). (Auth.)

Tandem assays of protein and glucose with functionalized core/shell particles based on magnetic separation and surface-enhanced Raman scattering.

Science.gov (United States)

Kong, Xianming; Yu, Qian; Lv, Zhongpeng; Du, Xuezhong

2013-10-11

Tandem assays of protein and glucose in combination with mannose-functionalized Fe3 O4 @SiO2 and Ag@SiO2 tag particles have promising potential in effective magnetic separation and highly sensitive and selective SERS assays of biomaterials. It is for the first time that tandem assay of glucose is developed using SERS based on the Con A-sandwiched microstructures between the functionalized magnetic and tag particles. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for insulin-like growth factor-I using six-histidine tag fused proteins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang Yong; Shi Ruina; Zhong Xuefei; Wang Dan; Zhao Meiping; Li Yuanzong

2007-01-01

The fusion proteins of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and six-histidine tag (IGF-I-6H, 6H-IGF-I-6H) were cloned, expressed, purified and renatured, with their immunoreaction properties and biological activities intact. The binding kinetics between these fusion proteins and anti-IGF-I antibody or anti-6H antibody were studied using surface plasmon resonance (SPR). Two enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) modes, which proved feasible in the measurement of human serum samples, were used to detect IGF-I with the help of the six-histidine tagged proteins. Furthermore, combining the production technique of the six-histidine tagged fusion protein with the competitive sandwich ELISA mode, using an enzyme labeled anti-6H antibody as a tracer, can be a universal immunochemical method to quantitate other polypeptides or proteins

A gene-protein assay for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2: brightfield tricolor visualization of HER2 protein, the HER2 gene, and chromosome 17 centromere (CEN17 in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded breast cancer tissue sections

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nitta Hiroaki

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The eligibility of breast cancer patients for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2-directed therapies is determined by the HER2 gene amplification and/or HER2 protein overexpression status of the breast tumor as determined by in situ hybridization (ISH or immunohistochemistry (IHC, respectively. Our objective was to combine the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA-approved HER2 & chromosome 17 centromere (CEN17 brightfield ISH (BISH and HER2 IHC assays into a single automated HER2 gene-protein assay allowing simultaneous detection of all three targets in a single tissue section. Methods The HER2 gene-protein assay was optimized using formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE samples of the xenograft tumors MCF7 [HER2 negative (non-amplified gene, protein negative] and Calu-3 [HER2 positive (amplified gene, protein positive]. HER2 IHC was performed using a rabbit monoclonal anti-HER2 antibody (clone 4B5 and a conventional 3,3'-diaminobenzidine IHC detection. The HER2 & CEN17 BISH signals were visualized using horseradish peroxidase-based silver and alkaline phosphatase-based red detection systems, respectively with a cocktail of 2,4-dinitrophenyl-labeled HER2 and digoxigenin-labeled CEN17 probes. The performance of the gene-protein assay on tissue microarray slides containing 189 randomly selected FFPE clinical breast cancer tissue cores was compared to that of the separate HER2 IHC and HER2 & CEN17 BISH assays. Results HER2 protein detection was optimal when the HER2 IHC protocol was used before (rather than after the BISH protocol. The sequential use of HER2 IHC and HER2 & CEN17 BISH detection steps on FFPE xenograft tumor sections appropriately co-localized the HER2 protein, HER2 gene, and CEN17 signals after mitigating the silver background staining by using a naphthol phosphate-containing hybridization buffer for the hybridization step. The HER2 protein and HER2 gene status obtained using the multiplex HER2 gene-protein

Protein production from whey using Penicillium cyclopium; growth parameters and cellular composition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, J H; Lebeault, J M

1981-01-01

The growth parameters of Penicillium cyclopium were evaluated in a continuous culture system for the production of fungal protein from whey. Dilution rates were 0.05-0.20/h under constant conditions of temperature (28 degrees) and pH (3.5). The saturation coefficients in the Monod equation were 0.74 g/l for lactose and 0.14 mg/l for O/sub 2/. For a wide range of dilution rates, the yield was 0.68 g biomass/g lactose and the maintenance coefficient 0.005 g lactose/g biomass-h. The maximum biomass productivity achieved was 2 g biomass/l-h at dilution rates of 0.16-0.17/h with a lactose concentration of 20 g/l in the feed. The crude protein and total nucleic acid contents increased with a dilution rate, crude protein content was 43-54%, and total nucleic acids were 6-9% at dilution rates of 0.05-0.2/h, while the Lowry protein content was almost constant at 37.5% of dry matter.

Synthesis of an 125I analog of MK-0591 and characterization of a 5-lipoxygenase activating protein binding assay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eggler, J.F.; Cheng, J.B.; Cooper, K.; Hanak, L.M.; Pillar, J.S.

1994-01-01

The 125 I analog of MK-0591,1, has been prepared for use as a radioligand for developing a 5-lipoxygenase activating protein (FLAP) binding assay. The radiosynthesis involves a two step oxidative iododestannylation-saponification procedure. A FLAP binding assay has been developed in human neutrophil membranes. The binding of 1 to human neutrophil FLAP is rapid, reversible, of high affinity, saturable and selective for FLAP inhibitors. (author)

Electrophoretic mobility shift assay reveals a novel recognition sequence for Setaria italica NAC protein.

Science.gov (United States)

Puranik, Swati; Kumar, Karunesh; Srivastava, Prem S; Prasad, Manoj

2011-10-01

The NAC (NAM/ATAF1,2/CUC2) proteins are among the largest family of plant transcription factors. Its members have been associated with diverse plant processes and intricately regulate the expression of several genes. Inspite of this immense progress, knowledge of their DNA-binding properties are still limited. In our recent publication,1 we reported isolation of a membrane-associated NAC domain protein from Setaria italica (SiNAC). Transactivation analysis revealed that it was a functionally active transcription factor as it could stimulate expression of reporter genes in vivo. Truncations of the transmembrane region of the protein lead to its nuclear localization. Here we describe expression and purification of SiNAC DNA-binding domain. We further report identification of a novel DNA-binding site, [C/G][A/T][T/A][G/C]TC[C/G][A/T][C/G][G/C] for SiNAC by electrophoretic mobility shift assay. The SiNAC-GST protein could bind to the NAC recognition sequence in vitro as well as to sequences where some bases had been reshuffled. The results presented here contribute to our understanding of the DNA-binding specificity of SiNAC protein.

Protein Detection Using the Multiplexed Proximity Extension Assay (PEA) from Plasma and Vaginal Fluid Applied to the Indicating FTA Elute Micro Card™

Science.gov (United States)

Berggrund, Malin; Ekman, Daniel; Gustavsson, Inger; Sundfeldt, Karin; Olovsson, Matts; Enroth, Stefan; Gyllensten, Ulf

2016-01-01

The indicating FTA elute micro card™ has been developed to collect and stabilize the nucleic acid in biological samples and is widely used in human and veterinary medicine and other disciplines. This card is not recommended for protein analyses, since surface treatment may denature proteins. We studied the ability to analyse proteins in human plasma and vaginal fluid as applied to the indicating FTA elute micro card™ using the sensitive proximity extension assay (PEA). Among 92 proteins in the Proseek Multiplex Oncology Iv2 panel, 87 were above the limit of detection (LOD) in liquid plasma and 56 among 92 above LOD in plasma applied to FTA cards. Washing and protein elution protocols were compared to identify an optimal method. Liquid-based cytology samples showed a lower number of proteins above LOD than FTA cards with vaginal fluid samples applied. Our results demonstrate that samples applied to the indicating FTA elute micro card™ are amendable to protein analyses, given that a sensitive protein detection assay is used. The results imply that biological samples applied to FTA cards can be used for DNA, RNA and protein detection. PMID:28936257

Protein Detection Using the Multiplexed Proximity Extension Assay (PEA from Plasma and Vaginal Fluid Applied to the Indicating FTA Elute Micro Card™

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Malin Berggrund

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The indicating FTA elute micro card™ has been developed to collect and stabilize the nucleic acid in biological samples and is widely used in human and veterinary medicine and other disciplines. This card is not recommended for protein analyses, since surface treatment may denature proteins. We studied the ability to analyse proteins in human plasma and vaginal fluid as applied to the indicating FTA elute micro card™ using the sensitive proximity extension assay (PEA. Among 92 proteins in the Proseek Multiplex Oncology Iv2 panel, 87 were above the limit of detection (LOD in liquid plasma and 56 among 92 above LOD in plasma applied to FTA cards. Washing and protein elution protocols were compared to identify an optimal method. Liquid-based cytology samples showed a lower number of proteins above LOD than FTA cards with vaginal fluid samples applied. Our results demonstrate that samples applied to the indicating FTA elute micro card™ are amendable to protein analyses, given that a sensitive protein detection assay is used. The results imply that biological samples applied to FTA cards can be used for DNA, RNA and protein detection.

Protein Detection Using the Multiplexed Proximity Extension Assay (PEA) from Plasma and Vaginal Fluid Applied to the Indicating FTA Elute Micro Card™.

Science.gov (United States)

Berggrund, Malin; Ekman, Daniel; Gustavsson, Inger; Sundfeldt, Karin; Olovsson, Matts; Enroth, Stefan; Gyllensten, Ulf

2016-01-01

The indicating FTA elute micro card™ has been developed to collect and stabilize the nucleic acid in biological samples and is widely used in human and veterinary medicine and other disciplines. This card is not recommended for protein analyses, since surface treatment may denature proteins. We studied the ability to analyse proteins in human plasma and vaginal fluid as applied to the indicating FTA elute micro card™ using the sensitive proximity extension assay (PEA). Among 92 proteins in the Proseek Multiplex Oncology Iv2 panel, 87 were above the limit of detection (LOD) in liquid plasma and 56 among 92 above LOD in plasma applied to FTA cards. Washing and protein elution protocols were compared to identify an optimal method. Liquid-based cytology samples showed a lower number of proteins above LOD than FTA cards with vaginal fluid samples applied. Our results demonstrate that samples applied to the indicating FTA elute micro card™ are amendable to protein analyses, given that a sensitive protein detection assay is used. The results imply that biological samples applied to FTA cards can be used for DNA, RNA and protein detection.

Serological Assays Based on Recombinant Viral Proteins for the Diagnosis of Arenavirus Hemorrhagic Fevers

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Masayuki Saijo

2012-10-01

Full Text Available The family Arenaviridae, genus Arenavirus, consists of two phylogenetically independent groups: Old World (OW and New World (NW complexes. The Lassa and Lujo viruses in the OW complex and the Guanarito, Junin, Machupo, Sabia, and Chapare viruses in the NW complex cause viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF in humans, leading to serious public health concerns. These viruses are also considered potential bioterrorism agents. Therefore, it is of great importance to detect these pathogens rapidly and specifically in order to minimize the risk and scale of arenavirus outbreaks. However, these arenaviruses are classified as BSL-4 pathogens, thus making it difficult to develop diagnostic techniques for these virus infections in institutes without BSL-4 facilities. To overcome these difficulties, antibody detection systems in the form of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA and an indirect immunofluorescence assay were developed using recombinant nucleoproteins (rNPs derived from these viruses. Furthermore, several antigen-detection assays were developed. For example, novel monoclonal antibodies (mAbs to the rNPs of Lassa and Junin viruses were generated. Sandwich antigen-capture (Ag-capture ELISAs using these mAbs as capture antibodies were developed and confirmed to be sensitive and specific for detecting the respective arenavirus NPs. These rNP-based assays were proposed to be useful not only for an etiological diagnosis of VHFs, but also for seroepidemiological studies on VHFs. We recently developed arenavirus neutralization assays using vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV-based pseudotypes bearing arenavirus recombinant glycoproteins. The goal of this article is to review the recent advances in developing laboratory diagnostic assays based on recombinant viral proteins for the diagnosis of VHFs and epidemiological studies on the VHFs caused by arenaviruses.

Application of a high-throughput relative chemical stability assay to screen therapeutic protein formulations by assessment of conformational stability and correlation to aggregation propensity.

Science.gov (United States)

Rizzo, Joseph M; Shi, Shuai; Li, Yunsong; Semple, Andrew; Esposito, Jessica J; Yu, Shenjiang; Richardson, Daisy; Antochshuk, Valentyn; Shameem, Mohammed

2015-05-01

In this study, an automated high-throughput relative chemical stability (RCS) assay was developed in which various therapeutic proteins were assessed to determine stability based on the resistance to denaturation post introduction to a chaotrope titration. Detection mechanisms of both intrinsic fluorescence and near UV circular dichroism (near-UV CD) are demonstrated. Assay robustness was investigated by comparing multiple independent assays and achieving r(2) values >0.95 for curve overlays. The complete reversibility of the assay was demonstrated by intrinsic fluorescence, near-UV CD, and biologic potency. To highlight the method utility, we compared the RCS assay with differential scanning calorimetry and dynamic scanning fluorimetry methodologies. Utilizing C1/2 values obtained from the RCS assay, formulation rank-ordering of 12 different mAb formulations was performed. The prediction of long-term stability on protein aggregation is obtained by demonstrating a good correlation with an r(2) of 0.83 between RCS and empirical aggregation propensity data. RCS promises to be an extremely useful tool to aid in candidate formulation development efforts based on the complete reversibility of the method to allow for multiple assessments without protein loss and the strong correlation between the C1/2 data obtained and accelerated stability under stressed conditions. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association.

Palmtop spectrophotometer for DNA and protein measurement in micro-nanoliter assays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qiu Tian; Huang Guoliang; Yang Xiaoyong; Ma Li; Yang Xu

2011-01-01

Spectrophotometer, an important tool in life science, medicine, and analytical fields, usually uses an optical path of 10 mm or more for absorbance measurement of UV light. This corresponds to a sample consumption of ≥ 50 μL in volume and a narrow measuring range of 0.5-50 ng/μL for nucleic acid samples and 0.05-2 mg/mL for protein samples. Higher concentrations must be diluted for measurement. In this paper, we developed an advanced palmtop spectrophotometer for the measurement of both DNA and protein concentrations in micro-nanoliter assays. We constructed a fiber transmission and a fiber reflection absorbance detection scheme illuminated by either UV-LED or deuterium lamp. The sensitivity of 0.5 ng/μL and a wide measuring range of 0.5-2000 ng/μL in concentrations were obtained for DNA, and the sensitivity of 0.05 mg/mL and a wide measuring range of 0.05-100 mg/mL were also obtained for protein. However, sample consumption is only 1 μL in volume for fiber transmission detection scheme and 500 nL for fiber reflection detection scheme. The linear correlation coefficient of measured concentrations to theoretical concentrations is greater than 0.99. With the profit of this work, a miniaturized spectrophotometer with better sensitivity and wider measuring range can be produced for analytical applications.

A sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the determination of fish protein in processed foods.

Science.gov (United States)

Shibahara, Yusuke; Uesaka, Yoshihiko; Wang, Jun; Yamada, Shoichi; Shiomi, Kazuo

2013-01-15

Fish is one of the most common causes of food allergy and its major allergen is parvalbumin, a 12 kDa muscular protein. In this study, a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the determination of fish protein in processed foods was developed using a polyclonal antibody raised against Pacific mackerel parvalbumin. The developed sandwich ELISA showed 22.6-99.0% reactivity (based on the reactivity to Pacific mackerel parvalbumin) to parvalbumins from various species of fish. The limits of detection and quantitation were estimated to be 0.23 and 0.70 μg protein per g of food, respectively. When the sandwich ELISA was subjected to inter-laboratory validation, spiked fish protein was recovered from five model processed foods in the range of 69.4-84.8% and the repeatability and reproducibility relative standard deviations were satisfactorily low (≤ 10.5%). Thus, the sandwich ELISA was judged to be a useful tool to determine fish protein in processed foods. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A practical method for extending the biuret assay to protein determination of corn-based products.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Zelong; Pan, Junhui

2017-06-01

A modified biuret method suitable for protein determination of corn-based products was developed by introducing a combination of an alkaline reagent with sodium dodecyl sulfate (reagent A) and heat treatments. The method was tested on seven corn-based samples. The results showed mostly good agreement (P>0.05) as compared to the Kjeldahl values. The proposed method was found to enhance the accuracy of prediction on zein content using bovine serum albumin as standard. Reagent A and sample treatment were proved to effectively improve protein solubilization for the thermally-dried corn-based products, e.g. corn gluten meal. The absorbance was stable for at least 1-h. Moreover, the whole measurement of protein content only needs 15-20min more than the traditional biuret assay, and can be performed in batches. The findings suggest that the proposed method could be a timesaving alternative for routine protein analyses in corn processing factories. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Expression of Hepatitis C Virus Core and E2 antigenic recombinant proteins and their use for development of diagnostic assays.

Science.gov (United States)

Ali, Amjad; Nisar, Muhammad; Idrees, Muhammad; Rafique, Shazia; Iqbal, Muhammad

2015-05-01

Early diagnosis of HCV infection is based on detection of antibodies against HCV proteins using recombinant viral antigens. The present study was designed to select, clone and express the antigenic regions of Core and E2 genes from local HCV-3a genotype and to utilize the antigenic recombinant proteins (Core & E2) to develop highly sensitive, specific and economical diagnostic assays for detection of HCV infection. The antigenic sites were determined within Core and E2 genes and were then cloned in pET-28a expression vector. The right orientation of the desired inserted fragments of Core and E2 were confirmed via sequencing prior to expression and were then transformed in BL21 (DE3) pLysS strains of E. coli and induced with 0.5mM Isopropyl-b-D-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG) for the production of antigenic recombinant proteins. The produced truncated antigens were then purified by Nickel affinity chromatography and were confirmed by western blotting, immunoblotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The expressed Core and E2 recombinant antigens were used to develop immunoblotting assay for the detection of anti-HCV antibodies in sera. With immunoblotting, a total of 93-HCV infected sera and 35-HCV negative individuals were tested for the presence of anti-HCV antibodies to the Core and E2 antigens. Recombinant antigen showed 100% reactivity against HCV infected sera, with no cross reactivity against HCV-negative sera. The immunoblot assay mixture of recombinant antigens (Core+E2) showed a strong reaction intensity in the test area (TA) as compared to the individual truncated Core and E2 recombinant antigens. In the in-house ELISA assay, mixed Core and E2 recombinant antigens showed 100% reactivity against a standardized panel of 150-HCV-positive sera and non reactivity against a standardized panel of 150 HCV-negative sera while also being non reactive to sera positive for other viral infections. The antigenic recombinant antigens also were tested for the

Estimating the wound healing ability of bioactive milk proteins using an optimized cell based assay

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nyegaard, Steffen; Andreasen, Trine; Rasmussen, Jan Trige

Milk contains many different proteins of which the larger constituents like the caseins and major whey constituents are well characterized. We have for some time been studying the structure and function of proteins associated with the milk fat globule membrane like lactadherin, MUC1/15, xanthine...... oxidoreductase along with minor whey constituents like osteopontin, EPV20 etc. The enterocyte migration rate is a key parameter in maintaining intestinal homeostasis and intestinal repair when recovering from infection or intestinal diseases like Crohns and ulcerative colitis. We developed a novel in vitro wound...... healing assay to determine the bioactive effects of various milk proteins using human small intestine cells grown on extracellular matrix. Silicone inserts are placed in a 96-well plate and enterocytes seeded around it, creating a monolayer with a cell free area. In current ongoing experiments, various...

Modification of the BAX System PCR assay for detecting Salmonella in beef, produce, and soy protein isolate. Performance Tested Method 100201.

Science.gov (United States)

Peng, Linda X; Wallace, Morgan; Andaloro, Bridget; Fallon, Dawn; Fleck, Lois; Delduco, Dan; Tice, George

2011-01-01

The BAX System PCR assay for Salmonella detection in foods was previously validated as AOAC Research Institute (RI) Performance Tested Method (PTM) 100201. New studies were conducted on beef and produce using the same media and protocol currently approved for the BAX System PCR assay for E. coli O157:H7 multiplex (MP). Additionally, soy protein isolate was tested for matrix extension using the U.S. Food and Drug Administration-Bacteriological Analytical Manual (FDA-BAM) enrichment protocols. The studies compared the BAX System method to the U.S. Department of Agriculture culture method for detecting Salmonella in beef and the FDA-BAM culture method for detecting Salmonella in produce and soy protein isolate. Method comparison studies on low-level inoculates showed that the BAX System assay for Salmonella performed as well as or better than the reference method for detecting Salmonella in beef and produce in 8-24 h enrichment when the BAX System E. coli O157:H7 MP media was used, and soy protein isolate in 20 h enrichment with lactose broth followed by 3 h regrowth in brain heart infusion broth. An inclusivity panel of 104 Salmonella strains with diverse serotypes was tested by the BAX System using the proprietary BAX System media and returned all positive results. Ruggedness factors involved in the enrichment phase were also evaluated by testing outside the specified parameters, and none of the factors examined affected the performance of the assay.

A biotin-drug extraction and acid dissociation (BEAD) procedure to eliminate matrix and drug interference in a protein complex anti-drug antibody (ADA) isotype specific assay.

Science.gov (United States)

Niu, Hongmei; Klem, Thomas; Yang, Jinsong; Qiu, Yongchang; Pan, Luying

2017-07-01

Monitoring anti-drug antibody (ADA) responses in patients receiving protein therapeutics treatment is an important safety assessment for regulatory agencies, drug manufacturers, clinicians and patients. Recombinant human IGF-1/IGFBP-3 (rhIGF-1/rhIGFBP-3) is a 1:1 formulation of naturally occurring protein complex. The individual IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 proteins have multiple binding partners in serum matrix with high binding affinity to each other, which presents challenges in ADA assay development. We have developed a biotin-drug extraction with acid dissociation (BEAD) procedure followed by an electrochemiluminescence (ECL) direct assay to overcome matrix and drug interference. The method utilizes two step acid dissociation and excess biotin-drug to extract total ADA, which are further captured by soluble biotin-drug and detected in an ECL semi-homogeneous direct assay format. The pre-treatment method effectively eliminates interference by serum matrix and free drug, and enhances assay sensitivity. The assays passed acceptance criteria for all validation parameters, and have been used for clinical sample Ab testing. This method principle exemplifies a new approach for anti-isotype ADA assays, and could be an effective strategy for neutralizing antibody (NAb), pharmacokinetic (PK) and biomarker analysis in need of overcoming interference factors. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Extractable proteins from field radiation vulcanized natural rubber latex

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Parra, Duclerc F. [Chemical and Environmental Centre, Nuclear Energy Research Institute, Av. Lineu Prestes, 2242-CEP Sao Paulo (Brazil)]. E-mail: dfparra@ipen.br; Pinto Martins, Carlos Felipe [Chemical and Environmental Centre, Nuclear Energy Research Institute, Av. Lineu Prestes, 2242-CEP Sao Paulo (Brazil); Collantes, Hugo D.C. [Chemical and Environmental Centre, Nuclear Energy Research Institute, Av. Lineu Prestes, 2242-CEP Sao Paulo (Brazil); Lugao, Ademar B. [Chemical and Environmental Centre, Nuclear Energy Research Institute, Av. Lineu Prestes, 2242-CEP Sao Paulo (Brazil)

2005-07-01

The type I allergy associated with the use of natural rubber latex (NRL) products is caused by the NRL proteins leached by the sweat or other body fluids. Makuuchi's group proposed for the first time the proteins removal by the addition of water-soluble polymers (WSP) on radiation vulcanization of natural rubber latex (RVNRL) that is a promising process under development in many countries. In this study, Brazilian field natural rubber was irradiated with a {sup 60}Co gamma source to reduce the content of WSP in the final product. WSP was used as additive to improve the extraction of protein. After irradiation the RVNRL was centrifuged to extract the WSP and proteins. The analytical methodology for protein content was based on the modified Lowry method according to ASTM D5712. Protein determination was carried out in serum of latex and in the extracts of the gloves. The concentration of extractable water-soluble proteins in serum of irradiated field NRL (NRL1), not irradiated one (NRL2); of twice centrifuged sample with polymer additive NRL (NRL3) and of the glove manufactured (NRLG) are compared with commercial glove (CG). The irradiation process increases the extractable water-soluble proteins, EP, as reported in the literature. In this study the use of polymeric additive on the bi-centrifugation process to remove protein was successful and the EP of the glove obtained in NRL3 was at around 40% of the commercial glove.

Quantitation of pulmonary surfactant protein SP-B in the absence or presence of phospholipids by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Oviedo, J M; Valiño, F; Plasencia, I

2001-01-01

We have developed an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) that uses polyclonal or monoclonal anti-surfactant protein SP-B antibodies to quantitate purified SP-B in chloroform/methanol and in chloroform/methanol extracts of whole pulmonary surfactant at nanogram levels. This method has been...... used to explore the effect of the presence of different phospholipids on the immunoreactivity of SP-B. Both polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies produced reproducible ELISA calibration curves for methanolic SP-B solutions with protein concentrations in the range of 20-1000 ng/mL. At these protein...

Evaluation of a novel Dot-ELISA assay utilizing a recombinant protein for the effective diagnosis of Taenia pisiformis larval infections.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Lin; Yang, Deying; Gu, Xiaobin; Peng, Xuerong; Yang, Guangyou

2014-08-29

Cysticercosis, caused by the larvae of Taenia pisiformis, is a common disease in domestic breeds of the rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus that results in economic losses. At present, there is no convenient and effective method for the rapid detection of T. pisiformis larvae. Here, we developed and tested the efficacy of a Dot-ELISA assay for the diagnosis of T. pisiformis larval infections in rabbits, based on the expression of the recombinant fusion protein (rTp1) from the Tp1 gene. Rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) was used to amplify the 3' ends of the Tp1 gene, based on the unigene similar to Ts1 gene (EU009656.1) which comes from transcriptome sequencing of T. pisiformis. The Tp1 gene was successfully amplified, cloned and expressed in BL21 (DE3). Western blot analysis revealed that the recombinant Tp1 protein is specifically recognized by rabbit T. pisiformis cysticercosis antisera. This purified recombinant fusion protein, rTp1, was probed by Dot-ELISA with sera from rabbits infected with T. pisiformis larvae and with other parasitic infections. Results showed that this Dot-ELISA assay had both high sensitivity (92.9-97.6%) and specificity (95.2-98.4%) to detect T. pisiformis larval infections. We also found very low levels of cross-reaction with other parasitic infections. This study has revealed that our novel Dot-ELISA assay utilizing the recombinant fusion protein, rTp1, has a strong potential for the effective diagnosis of T. pisiformis infections in rabbits. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of five commercially available assays and measurement of serum total protein concentration via refractometry for the diagnosis of failure of passive transfer of immunity in foals.

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Rachel; Giguère, Steeve

2005-11-15

To determine and compare sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and predictive values of measurement of serum total protein concentration by refractometry as well as 5 commercially available kits for the diagnosis of failure of passive transfer (FPT) of immunity in foals. Prospective study. 65 foals with various medical problems and 35 clinically normal foals. IgG concentration in serum was assessed by use of zinc sulfate turbidity (assay C), glutaraldehyde coagulation (assay D), 2 semiquantitative immunoassays (assays F and G), and a quantitative immunoassay (assay H). Serum total protein concentration was assessed by refractometry. Radial immunodiffusion (assays A and B) was used as the reference method. For detection of IgG or = 6.0 g/dL indicated adequate IgG concentrations. Most assays were adequate as initial screening tests. However, their use as a definitive test would result in unnecessary treatment of foals with adequate IgG concentrations.

Split Beta-Lactamase Complementation Assay

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

IAS Admin

A Search for the Molecular Better Half! Vaishali Verma ... These assays comprise of a protein molecule, ... ciferase, beta-galactosidase, GFP, g3p of M13 filamentous ph- .... sensors of protein–protein interactions, Nature Biotechnology, Vol.20,.

The impact of pre-analytical variables on the stability of neurofilament proteins in CSF, determined by a novel validated SinglePlex Luminex assay and ELISA.

Science.gov (United States)

Koel-Simmelink, Marleen J A; Vennegoor, Anke; Killestein, Joep; Blankenstein, Marinus A; Norgren, Niklas; Korth, Carsten; Teunissen, Charlotte E

2014-01-15

Neurofilament (Nf) proteins have been shown to be promising biomarkers for monitoring and predicting disease progression for various neurological diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of pre-analytical variables on the concentration of neurofilament heavy (NfH) and neurofilament light (NfL) proteins. For NfH an in-house newly-developed and validated SinglePlex Luminex assay was used; ELISA was used to analyze NfL. For the NfL ELISA assay, the intra- and inter-assay variation was respectively, 1.5% and 16.7%. Analytical performance of the NfH SinglePlex Luminex assay in terms of sensitivity (6.6pg/mL), recovery in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) (between 90 and 104%), linearity (from 6.6-1250pg/mL), and inter- and intra-assay variation (<8%) were good. Concentrations of both NfL and NfH appeared not negatively affected by blood contamination, repeated freeze-thaw cycles (up to 4), delayed processing (up to 24hours) and during long-term storage at -20°C, 4°C, and room temperature. A decrease in concentration was observed during storage of both neurofilament proteins up to 21days at 37°C, which was significant by day 5. The newly developed NfH SinglePlex Luminex assay has a good sensitivity and is robust. Moreover, both NfH and NfL are stable under the most prevalent pre-analytical variations. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Analyzing pepsin degradation assay conditions used for allergenicity assessments to ensure that pepsin susceptible and pepsin resistant dietary proteins are distinguishable.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rong Wang

Full Text Available The susceptibility of a dietary protein to proteolytic degradation by digestive enzymes, such as gastric pepsin, provides information on the likelihood of systemic exposure to a structurally intact and biologically active macromolecule, thus informing on the safety of proteins for human and animal consumption. Therefore, the purpose of standardized in vitro degradation studies that are performed during protein safety assessments is to distinguish whether proteins of interest are susceptible or resistant to pepsin degradation via a study design that enables study-to-study comparison. Attempting to assess pepsin degradation under a wide-range of possible physiological conditions poses a problem because of the lack of robust and consistent data collected under a large-range of sub-optimal conditions, which undermines the needs to harmonize in vitro degradation conditions. This report systematically compares the effects of pH, incubation time, and pepsin-to-substrate protein ratio on the relative degradation of five dietary proteins: three pepsin susceptible proteins [ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase (Rubisco, horseradish peroxidase (HRP, hemoglobin (Hb], and two pepsin resistant proteins [lipid transfer protein (LTP and soybean trypsin inhibitor (STI]. The results indicate that proteins susceptible to pepsin degradation are readily distinguishable from pepsin-resistant proteins when the reaction conditions are within the well-characterized optima for pepsin. The current standardized in vitro pepsin resistant assay with low pH and high pepsin-to-substrate ratio fits this purpose. Using non-optimal pH and/or pepsin-to-substrate protein ratios resulted in susceptible proteins no longer being reliably degraded by this stomach enzyme, which compromises the ability of this in vitro assay to distinguish between resistant and susceptible proteins and, therefore, no longer providing useful data to an overall weight-of-evidence approach to

Metal-amplified Density Assays, (MADAs), including a Density-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (DeLISA).

Science.gov (United States)

Subramaniam, Anand Bala; Gonidec, Mathieu; Shapiro, Nathan D; Kresse, Kayleigh M; Whitesides, George M

2015-02-21

This paper reports the development of Metal-amplified Density Assays, or MADAs - a method of conducting quantitative or multiplexed assays, including immunoassays, by using Magnetic Levitation (MagLev) to measure metal-amplified changes in the density of beads labeled with biomolecules. The binding of target analytes (i.e. proteins, antibodies, antigens) to complementary ligands immobilized on the surface of the beads, followed by a chemical amplification of the binding in a form that results in a change in the density of the beads (achieved by using gold nanoparticle-labeled biomolecules, and electroless deposition of gold or silver), translates analyte binding events into changes in density measureable using MagLev. A minimal model based on diffusion-limited growth of hemispherical nuclei on a surface reproduces the dynamics of the assay. A MADA - when performed with antigens and antibodies - is called a Density-Linked Immunosorbent Assay, or DeLISA. Two immunoassays provided a proof of principle: a competitive quantification of the concentration of neomycin in whole milk, and a multiplexed detection of antibodies against Hepatitis C virus NS3 protein and syphilis T. pallidum p47 protein in serum. MADAs, including DeLISAs, require, besides the requisite biomolecules and amplification reagents, minimal specialized equipment (two permanent magnets, a ruler or a capillary with calibrated length markings) and no electrical power to obtain a quantitative readout of analyte concentration. With further development, the method may be useful in resource-limited or point-of-care settings.

Early detection of abnormal prion protein in genetic human prion diseases now possible using real-time QUIC assay.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kazunori Sano

Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: The definitive diagnosis of genetic prion diseases (gPrD requires pathological confirmation. To date, diagnosis has relied upon the finding of the biomarkers 14-3-3 protein and total tau (t-tau protein in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF, but many researchers have reported that these markers are not sufficiently elevated in gPrD, especially in Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker syndrome (GSS. We recently developed a new in vitro amplification technology, designated "real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QUIC", to detect the abnormal form of prion protein in CSF from sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD patients. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the presence of biomarkers and evaluate RT-QUIC assay in patients with gPrD, as the utility of RT-QUIC as a diagnostic tool in gPrD has yet to be determined. METHOD/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: 56 CSF samples were obtained from gPrD patients, including 20 cases of GSS with P102L mutation, 12 cases of fatal familial insomnia (FFI; D178N, and 24 cases of genetic CJD (gCJD, comprising 22 cases with E200K mutation and 2 with V203I mutation. We subjected all CSF samples to RT-QUIC assay, analyzed 14-3-3 protein by Western blotting, and measured t-tau protein using an ELISA kit. The detection sensitivities of RT-QUIC were as follows: GSS (78%, FFI (100%, gCJD E200K (87%, and gCJD V203I (100%. On the other hand the detection sensitivities of biomarkers were considerably lower: GSS (11%, FFI (0%, gCJD E200K (73%, and gCJD V203I (67%. Thus, RT-QUIC had a much higher detection sensitivity compared with testing for biomarkers, especially in patients with GSS and FFI. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: RT-QUIC assay is more sensitive than testing for biomarkers in gPrD patients. RT-QUIC method would thus be useful as a diagnostic tool when the patient or the patient's family does not agree to genetic testing, or to confirm the diagnosis in the presence of a positive result for genetic testing.

Bazı Meşe ve Gül Türlerinde Galli ve Galsiz Bireylerdeki, Total Protein İçeriğinin Farklı Yöntemler Kullanılarak Araştırılması

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Sevgi Daştan

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Özet. Parazit veya simbiyoz olarak bitki üzerinde yaşayan böcek, nematod, akar, bakteri ya da mantarların neden olduğu tahriş ve beslenme fizyolojisinden doğan olumsuzluklara karşı bitkilerin savunma tepkimesi olarak oluşturdukları anormal büyüme şekli gal olarak tanımlanmaktadır. En kompleks, en iyi organize olmuş gallerin birçoğu, gal arıları (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae tarafından meydana getirilirler. En çok tanınan cynipid galleri gül ve meşelerde yer almaktadır. Bu çalışmada; Sivas çevresinde yetişen, bazı meşe ve gül türlerinin, gal oluşturmayan ve yoğun olarak sürgün ve meyva gali oluşturan bireylerinden yaprak, meyva ve sürgün gal örnekleri toplanmıştır. Yaprak, meyva ve gallerdeki total protein miktarları, Bradford Mikro Assay, Biüret, Lowry yöntemleri ve ayrıca Ultraviyole (UV spektrofotometresi kullanılarak 280 nm de ölçümleri yapılmak suretiyle hesaplanmıştır. Bu şekilde elde edilen veriler üzerinden hem galli ve galsiz bireyler arasındaki protein miktarları açısından farklılıklar hem de kullanılan dört farklı yöntem arasındaki farklılıklar karşılaştırılmıştır. Yapılan deneyler sonucunda; galli bireylerdeki total protein miktarının galsiz bireylere göre anlamlı şekilde fazla olduğu saptanmıştır. Yine meşelerdeki protein içeriğinin güllerdeki protein içeriğine göre yaklaşık 2 katı değerlerde olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Aylara göre protein içeriğindeki farklılıklara baktığımızda ise, meşeler için eylül ayında, kuşburnu bitkisi için ise ağustos ayında daha fazla protein içeriği tespit edilmiştir. Anahtar Kelimeler: Gal, Rosa sp., Quercus sp., Cynipidae, Total protein içeriği Abstract. Plant galls are an abnormal growth pattern that plants develop as a defense reaction to irritations and negative nutritional physiology caused by insects, nematodes, mites, bacteria and fungi living in a parasitic or symbiotic

Verification of the harmonization of human epididymis protein 4 assays.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferraro, Simona; Borille, Simona; Carnevale, Assunta; Frusciante, Erika; Bassani, Niccolò; Panteghini, Mauro

2016-10-01

Serum human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) has gained relevance as an ovarian cancer (OC) biomarker and new automated methods have replaced the first released manual EIA by tracing results to it. We verified agreement and bias of automated methods vs. EIA as well as possible effects on patients' management. One hundred and fifteen serum samples were measured by Abbott Architect i2000, Fujirebio Lumipulse G1200, Roche Modular E170, and Fujirebio EIA. Passing-Bablok regression was used to compare automated assays to EIA and agreement between methods was estimated by Lin's concordance correlation coefficient (CCC). The bias vs. EIA was estimated and compared to specifications derived from HE4 biological variation. Median (25th-75th percentiles) HE4 concentrations (pmol/L) were 84.5 (60.1-148.8) for EIA, 82.7 (50.3-153.9) for Abbott, 89.1 (55.2-154.9) for Roche, and 112.2 (67.8-194.2) for Fujirebio. Estimated regressions and agreements (95% confidence interval) were: Abbott=1.01(0.98-1.03) EIA-4.8(-7.5/-2.6), CCC=0.99(0.99-1.00); Roche=0.91(0.89-0.93) EIA+5.7(4.2/8.0), CCC=0.98(0.98-0.99); Fujirebio=1.20(1.17-1.24) EIA+ 2.4(-0.6/4.9), CCC=0.97(0.96-0.98). The average bias vs. EIA resulted within the desirable goal for Abbott [-3.3% (-6.1/-0.5)] and Roche [-0.2% (-3.0/2.5)]. However, while for Abbott the bias was constant and acceptable along the measurement concentration range, Roche bias increased up to -28% for HE4 values >250 pmol/L. Lumipulse showed a markedly positive bias [25.3% (21.8/28.8)]. Abbott and Roche assays exhibited a good comparability in the range of HE4 values around the previously recommended 140 pmol/L cut-off. For patient monitoring, however, the assay used for determining serial HE4 must not be changed as results from different systems in lower and higher concentration ranges can markedly differ.

Assay system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Patzke, J.B.; Rosenberg, B.J.

1984-01-01

The accuracy of assays for monitoring concentrations of basic drugs in biological fluids containing a 1 -acid glycoproteins, such as blood (serum or plasma), is improved by the addition of certain organic phosphate compounds to minimize the ''protein effect.'' Kits containing the elements of the invention are also disclosed

Endoproteolytic activity assay in malting barley

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Blanca Gómez Guerrero

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Hydrolysis of barley proteins into peptides and amino acids is one of the most important processes during barley germination.The degradation of the endosperm stored proteins facilitates water and enzyme movements, enhances modification, liberates starch granules and increases soluble amino nitrogen. Protease activity is the result of the activities of a mixture of exo- and endo-proteases. The barley proteins are initially solubilized by endo-proteases and the further by exo-proteases. Four classes of endo-proteases have been described: serine-proteases, cysteine-proteases, aspartic-proteases and metallo-proteases. The objective of this work was to develop a rapid and colorimetric enzymatic assay to determine the endo-proteolytic activity of the four endo-protease classes using two different substrates: azo-gelatin and azo-casein. Optimum conditions for the assays such as: pH,reaction time and temperature and absorbance scale were determined. Azo-gelatin presented several difficulties in standardizing an “in solution” assay. On the other hand, azo-casein allowed standardization of the assay for the four enzyme classes to produce consistent results. The endo-proteoteolytic method developed was applied to determine the endo-protease activity in barley, malt and wort.

Rapid and simultaneous detection of human hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus antibodies based on a protein chip assay using nano-gold immunological amplification and silver staining method

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Wan Zhixiang

2005-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Viral hepatitis due to hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus are major public health problems all over the world. Traditional detection methods including polymerase chain reaction (PCR-based assays and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA are expensive and time-consuming. In our assay, a protein chip assay using Nano-gold Immunological Amplification and Silver Staining (NIASS method was applied to detect HBV and HCV antibodies rapidly and simultaneously. Methods Chemically modified glass slides were used as solid supports (named chip, on which several antigens, including HBsAg, HBeAg, HBcAg and HCVAg (a mixture of NS3, NS5 and core antigens were immobilized respectively. Colloidal nano-gold labelled staphylococcal protein A (SPA was used as an indicator and immunogold silver staining enhancement technique was applied to amplify the detection signals, producing black image on array spots, which were visible with naked eyes. To determine the detection limit of the protein chip assay, a set of model arrays in which human IgG was spotted were structured and the model arrays were incubated with different concentrations of anti-IgG. A total of 305 serum samples previously characterized with commercial ELISA were divided into 4 groups and tested in this assay. Results We prepared mono-dispersed, spherical nano-gold particles with an average diameter of 15 ± 2 nm. Colloidal nano-gold-SPA particles observed by TEM were well-distributed, maintaining uniform and stable. The optimum silver enhancement time ranged from 8 to 12 minutes. In our assay, the protein chips could detect serum antibodies against HBsAg, HBeAg, HBcAg and HCVAg with the absence of the cross reaction. In the model arrays, the anti-IgG as low as 3 ng/ml could be detected. The data for comparing the protein chip assay with ELISA indicated that no distinct difference (P > 0.05 existed between the results determined by our assay and ELISA respectively. Conclusion

Defective synaptic transmission and structure in the dentate gyrus and selective fear memory impairment in the Rsk2 mutant mouse model of Coffin-Lowry syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Morice, Elise; Farley, Séverine; Poirier, Roseline; Dallerac, Glenn; Chagneau, Carine; Pannetier, Solange; Hanauer, André; Davis, Sabrina; Vaillend, Cyrille; Laroche, Serge

2013-10-01

The Coffin-Lowry syndrome (CLS) is a syndromic form of intellectual disability caused by loss-of-function of the RSK2 serine/threonine kinase encoded by the rsk2 gene. Rsk2 knockout mice, a murine model of CLS, exhibit spatial learning and memory impairments, yet the underlying neural mechanisms are unknown. In the current study, we examined the performance of Rsk2 knockout mice in cued, trace and contextual fear memory paradigms and identified selective deficits in the consolidation and reconsolidation of hippocampal-dependent fear memories as task difficulty and hippocampal demand increase. Electrophysiological, biochemical and electron microscopy analyses were carried out in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus to explore potential alterations in neuronal functions and structure. In vivo and in vitro electrophysiology revealed impaired synaptic transmission, decreased network excitability and reduced AMPA and NMDA conductance in Rsk2 knockout mice. In the absence of RSK2, standard measures of short-term and long-term potentiation (LTP) were normal, however LTP-induced CREB phosphorylation and expression of the transcription factors EGR1/ZIF268 were reduced and that of the scaffolding protein SHANK3 was blocked, indicating impaired activity-dependent gene regulation. At the structural level, the density of perforated and non-perforated synapses and of multiple spine boutons was not altered, however, a clear enlargement of spine neck width and post-synaptic densities indicates altered synapse ultrastructure. These findings show that RSK2 loss-of-function is associated in the dentate gyrus with multi-level alterations that encompass modifications of glutamate receptor channel properties, synaptic transmission, plasticity-associated gene expression and spine morphology, providing novel insights into the mechanisms contributing to cognitive impairments in CLS. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Rapid and quantitative detection of C-reactive protein based on quantum dots and immunofiltration assay

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Zhang PF

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Pengfei Zhang,1,* Yan Bao,1,* Mohamed Shehata Draz,2,3,* Huiqi Lu,1 Chang Liu,1 Huanxing Han11Center for Translational Medicine, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 2Zhejiang-California International Nanosystems Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China; 3Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt*These authors contributed equally to this workAbstract: Convenient and rapid immunofiltration assays (IFAs enable on-site “yes” or “no” determination of disease markers. However, traditional IFAs are commonly qualitative or semi-quantitative and are very limited for the efficient testing of samples in field diagnostics. Here, we overcome these limitations by developing a quantum dots (QDs-based fluorescent IFA for the quantitative detection of C-reactive proteins (CRP. CRP, the well-known diagnostic marker for acute viral and bacterial infections, was used as a model analyte to demonstrate performance and sensitivity of our developed QDs-based IFA. QDs capped with both polyethylene glycol (PEG and glutathione were used as fluorescent labels for our IFAs. The presence of the surface PEG layer, which reduced the non-specific protein interactions, in conjunction with the inherent optical properties of QDs, resulted in lower background signal, increased sensitivity, and ability to detect CRP down to 0.79 mg/L with only 5 µL serum sample. In addition, the developed assay is simple, fast and can quantitatively detect CRP with a detection limit up to 200 mg/L. Clinical test results of our QD-based IFA are well correlated with the traditional latex enhance immune-agglutination aggregation. The proposed QD-based fluorescent IFA is very promising, and potentially will be adopted for multiplexed immunoassay and in field point-of-care test.Keywords: C-reactive proteins, point-of-care test, Glutathione capped QDs, PEGylation

Optimization of proximity ligation assay (PLA) for detection of protein interactions and fusion proteins in non-adherent cells: application to pre-B lymphocytes.

Science.gov (United States)

Debaize, Lydie; Jakobczyk, Hélène; Rio, Anne-Gaëlle; Gandemer, Virginie; Troadec, Marie-Bérengère

2017-01-01

Genetic abnormalities, including chromosomal translocations, are described for many hematological malignancies. From the clinical perspective, detection of chromosomal abnormalities is relevant not only for diagnostic and treatment purposes but also for prognostic risk assessment. From the translational research perspective, the identification of fusion proteins and protein interactions has allowed crucial breakthroughs in understanding the pathogenesis of malignancies and consequently major achievements in targeted therapy. We describe the optimization of the Proximity Ligation Assay (PLA) to ascertain the presence of fusion proteins, and protein interactions in non-adherent pre-B cells. PLA is an innovative method of protein-protein colocalization detection by molecular biology that combines the advantages of microscopy with the advantages of molecular biology precision, enabling detection of protein proximity theoretically ranging from 0 to 40 nm. We propose an optimized PLA procedure. We overcome the issue of maintaining non-adherent hematological cells by traditional cytocentrifugation and optimized buffers, by changing incubation times, and modifying washing steps. Further, we provide convincing negative and positive controls, and demonstrate that optimized PLA procedure is sensitive to total protein level. The optimized PLA procedure allows the detection of fusion proteins and protein interactions on non-adherent cells. The optimized PLA procedure described here can be readily applied to various non-adherent hematological cells, from cell lines to patients' cells. The optimized PLA protocol enables detection of fusion proteins and their subcellular expression, and protein interactions in non-adherent cells. Therefore, the optimized PLA protocol provides a new tool that can be adopted in a wide range of applications in the biological field.

Commercial Milk Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) Kit Reactivities to Purified Milk Proteins and Milk-Derived Ingredients.

Science.gov (United States)

Ivens, Katherine O; Baumert, Joseph L; Taylor, Steve L

2016-07-01

Numerous commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits exist to quantitatively detect bovine milk residues in foods. Milk contains many proteins that can serve as ELISA targets including caseins (α-, β-, or κ-casein) and whey proteins (α-lactalbumin or β-lactoglobulin). Nine commercially-available milk ELISA kits were selected to compare the specificity and sensitivity with 5 purified milk proteins and 3 milk-derived ingredients. All of the milk kits were capable of quantifying nonfat dry milk (NFDM), but did not necessarily detect all individual protein fractions. While milk-derived ingredients were detected by the kits, their quantitation may be inaccurate due to the use of different calibrators, reference materials, and antibodies in kit development. The establishment of a standard reference material for the calibration of milk ELISA kits is increasingly important. The appropriate selection and understanding of milk ELISA kits for food analysis is critical to accurate quantification of milk residues and informed risk management decisions. © 2016 Institute of Food Technologists®

Aptamer-Phage Reporters for Ultrasensitive Lateral Flow Assays.

Science.gov (United States)

Adhikari, Meena; Strych, Ulrich; Kim, Jinsu; Goux, Heather; Dhamane, Sagar; Poongavanam, Mohan-Vivekanandan; Hagström, Anna E V; Kourentzi, Katerina; Conrad, Jacinta C; Willson, Richard C

2015-12-01

We introduce the modification of bacteriophage particles with aptamers for use as bioanalytical reporters, and demonstrate the use of these particles in ultrasensitive lateral flow assays. M13 phage displaying an in vivo biotinylatable peptide (AviTag) genetically fused to the phage tail protein pIII were used as reporter particle scaffolds, with biotinylated aptamers attached via avidin-biotin linkages, and horseradish peroxidase (HRP) reporter enzymes covalently attached to the pVIII coat protein. These modified viral nanoparticles were used in immunochromatographic sandwich assays for the direct detection of IgE and of the penicillin-binding protein from Staphylococcus aureus (PBP2a). We also developed an additional lateral flow assay for IgE, in which the analyte is sandwiched between immobilized anti-IgE antibodies and aptamer-bearing reporter phage modified with HRP. The limit of detection of this LFA was 0.13 ng/mL IgE, ∼100 times lower than those of previously reported IgE assays.

Aggregation of polyQ proteins is increased upon yeast aging and affected by Sir2 and Hsf1: novel quantitative biochemical and microscopic assays.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aviv Cohen

Full Text Available Aging-related neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and Huntington's diseases, are characterized by accumulation of protein aggregates in distinct neuronal cells that eventually die. In Huntington's disease, the protein huntingtin forms aggregates, and the age of disease onset is inversely correlated to the length of the protein's poly-glutamine tract. Using quantitative assays to estimate microscopically and capture biochemically protein aggregates, here we study in Saccharomyces cerevisiae aging-related aggregation of GFP-tagged, huntingtin-derived proteins with different polyQ lengths. We find that the short 25Q protein never aggregates whereas the long 103Q version always aggregates. However, the mid-size 47Q protein is soluble in young logarithmically growing yeast but aggregates as the yeast cells enter the stationary phase and age, allowing us to plot an "aggregation timeline". This aging-dependent aggregation was associated with increased cytotoxicity. We also show that two aging-related genes, SIR2 and HSF1, affect aggregation of the polyQ proteins. In Δsir2 strain the aging-dependent aggregation of the 47Q protein is aggravated, while overexpression of the transcription factor Hsf1 attenuates aggregation. Thus, the mid-size 47Q protein and our quantitative aggregation assays provide valuable tools to unravel the roles of genes and environmental conditions that affect aging-related aggregation.

Selective recognition of sulfate anions in a 95% ethanol solvent with a simple neutral salicylaldehyde dansyl hydrazine Schiff base tuned by Brønsted-Lowry acid-base reaction

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Gao-Ning; Zhang, Jing-Li; Jia, Cang; Fan, Wei-Zhen; Lin, Li-Rong

2014-07-01

A new Schiff base compound, 5-(dimethylamino)-N‧-(2-hydroxybenzylidene)naphthalene-1-sulfonohydrazide (R), has been synthesized, characterized, and employed as a selective fluorescence receptor for the recognition of sulfate anions. UV-vis absorption, fluorescence emission, 1H NMR spectra and DFT calculation studies on the system have been carried out to determine the nature of the interactions between R and anions. The results reveal that the deprotonation of the phenol without the need of a strong base leads to the formation of a hydrogen-bonding complex with a sbnd SO2sbnd NHsbnd group, which is responsible for the spectra changes. The deprotonation process for the selectivity recognition of sulfate can be tuned by the Brønsted-Lowry acid-base reaction in nonaqueous solutions, revealing that suitable phenolic hydroxyl acidity is the key factor for anion recognition selectivity.

AKT1, LKB1, and YAP1 revealed as MYC interactors with NanoLuc-based protein-fragment complementation assay. | Office of Cancer Genomics

Science.gov (United States)

The c-Myc (MYC) transcription factor is a major cancer driver and a well-validated therapeutic target. However, directly targeting MYC has been challenging. Thus, identifying proteins that interact with and regulate MYC may provide alternative strategies to inhibit its oncogenic activity. Here we report the development of a NanoLuc®-based protein-fragment complementation assay (NanoPCA) and mapping of the MYC protein interaction hub in live mammalian cells.

Protein Detection Using the Multiplexed Proximity Extension Assay (PEA) from Plasma and Vaginal Fluid Applied to the Indicating FTA Elute Micro CardTM

OpenAIRE

Berggrund, Malin; Ekman, Daniel; Gustavsson, Inger; Sundfeldt, Karin; Olovsson, Matts; Enroth, Stefan; Gyllensten, Ulf

2016-01-01

The indicating FTA elute micro cardTM has been developed to collect and stabilize the nucleic acid in biological samples and is widely used in human and veterinary medicine and other disciplines. This card is not recommended for protein analyses, since surface treatment may denature proteins. We studied the ability to analyse proteins in human plasma and vaginal fluid as applied to the indicating FTA elute micro cardTM using the sensitive proximity extension assay (PEA). Among 92 proteins in ...

Assay of oestrogen

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Edwards, J.C.

1981-01-01

A particular problem with the direct radioimmunoassay of unconjugated oestriol in pregnancy is caused by the increased amount of steroid-binding proteins present in pregnancy serum and plasma. The steroid-binding proteins react with oestriol and 125 I-labelled oestriol during the assay procedure and the steroid-protein bound 125 I-labelled oestriol is precipitated along with the antibody-bound 125 I-labelled oestriol by the ammonium sulphate solution separation system. A novel method is described whereby progesterone (1-20 μg/ml) is used to block the action of steroid-binding proteins in pregnancy serum and plasma samples, thus minimizing interference in a direct radioimmunoassay for unconjugated oestriol using a specific anti-oestriol serum. (U.K.)

Quantitative serology assays for determination of antibody responses to Ebola virus glycoprotein and matrix protein in nonhuman primates and humans.

Science.gov (United States)

Vu, Hong; Shulenin, Sergey; Grolla, Allen; Audet, Jonathan; He, Shihua; Kobinger, Gary; Unfer, Robert C; Warfield, Kelly L; Aman, M Javad; Holtsberg, Frederick W

2016-02-01

The West Africa Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak has reached unprecedented magnitude and caused worldwide concerns for the spread of this deadly virus. Recent findings in nonhuman primates (NHPs) demonstrate that antibodies can be protective against EVD. However, the role of antibody response in vaccine-mediated protection is not fully understood. To address these questions quantitative serology assays are needed for measurement of the antibody response to key Ebola virus (EBOV) proteins. Serology enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA's), using a reference detection antibody, were developed in order to standardize the quantitation of antibody levels in vaccinated NHPs or in humans exposed to EBOV or immunized with an EBOV vaccine. Critical reagents were generated to support the development of the serology ELISAs. Recombinant EBOV matrix protein (VP40) was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified. Two variants of the glycoprotein (GP), the ectodomain lacking the transmembrane domain (GPΔTM), and an engineered GP lacking the mucin-like domain (GPΔmuc) were expressed and purified from mammalian cell systems. Using these proteins, three ELISA methods were developed and optimized for reproducibility and robustness, including stability testing of critical reagents. The assay was used to determine the antibody response against VP40, GPΔTM, and GPΔmuc in a NHP vaccine study using EBOV virus-like particles (VLP) vaccine expressing GP, VP40 and the nucleoprotein. Additionally, these ELISAs were used to successfully detect antibody responses to VP40, GPΔTM and GPΔmuc in human sera from EBOV infected individuals. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Radioimmune assay of human platelet prostaglandin synthetase

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roth, G.J.; Machuga, E.T.

1982-01-01

Normal platelet function depends, in part, on platelet PG synthesis. PG synthetase (cyclo-oxygenase) catalyzes the first step in PG synthesis, the formation of PGH 2 from arachidonic acid. Inhibition of the enzyme by ASA results in an abnormality in the platelet release reaction. Patients with pparent congenital abnormalities in the enzyme have been described, and the effects have been referred to as ''aspirin-like'' defects of the platelet function. These patients lack platelet PG synthetase activity, but the actual content of PG synthetase protein in these individuals' platelets is unknown. Therefore an RIA for human platelet PG synthetase would provide new information, useful in assessing the aspirin-like defects of platelet function. An RIA for human platelet PG synthetase is described. The assay utilizes a rabbit antibody directed against the enzyme and [ 125 I]-labelled sheep PG synthetase as antigen. The human platelet enzyme is assayed by its ability to inhibit precipitation of the [ 125 I]antigen. The assay is sensitive to 1 ng of enzyme. By the immune assay, human platelets contain approximately 1200 ng of PG synethetase protein per 1.5 mg of platelet protein (approximately 10 9 platelets). This content corresponds to 10,000 enzyme molecules per platelet. The assay provides a rapid and convenient assay for the human platelet enzyme, and it can be applied to the assessment of patients with apparent platelet PG synthetase (cyclo-oxygenase) deficiency

Development and Validation of a Multiplexed Protein Quantitation Assay for the Determination of Three Recombinant Proteins in Soybean Tissues by Liquid Chromatography with Tandem Mass Spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Hill, Ryan C; Oman, Trent J; Shan, Guomin; Schafer, Barry; Eble, Julie; Chen, Cynthia

2015-08-26

Currently, traditional immunochemistry technologies such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) are the predominant analytical tool used to measure levels of recombinant proteins expressed in genetically engineered (GE) plants. Recent advances in agricultural biotechnology have created a need to develop methods capable of selectively detecting and quantifying multiple proteins in complex matrices because of increasing numbers of transgenic proteins being coexpressed or "stacked" to achieve tolerance to multiple herbicides or to provide multiple modes of action for insect control. A multiplexing analytical method utilizing liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) has been developed and validated to quantify three herbicide-tolerant proteins in soybean tissues: aryloxyalkanoate dioxygenase (AAD-12), 5-enol-pyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (2mEPSPS), and phosphinothricin acetyltransferase (PAT). Results from the validation showed high recovery and precision over multiple analysts and laboratories. Results from this method were comparable to those obtained with ELISA with respect to protein quantitation, and the described method was demonstrated to be suitable for multiplex quantitation of transgenic proteins in GE crops.

Radioiododestannylation. Convenient synthesis of a stable penicillin derivative for rapid penicillin binding protein (PBP) assay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blaszczak, L.C.; Halligan, N.G.; Seitz, D.E.

1989-01-01

Radioiodination of p-(trimethylstannyl)penicillin V with [ 125 I]Na using a modification of the chloramine-T method is simple, high yielding, and site-specific. The structure and penicillin binding protein (PBP) affinity of p-[ 125 I]-penicillin V (IPV) are similar to penicillin G and the product can be used directly without purification in the PBP assay. Because of the high degree of stability toward autoradiolysis and equivalent PBP binding affinity, IPV can be used in place of [ 3 H]-penicillin G or [ 14 C]-penicillin G for these experiments. (author)

Modulation of mitogen-activated protein kinase-activated protein kinase 3 by hepatitis C virus core protein

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ngo, HT; Pham, Long; Kim, JW

2013-01-01

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is highly dependent on cellular proteins for its own propagation. In order to identify the cellular factors involved in HCV propagation, we performed protein microarray assays using the HCV core protein as a probe. Of ~9,000 host proteins immobilized in a microarray...... inducers. Binding of HCV core to MAPKAPK3 was confirmed by in vitro pulldown assay and further verified by coimmunoprecipitation assay. HCV core protein interacted with MAPKAPK3 through amino acid residues 41 to 75 of core and the N-terminal half of kinase domain of MAPKAPK3. In addition, both RNA...... increased HCV IRES-mediated translation and MAPKAPK3-dependent HCV IRES activity was further increased by core protein. These data suggest that HCV core may modulate MAPKAPK3 to facilitate its own propagation....

Definition of purified enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay antigens from the culture filtrate protein of Mycobacterium bovis by proteomic analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Yun Sang; Lee, Sang-Eun; Ko, Young Joon; Cho, Donghee; Lee, Hyang Shim; Hwang, Inyeong; Nam, Hyangmi; Heo, Eunjung; Kim, Jong Man; Jung, Sukchan

2009-01-01

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) has been developed as the ancillary diagnosis of bovine tuberculosis at ante-mortem to overcome the disadvantages of intradermal skin test. In this study, the antigenic proteins were purified, applied to bTB ELISA, and identified through proteomic analysis. Culture filtrate protein of Mycobacterium bovis was fractionated by MonoQ column chromatography, and examined the antigenicity by immunoblotting. The antigenic 20 kDa protein was in-gel digested and identified the antigenome by LTQ mass spectrometer and peptide match fingerprinting, which were MPB64, MPB70, MPB83, Fas, Smc, Nrp, RpoC, Transposase, LeuA, and MtbE. The 20 kDa protein exhibited the highest antigenicity to bTB positive cattle in ELISA and would be useful for bTB serological diagnosis.

Development of a lectin binding assay to differentiate between recombinant and endogenous proteins in pharmacokinetic studies of protein-biopharmaceuticals.

Science.gov (United States)

Weber, Alfred; Minibeck, Eva; Scheiflinger, Friedrich; Turecek, Peter L

2015-04-10

Human glycoproteins, expressed in hamster cell lines, show similar glycosylation patterns to naturally occurring human molecules except for a minute difference in the linkage of terminal sialic acid: both cell types lack α2,6-galactosyl-sialyltransferase, abundantly expressed in human hepatocytes and responsible for the α2,6-sialylation of circulating glycoproteins. This minute difference, which is currently not known to have any physiological relevance, was the basis for the selective measurement of recombinant glycoproteins in the presence of their endogenous counterparts. The assay is based on using the lectin Sambucus nigra agglutinin (SNA), selectively binding to α2,6-sialylated N-glycans. Using von Willebrand factor (VWF), factor IX (FIX), and factor VIIa (FVIIa), it was demonstrated that (i) the plasma-derived proteins, but not the corresponding recombinant proteins, specifically bind to SNA and (ii) this binding can be used to deplete the plasma-derived proteins. The feasibility of this approach was confirmed in spike-recovery studies for all three recombinant coagulation proteins in human plasma and for recombinant VWF (rVWF) in macaque plasma. Analysis of plasma samples from macaques after administration of recombinant and a plasma-derived VWF demonstrated the suitability and robustness of this approach. Data showed that rVWF could be selectively measured without changing the ELISAs and furthermore revealed the limitations of baseline adjustment using a single measurement of the predose concentration only. The SNA gel-based depletion procedure can easily be integrated in existing procedures as a specific sample pre-treatment step. While ELISA-based methods were used to measure the recombinant coagulation proteins in the supernatants obtained by depletion, this procedure is applicable for all biochemical analyses. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An Engineered Survival-Selection Assay for Extracellular Protein Expression Uncovers Hypersecretory Phenotypes in Escherichia coli.

Science.gov (United States)

Natarajan, Aravind; Haitjema, Charles H; Lee, Robert; Boock, Jason T; DeLisa, Matthew P

2017-05-19

The extracellular expression of recombinant proteins using laboratory strains of Escherichia coli is now routinely achieved using naturally secreted substrates, such as YebF or the osmotically inducible protein Y (OsmY), as carrier molecules. However, secretion efficiency through these pathways needs to be improved for most synthetic biology and metabolic engineering applications. To address this challenge, we developed a generalizable survival-based selection strategy that effectively couples extracellular protein secretion to antibiotic resistance and enables facile isolation of rare mutants from very large populations (i.e., 10 10-12 clones) based simply on cell growth. Using this strategy in the context of the YebF pathway, a comprehensive library of E. coli single-gene knockout mutants was screened and several gain-of-function mutations were isolated that increased the efficiency of extracellular expression without compromising the integrity of the outer membrane. We anticipate that this user-friendly strategy could be leveraged to better understand the YebF pathway and other secretory mechanisms-enabling the exploration of protein secretion in pathogenesis as well as the creation of designer E. coli strains with greatly expanded secretomes-all without the need for expensive exogenous reagents, assay instruments, or robotic automation.

Detecting protein-protein interactions in living cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gottschalk, Marie; Bach, Anders; Hansen, Jakob Lerche

2009-01-01

to the endogenous C-terminal peptide of the NMDA receptor, as evaluated by a cell-free protein-protein interaction assay. However, it is important to address both membrane permeability and effect in living cells. Therefore a bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) assay was established, where the C......-terminal of the NMDA receptor and PDZ2 of PSD-95 were fused to green fluorescent protein (GFP) and Renilla luciferase (Rluc) and expressed in COS7 cells. A robust and specific BRET signal was obtained by expression of the appropriate partner proteins and subsequently, the assay was used to evaluate a Tat......The PDZ domain mediated interaction between the NMDA receptor and its intracellular scaffolding protein, PSD-95, is a potential target for treatment of ischemic brain diseases. We have recently developed a number of peptide analogues with improved affinity for the PDZ domains of PSD-95 compared...

Adaptation of Tri-molecular fluorescence complementation allows assaying of regulatory Csr RNA-protein interactions in bacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Gelderman, Grant; Sivakumar, Anusha; Lipp, Sarah; Contreras, Lydia

2015-02-01

sRNAs play a significant role in controlling and regulating cellular metabolism. One of the more interesting aspects of certain sRNAs is their ability to make global changes in the cell by interacting with regulatory proteins. In this work, we demonstrate the use of an in vivo Tri-molecular Fluorescence Complementation assay to detect and visualize the central regulatory sRNA-protein interaction of the Carbon Storage Regulatory system in E. coli. The Carbon Storage Regulator consists primarily of an RNA binding protein, CsrA, that alters the activity of mRNA targets and of an sRNA, CsrB, that modulates the activity of CsrA. We describe the construction of a fluorescence complementation system that detects the interactions between CsrB and CsrA. Additionally, we demonstrate that the intensity of the fluorescence of this system is able to detect changes in the affinity of the CsrB-CsrA interaction, as caused by mutations in the protein sequence of CsrA. While previous methods have adopted this technique to study mRNA or RNA localization, this is the first attempt to use this technique to study the sRNA-protein interaction directly in bacteria. This method presents a potentially powerful tool to study complex bacterial RNA protein interactions in vivo. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A robotics platform for automated batch fabrication of high density, microfluidics-based DNA microarrays, with applications to single cell, multiplex assays of secreted proteins

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmad, Habib; Sutherland, Alex; Shin, Young Shik; Hwang, Kiwook; Qin, Lidong; Krom, Russell-John; Heath, James R.

2011-09-01

Microfluidics flow-patterning has been utilized for the construction of chip-scale miniaturized DNA and protein barcode arrays. Such arrays have been used for specific clinical and fundamental investigations in which many proteins are assayed from single cells or other small sample sizes. However, flow-patterned arrays are hand-prepared, and so are impractical for broad applications. We describe an integrated robotics/microfluidics platform for the automated preparation of such arrays, and we apply it to the batch fabrication of up to eighteen chips of flow-patterned DNA barcodes. The resulting substrates are comparable in quality with hand-made arrays and exhibit excellent substrate-to-substrate consistency. We demonstrate the utility and reproducibility of robotics-patterned barcodes by utilizing two flow-patterned chips for highly parallel assays of a panel of secreted proteins from single macrophage cells.

A robotics platform for automated batch fabrication of high density, microfluidics-based DNA microarrays, with applications to single cell, multiplex assays of secreted proteins.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmad, Habib; Sutherland, Alex; Shin, Young Shik; Hwang, Kiwook; Qin, Lidong; Krom, Russell-John; Heath, James R

2011-09-01

Microfluidics flow-patterning has been utilized for the construction of chip-scale miniaturized DNA and protein barcode arrays. Such arrays have been used for specific clinical and fundamental investigations in which many proteins are assayed from single cells or other small sample sizes. However, flow-patterned arrays are hand-prepared, and so are impractical for broad applications. We describe an integrated robotics/microfluidics platform for the automated preparation of such arrays, and we apply it to the batch fabrication of up to eighteen chips of flow-patterned DNA barcodes. The resulting substrates are comparable in quality with hand-made arrays and exhibit excellent substrate-to-substrate consistency. We demonstrate the utility and reproducibility of robotics-patterned barcodes by utilizing two flow-patterned chips for highly parallel assays of a panel of secreted proteins from single macrophage cells. © 2011 American Institute of Physics

Chitin and stress induced protein kinase activation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kenchappa, Chandra Shekar; Azevedo da Silva, Raquel; Bressendorff, Simon

2017-01-01

The assays described here are pertinent to protein kinase studies in any plant. They include an immunoblot phosphorylation/activation assay and an in-gel activity assay for MAP kinases (MPKs) using the general protein kinase substrate myelin basic protein. They also include a novel in-gel peptide...... substrate assay for Snf1-related kinase family 2 members (SnRK2s). This kinase family-specific assay overcomes some limitations of in-gel assays and permits the identification of different types of kinase activities in total protein extracts....

An HTRF® Assay for the Protein Kinase ATM.

Science.gov (United States)

Adams, Phillip; Clark, Jonathan; Hawdon, Simon; Hill, Jennifer; Plater, Andrew

2017-01-01

Ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) is a serine/threonine kinase that plays a key role in the regulation of DNA damage pathways and checkpoint arrest. In recent years, there has been growing interest in ATM as a therapeutic target due to its association with cancer cell survival following genotoxic stress such as radio- and chemotherapy. Large-scale targeted drug screening campaigns have been hampered, however, by technical issues associated with the production of sufficient quantities of purified ATM and the availability of a suitable high-throughput assay. Using a purified, functionally active recombinant ATM and one of its physiological substrates, p53, we have developed an in vitro FRET-based activity assay that is suitable for high-throughput drug screening.

A FRET-based high throughput screening assay to identify inhibitors of anthrax protective antigen binding to capillary morphogenesis gene 2 protein.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael S Rogers

Full Text Available Anti-angiogenic therapies are effective for the treatment of cancer, a variety of ocular diseases, and have potential benefits in cardiovascular disease, arthritis, and psoriasis. We have previously shown that anthrax protective antigen (PA, a non-pathogenic component of anthrax toxin, is an inhibitor of angiogenesis, apparently as a result of interaction with the cell surface receptors capillary morphogenesis gene 2 (CMG2 protein and tumor endothelial marker 8 (TEM8. Hence, molecules that bind the anthrax toxin receptors may be effective to slow or halt pathological vascular growth. Here we describe development and testing of an effective homogeneous steady-state fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET high throughput screening assay designed to identify molecules that inhibit binding of PA to CMG2. Molecules identified in the screen can serve as potential lead compounds for the development of anti-angiogenic and anti-anthrax therapies. The assay to screen for inhibitors of this protein-protein interaction is sensitive and robust, with observed Z' values as high as 0.92. Preliminary screens conducted with a library of known bioactive compounds identified tannic acid and cisplatin as inhibitors of the PA-CMG2 interaction. We have confirmed that tannic acid both binds CMG2 and has anti-endothelial properties. In contrast, cisplatin appears to inhibit PA-CMG2 interaction by binding both PA and CMG2, and observed cisplatin anti-angiogenic effects are not mediated by interaction with CMG2. This work represents the first reported high throughput screening assay targeting CMG2 to identify possible inhibitors of both angiogenesis and anthrax intoxication.

Flow Cytometric Immunobead Assay for Detection of BCR-ABL1 Fusion Proteins in Chronic Myleoid Leukemia: Comparison with FISH and PCR Techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Recchia, Anna Grazia; Caruso, Nadia; Bossio, Sabrina; Pellicanò, Mariavaleria; De Stefano, Laura; Franzese, Stefania; Palummo, Angela; Abbadessa, Vincenzo; Lucia, Eugenio; Gentile, Massimo; Vigna, Ernesto; Caracciolo, Clementina; Agostino, Antolino; Galimberti, Sara; Levato, Luciano; Stagno, Fabio; Molica, Stefano; Martino, Bruno; Vigneri, Paolo; Di Raimondo, Francesco; Morabito, Fortunato

2015-01-01

Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) is characterized by a balanced translocation juxtaposing the Abelson (ABL) and breakpoint cluster region (BCR) genes. The resulting BCR-ABL1 oncogene leads to increased proliferation and survival of leukemic cells. Successful treatment of CML has been accompanied by steady improvements in our capacity to accurately and sensitively monitor therapy response. Currently, measurement of BCR-ABL1 mRNA transcript levels by real-time quantitative PCR (RQ-PCR) defines critical response endpoints. An antibody-based technique for BCR-ABL1 protein recognition could be an attractive alternative to RQ-PCR. To date, there have been no studies evaluating whether flow-cytometry based assays could be of clinical utility in evaluating residual disease in CML patients. Here we describe a flow-cytometry assay that detects the presence of BCR-ABL1 fusion proteins in CML lysates to determine the applicability, reliability, and specificity of this method for both diagnosis and monitoring of CML patients for initial response to therapy. We show that: i) CML can be properly diagnosed at onset, (ii) follow-up assessments show detectable fusion protein (i.e. relative mean fluorescent intensity, rMFI%>1) when BCR-ABL1IS transcripts are between 1–10%, and (iii) rMFI% levels predict CCyR as defined by FISH analysis. Overall, the FCBA assay is a rapid technique, fully translatable to the routine management of CML patients. PMID:26111048

Flow Cytometric Immunobead Assay for Detection of BCR-ABL1 Fusion Proteins in Chronic Myleoid Leukemia: Comparison with FISH and PCR Techniques.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna Grazia Recchia

Full Text Available Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML is characterized by a balanced translocation juxtaposing the Abelson (ABL and breakpoint cluster region (BCR genes. The resulting BCR-ABL1 oncogene leads to increased proliferation and survival of leukemic cells. Successful treatment of CML has been accompanied by steady improvements in our capacity to accurately and sensitively monitor therapy response. Currently, measurement of BCR-ABL1 mRNA transcript levels by real-time quantitative PCR (RQ-PCR defines critical response endpoints. An antibody-based technique for BCR-ABL1 protein recognition could be an attractive alternative to RQ-PCR. To date, there have been no studies evaluating whether flow-cytometry based assays could be of clinical utility in evaluating residual disease in CML patients. Here we describe a flow-cytometry assay that detects the presence of BCR-ABL1 fusion proteins in CML lysates to determine the applicability, reliability, and specificity of this method for both diagnosis and monitoring of CML patients for initial response to therapy. We show that: i CML can be properly diagnosed at onset, (ii follow-up assessments show detectable fusion protein (i.e. relative mean fluorescent intensity, rMFI%>1 when BCR-ABL1IS transcripts are between 1-10%, and (iii rMFI% levels predict CCyR as defined by FISH analysis. Overall, the FCBA assay is a rapid technique, fully translatable to the routine management of CML patients.

Assay of vitamin B12

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tovey, K.C.; Carrick, D.T.

1982-01-01

A radioassay is described for vitamin B12 which involves denaturing serum protein binding proteins with alkali. In the denaturation step a dithiopolyol and cyanide are used and in the intrinsic factor assay step a vitamin B12 analogue such as cobinamide is used to bind with any remaining serum proteins. The invention also includes a kit in which the dithiopolyol is provided in admixture with the alkali. The dithiopolyol may be dithiothreitol or dithioerythritol. (author)

Use of Modern Chemical Protein Synthesis and Advanced Fluorescent Assay Techniques to Experimentally Validate the Functional Annotation of Microbial Genomes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kent, Stephen [University of Chicago

2012-07-20

The objective of this research program was to prototype methods for the chemical synthesis of predicted protein molecules in annotated microbial genomes. High throughput chemical methods were to be used to make large numbers of predicted proteins and protein domains, based on microbial genome sequences. Microscale chemical synthesis methods for the parallel preparation of peptide-thioester building blocks were developed; these peptide segments are used for the parallel chemical synthesis of proteins and protein domains. Ultimately, it is envisaged that these synthetic molecules would be ‘printed’ in spatially addressable arrays. The unique ability of total synthesis to precision label protein molecules with dyes and with chemical or biochemical ‘tags’ can be used to facilitate novel assay technologies adapted from state-of-the art single molecule fluorescence detection techniques. In the future, in conjunction with modern laboratory automation this integrated set of techniques will enable high throughput experimental validation of the functional annotation of microbial genomes.

A new trend to determine biochemical parameters by quantitative FRET assays.

Science.gov (United States)

Liao, Jia-yu; Song, Yang; Liu, Yan

2015-12-01

Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) has been widely used in biological and biomedical research because it can determine molecule or particle interactions within a range of 1-10 nm. The sensitivity and efficiency of FRET strongly depend on the distance between the FRET donor and acceptor. Historically, FRET assays have been used to quantitatively deduce molecular distances. However, another major potential application of the FRET assay has not been fully exploited, that is, the use of FRET signals to quantitatively describe molecular interactive events. In this review, we discuss the use of quantitative FRET assays for the determination of biochemical parameters, such as the protein interaction dissociation constant (K(d)), enzymatic velocity (k(cat)) and K(m). We also describe fluorescent microscopy-based quantitative FRET assays for protein interaction affinity determination in cells as well as fluorimeter-based quantitative FRET assays for protein interaction and enzymatic parameter determination in solution.

A semi-automated multiplex high-throughput assay for measuring IgG antibodies against Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1) domains in small volumes of plasma

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cham, Gerald K K; Kurtis, Jonathan; Lusingu, John

2008-01-01

-based assay was sensitive, accurate and reproducible. Four recombinant PfEMP1 proteins C17, D5, D9 and D12, selected on the basis that they showed a spread of median fluorescent intensity (MFI) values from low to high when analysed by the bead-based assay were analysed by ELISA and the results from both...... reactivity levels to twenty eight different recombinant PfEMP1 proteins were simultaneously measured using a single microliter of plasma. Thus, the assay reported here provides a useful tool for rapid and efficient quantification of antibody reactivity against PfEMP1 variants in human plasma....... of twenty nine PfEMP1 domains were PCR amplified from 3D7 genomic DNA, expressed in the Baculovirus system and purified by metal-affinity chromatography. The antibody reactivity level to the recombinant PfEMP1 proteins in human hyper-immune plasma was measured by ELISA. In parallel, these recombinant PfEMP1...

A scalable double-barcode sequencing platform for characterization of dynamic protein-protein interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Schlecht, Ulrich; Liu, Zhimin; Blundell, Jamie R; St Onge, Robert P; Levy, Sasha F

2017-05-25

Several large-scale efforts have systematically catalogued protein-protein interactions (PPIs) of a cell in a single environment. However, little is known about how the protein interactome changes across environmental perturbations. Current technologies, which assay one PPI at a time, are too low throughput to make it practical to study protein interactome dynamics. Here, we develop a highly parallel protein-protein interaction sequencing (PPiSeq) platform that uses a novel double barcoding system in conjunction with the dihydrofolate reductase protein-fragment complementation assay in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. PPiSeq detects PPIs at a rate that is on par with current assays and, in contrast with current methods, quantitatively scores PPIs with enough accuracy and sensitivity to detect changes across environments. Both PPI scoring and the bulk of strain construction can be performed with cell pools, making the assay scalable and easily reproduced across environments. PPiSeq is therefore a powerful new tool for large-scale investigations of dynamic PPIs.

Biotin protein ligase from Candida albicans: expression, purification and development of a novel assay.

Science.gov (United States)

Pendini, Nicole R; Bailey, Lisa M; Booker, Grant W; Wilce, Matthew C J; Wallace, John C; Polyak, Steven W

2008-11-15

Biotin protein ligase (BPL) is an essential enzyme responsible for the activation of biotin-dependent enzymes through the covalent attachment of biotin. In yeast, disruption of BPL affects important metabolic pathways such as fatty acid biosynthesis and gluconeogenesis. This makes BPL an attractive drug target for new antifungal agents. Here we report the cloning, recombinant expression and purification of BPL from the fungal pathogen Candida albicans. The biotin domains of acetyl CoA carboxylase and pyruvate carboxylase were also cloned and characterised as substrates for BPL. A novel assay was established thereby allowing examination of the enzyme's properties. These findings will facilitate future structural studies as well as screening efforts to identify potential inhibitors.

Protein-ligand interactions investigated by thermal shift assays (TSA) and dual polarization interferometry (DPI).

Science.gov (United States)

Grøftehauge, Morten K; Hajizadeh, Nelly R; Swann, Marcus J; Pohl, Ehmke

2015-01-01

Over the last decades, a wide range of biophysical techniques investigating protein-ligand interactions have become indispensable tools to complement high-resolution crystal structure determinations. Current approaches in solution range from high-throughput-capable methods such as thermal shift assays (TSA) to highly accurate techniques including microscale thermophoresis (MST) and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) that can provide a full thermodynamic description of binding events. Surface-based methods such as surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and dual polarization interferometry (DPI) allow real-time measurements and can provide kinetic parameters as well as binding constants. DPI provides additional spatial information about the binding event. Here, an account is presented of new developments and recent applications of TSA and DPI connected to crystallography.

Direct 125I-radioligand assays for serum progesterone compared with assays involving extraction of serum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ratcliffe, W.A.; Corrie, J.E.T.; Dalziel, A.H.; Macpherson, J.S.

1982-01-01

Two direct radioimmunoassays for progesterone in 50 μL of unextracted serum or plasma with assays involving extraction of serum were compared. The direct assays include the use of either danazol at pH 7.4 or 8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonic acid at pH 4.0 to displace progesterone from serum binding-proteins. Progesterone is then assayed by using an antiserum to a progesterone 11α-hemisuccinyl conjugate and the radioligand 125 I-labeled progesterone 11α-glucuronyl tyramine, with separation by double-antibody techniques. Direct assays with either displacing agent gave good analytical recovery of progesterone added to human serum, and progesterone values for patients' specimens correlated well (r > 0.96) with results of assays involving extraction of serum. Precision was similar with each displacing agent over the working range 2.5-100 nmol/L and superior to that of extraction assays. We conclude that these direct assays of progesterone are analytically valid and more robust, precise, and technically convenient than many conventional methods involving extraction of serum

Sensitive, specific radioisotope assay for L-glutamine-D-fructose-6- phosphat aminotransferase

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Callahan, M.; Tourian, A.; Hung, W.Y.

1981-01-01

A sensitive and specific radioassay for L-glutamine-D-fructose-6-phosphate aminotransferase (EC 5.3.1.19) activity is presented. Picomoles of product are measurable, and the assay can be applied to systems having limited quantities of available protein, particularly in extracts of either cell or organ cultures. The assay is at least 10,000 times more sensitive under K 1 concentrations of fructose 6-phosphate than the modified Elson-Morgan colorimetric assay and 20 times more sensitive under saturating conditions of fructose 6-phosphate. As little as 0.5 μg of cell-extract protein will yield measurable product. In contrast, 280 μg of crude-extract protein from colon is required with the modified Elson-Morgan colorimetric assay

AN ELISA ASSAY FOR HEME OXYGENASE (HO-1)

Science.gov (United States)

An ELISA assay for heme oxygenase (HO-l ) Abstract A double antibody capture ELISA for the HO-l protein has been developed to separately quantitate HO-I protein. The use of 2.5% NP40 detergent greatly assists in freeing HO-l protein from membranes and/or other cel...

Competitive Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay Based on a Rhoptry-Associated Protein 1 Epitope Specifically Identifies Babesia bovis-Infected Cattle

Science.gov (United States)

Goff, Will L.; McElwain, Terry F.; Suarez, Carlos E.; Johnson, Wendell C.; Brown, Wendy C.; Norimine, Junzo; Knowles, Donald P.

2003-01-01

The competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA) format has proven to be an accurate, reliable, easily standardized, and high-throughput method for detecting hemoparasite infections. In the present study, a species-specific, broadly conserved, and tandemly repeated B-cell epitope within the C terminus of the rhoptry-associated protein 1 of the hemoparasite Babesia bovis was cloned and expressed as a histidine-tagged thioredoxin fusion peptide and used as antigen in a cELISA. The assay was optimized with defined negative and positive bovine sera, where positive sera inhibited the binding of the epitope-specific monoclonal antibody BABB75A4. The cELISA accurately differentiated animals with B. bovis-specific antibodies from uninfected animals and from animals with antibodies against other tick-borne hemoparasites (98.7% specificity). In addition, B. bovis-specific sera from Australia, Argentina, Bolivia, Puerto Rico, and Morocco inhibited the binding of BABB75A4, confirming conservation of the epitope. The assay first detected experimentally infected animals between 13 and 17 days postinfection, and with sera from naturally infected carrier cattle, was comparable to indirect immunofluorescence (98.3% concordance). The assay appears to have the characteristics necessary for an epidemiologic and disease surveillance tool. PMID:12522037

Highly sensitive C-reactive protein (CRP) assay using metal-enhanced fluorescence (MEF)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Yi; Keegan, Gemma L.; Stranik, Ondrej; Brennan-Fournet, Margaret E.; McDonagh, Colette

2015-01-01

Fluorescence has been extensively employed in the area of diagnostic immunoassays. A significant enhancement of fluorescence can be achieved when noble metal nanoparticles are placed in close proximity to fluorophores. This effect, referred to as metal-enhanced fluorescence (MEF), has the potential to produce immunoassays with a high sensitivity and a low limit of detection (LOD). In this study, we investigate the fluorescence enhancement effect of two different nanoparticle systems, large spherical silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and gold edge-coated triangular silver nanoplates, and both systems were evaluated for MEF. The extinction properties and electric field enhancement of both systems were modeled, and the optimum system, spherical AgNPs, was used in a sandwich immunoassay for human C-reactive protein with a red fluorescent dye label. A significant enhancement in the fluorescence was observed, which corresponded to an LOD improvement of ∼19-fold compared to a control assay without AgNPs

Highly sensitive C-reactive protein (CRP) assay using metal-enhanced fluorescence (MEF)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Yi; Keegan, Gemma L., E-mail: gemmakeegan@gmail.com [Dublin City University, School of Physical Sciences, Biomedical Diagnostics Institute (Ireland); Stranik, Ondrej [Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology, Department of NanoBiophotonics (Germany); Brennan-Fournet, Margaret E. [CMP-EMSE, MOC, Department of Bioelectronics, Ecole Nationale Superieure des Mines (France); McDonagh, Colette [Dublin City University, School of Physical Sciences, Biomedical Diagnostics Institute (Ireland)

2015-07-15

Fluorescence has been extensively employed in the area of diagnostic immunoassays. A significant enhancement of fluorescence can be achieved when noble metal nanoparticles are placed in close proximity to fluorophores. This effect, referred to as metal-enhanced fluorescence (MEF), has the potential to produce immunoassays with a high sensitivity and a low limit of detection (LOD). In this study, we investigate the fluorescence enhancement effect of two different nanoparticle systems, large spherical silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and gold edge-coated triangular silver nanoplates, and both systems were evaluated for MEF. The extinction properties and electric field enhancement of both systems were modeled, and the optimum system, spherical AgNPs, was used in a sandwich immunoassay for human C-reactive protein with a red fluorescent dye label. A significant enhancement in the fluorescence was observed, which corresponded to an LOD improvement of ∼19-fold compared to a control assay without AgNPs.

Comparative field study: impact of laboratory assay variability on the assessment of recombinant factor IX Fc fusion protein (rFIXFc) activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Sommer, Jurg M; Buyue, Yang; Bardan, Sara; Peters, Robert T; Jiang, Haiyan; Kamphaus, George D; Gray, Elaine; Pierce, Glenn F

2014-11-01

Due to variability in the one-stage clotting assay, the performance of new factor IX (FIX) products should be assessed in this assay. The objective of this field study was to evaluate the accuracy of measuring recombinant FIX Fc fusion protein (rFIXFc) activity in clinical haemostasis laboratories using the one-stage clotting assay. Human haemophilic donor plasma was spiked with rFIXFc or BeneFIX® at 0.80, 0.20, or 0.05 IU/ml based on label potency. Laboratories tested blinded samples using their routine one-stage assay and in-house FIX plasma standard. The mean spike recoveries for BeneFIX (n=30 laboratories) were 121 %, 144 %, and 168 % of expected at nominal 0.80, 0.20, and 0.05 IU/ml concentrations, respectively. Corresponding rFIXFc spike recoveries were 88 %, 107 %, and 132 % of expected, respectively. All BeneFIX concentrations were consistently overestimated by most laboratories. rFIXFc activity was reagent-dependent; ellagic acid and silica gave higher values than kaolin, which underestimated rFIXFc. BeneFIX demonstrated significantly reduced chromogenic assay activity relative to one-stage assay results and nominal activity, while rFIXFc activity was close to nominal activity at three concentrations with better dilution linearity than the typical one-stage assay. In conclusion, laboratory- and reagent-specific assay variabilities were revealed, with progressively higher variability at lower FIX concentrations. Non-parallelism against the FIX plasma standard was observed in all one-stage assays with rFIXFc and BeneFIX, leading to significant overestimation of FIX activity at lower levels and generally high inter-laboratory variability. Compared to the accuracy currently achieved in clinical laboratories when measuring other rFIX products, most laboratories measured rFIXFc activity with acceptable accuracy and reliability using routine one-stage assay methods and commercially available plasma standards.

Analytical Validation of a Highly Quantitative, Sensitive, Accurate, and Reproducible Assay (HERmark® for the Measurement of HER2 Total Protein and HER2 Homodimers in FFPE Breast Cancer Tumor Specimens

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jeffrey S. Larson

2010-01-01

Full Text Available We report here the results of the analytical validation of assays that measure HER2 total protein (H2T and HER2 homodimer (H2D expression in Formalin Fixed Paraffin Embedded (FFPE breast cancer tumors as well as cell line controls. The assays are based on the VeraTag technology platform and are commercially available through a central CAP-accredited clinical reference laboratory. The accuracy of H2T measurements spans a broad dynamic range (2-3 logs as evaluated by comparison with cross-validating technologies. The measurement of H2T expression demonstrates a sensitivity that is approximately 7–10 times greater than conventional immunohistochemistry (IHC (HercepTest. The HERmark assay is a quantitative assay that sensitively and reproducibly measures continuous H2T and H2D protein expression levels and therefore may have the potential to stratify patients more accurately with respect to response to HER2-targeted therapies than current methods which rely on semiquantitative protein measurements (IHC or on indirect assessments of gene amplification (FISH.

SWATH Mass Spectrometry Performance Using Extended Peptide MS/MS Assay Libraries*

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Jemma X.; Song, Xiaomin; Pascovici, Dana; Zaw, Thiri; Care, Natasha; Krisp, Christoph; Molloy, Mark P.

2016-01-01

The use of data-independent acquisition methods such as SWATH for mass spectrometry based proteomics is usually performed with peptide MS/MS assay libraries which enable identification and quantitation of peptide peak areas. Reference assay libraries can be generated locally through information dependent acquisition, or obtained from community data repositories for commonly studied organisms. However, there have been no studies performed to systematically evaluate how locally generated or repository-based assay libraries affect SWATH performance for proteomic studies. To undertake this analysis, we developed a software workflow, SwathXtend, which generates extended peptide assay libraries by integration with a local seed library and delivers statistical analysis of SWATH-quantitative comparisons. We designed test samples using peptides from a yeast extract spiked into peptides from human K562 cell lysates at three different ratios to simulate protein abundance change comparisons. SWATH-MS performance was assessed using local and external assay libraries of varying complexities and proteome compositions. These experiments demonstrated that local seed libraries integrated with external assay libraries achieve better performance than local assay libraries alone, in terms of the number of identified peptides and proteins and the specificity to detect differentially abundant proteins. Our findings show that the performance of extended assay libraries is influenced by the MS/MS feature similarity of the seed and external libraries, while statistical analysis using multiple testing corrections increases the statistical rigor needed when searching against large extended assay libraries. PMID:27161445

Serodiagnosis of Leishmania donovani infections: assessment of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays using recombinant L. donovani gene B protein (GBP) and a peptide sequence of L. donovani GBP

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, A T; Gasim, S; Moller, T

1999-01-01

The repetitive sequence of Leishmania major gene B protein (GBP) has previously been shown to be a useful tool in the diagnosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL). Here, we have assessed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) using recombinant L. donovani GBP (rGBP) and a peptide sequence of L...... for malaria but free of leishmaniasis was negative in both assays....

Comparison of refractometry and biuret assay for measurement of total protein concentration in canine abdominal and pleural fluid specimens.

Science.gov (United States)

Rose, Alexandra; Funk, Deborah; Neiger, Reto

2016-04-01

To compare total protein (TP) concentrations in canine pleural and abdominal fluid specimens as measured by refractometry and biuret assay. Diagnostic test evaluation. Data regarding 92 pleural and 148 abdominal fluid specimens from dogs with various diseases. TP concentrations in fluid specimens as measured by refractometry and biuret assay were recorded. Strength of association between sets of measurements was assessed by Spearman rank correlations and Bland-Altman plots. Optimal concentration cutoff for diagnostic discrimination between exudate and nonexudate was identified by construction of receiver operating characteristic curves. Median TP concentration in pleural fluid specimens was 2.7 g/dL (range, 0.3 to 4.8 g/dL) for refractometry and 2.9 g/dL (range, 0.7 to 5.8 g/dL) for biuret assay. Median TP concentration in abdominal fluid specimens was 3.5 g/dL (range, 0.1 to 6.0 g/dL) for refractometry and 3.5 g/dL (range, 0.6 to 5.7 g/dL) for biuret assay. Correlation was significant between refractometric and biuret results for pleural (ρ = 0.921) and abdominal (ρ = 0.908) fluid. Bland-Altman plots revealed bias of -0.18 g/dL for pleural fluid and -0.03 g/dL for abdominal fluid for refractometry versus biuret assay. With a TP concentration of ≥ 3 g/dL used to distinguish exudate from nonexudate, sensitivity of refractometry was 77% for pleural fluid and 80% for abdominal fluid. Specificity was 100% and 94%, respectively. Refractometry yielded acceptable results for measurement of TP concentration in canine pleural and abdominal fluid specimens, providing a more rapid and convenient method than biuret assay.

Radioreceptor assays: plasma membrane receptors and assays for polypeptide and glycoprotein hormones

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schulster, D.

1977-01-01

Receptors for peptide, protein and glycoprotein hormones, and the catecholamines are located on the plasma membranes of their target cells. Preparations of the receptors may be used as specific, high-affinity binding agents for these hormones in assay methodology akin to that for radioimmunoassay. A particular advantage of the radioreceptor assay is that it has a specificity directed towards the biologically active region of the hormone, rather than to some immunologically active region that may have little (or no) involvement in the expression of hormonal activity. Methods for hormone receptor preparation vary greatly, and range from the use of intact cells (as the source of hormone receptor) to the use of purified or solubilized membrane receptors. Receptors isolated from plasma membranes have proved to be of variable stability, and may be damaged during preparation and/or storage. Moreover, since they are present in relatively low concentration in the cell, their preparation in sufficient quantity for use in a radioreceptor assay may present technical problems. In general, there is good correlation between radioreceptor assays and in-vitro bioassays; differences between results from radioreceptor assays and radioimmunoassays are similar to those noted between in-vitro bioassays and radioimmunoassays. The sensitivity of the method is such that normal plasma concentrations of various hormones have been assayed by this technique. (author)

[Concentration of calcium ions in the saliva and the value of the pH of the saliva in female and male smokers].

Science.gov (United States)

Nakonieczna-Rudnicka, Marta; Bachanek, Teresa; Rogowska, Wanda

2009-01-01

Dental decay is a pathological process of extrasomatic origin which leads to demineralization and proteolytic degradation of hard surfaces of a tooth susceptible to this disease. Saliva composition, including calcium ion concentration and its pH value, is of importance in the development of the carious process. Tobacco smoke contains toxic compounds which negatively influence oral health. The aim of the study was evaluation of the selected saliva components: protein concentration, Ca2+ concentration, pH value both in male and female smokers. The investigated group included 65 patients reporting for the treatment to the Department of Conservative Dentistry of Medical University in Lublin. In the investigated group male smokers constituted 15.38%, female smokers--20.00%, male nicotine abstinents 21.54% and female nicotine abstinent 43.08%. The study included both survey examinations of patients and biochemical examinations of the saliva. Mixed, non-stimulated saliva was used as a material for biochemical examinations. Ca2+ concentration and pH of the saliva were assayed with the use of Rapidlab 348 analyzer. Protein in the saliva was assayed with calorimetric method according to Lowry. Saliva was collected from smokers 10-120 minutes after smoking of several cigarettes. It was stated that Ca2+ and protein concentration as well as pH of the saliva were not correlated with sex and cigarette smoking or non-smoking.

A novel TaqMan® assay for Nosema ceranae quantification in honey bee, based on the protein coding gene Hsp70.

Science.gov (United States)

Cilia, Giovanni; Cabbri, Riccardo; Maiorana, Giacomo; Cardaio, Ilaria; Dall'Olio, Raffaele; Nanetti, Antonio

2018-04-01

Nosema ceranae is now a widespread honey bee pathogen with high incidence in apiculture. Rapid and reliable detection and quantification methods are a matter of concern for research community, nowadays mainly relying on the use of biomolecular techniques such as PCR, RT-PCR or HRMA. The aim of this technical paper is to provide a new qPCR assay, based on the highly-conserved protein coding gene Hsp70, to detect and quantify the microsporidian Nosema ceranae affecting the western honey bee Apis mellifera. The validation steps to assess efficiency, sensitivity, specificity and robustness of the assay are described also. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Rosette Assay: Highly Customizable Dot-Blot for SH2 Domain Screening.

Science.gov (United States)

Ng, Khong Y; Machida, Kazuya

2017-01-01

With a growing number of high-throughput studies, structural analyses, and availability of protein-protein interaction databases, it is now possible to apply web-based prediction tools to SH2 domain-interactions. However, in silico prediction is not always reliable and requires experimental validation. Rosette assay is a dot blot-based reverse-phase assay developed for the assessment of binding between SH2 domains and their ligands. It is conveniently customizable, allowing for low- to high-throughput analysis of interactions between various numbers of SH2 domains and their ligands, e.g., short peptides, purified proteins, and cell lysates. The binding assay is performed in a 96-well plate (MBA or MWA apparatus) in which a sample spotted membrane is incubated with up to 96 labeled SH2 domains. Bound domains are detected and quantified using a chemiluminescence or near-infrared fluorescence (IR) imaging system. In this chapter, we describe a practical protocol for rosette assay to assess interactions between synthesized tyrosine phosphorylated peptides and a library of GST-tagged SH2 domains. Since the methodology is not confined to assessment of SH2-pTyr interactions, rosette assay can be broadly utilized for ligand and drug screening using different protein interaction domains or antibodies.

Effect of reagins and allergen extracts on radioallergosorbent assays for mite allergen

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tovey, E.R.; Vandenberg, R.A.

1978-01-01

The reproducibility of the radioallergosorbent (RAST) inhibition and direct binding assays with mite allergen were investigated in the presence of heterogeneous extracts and non-mite sensitive atopic sera. Both contain components similar to potential contaminants which would occur in the assay of mite allergen and dust allergen extracts. The standardized inhibition and direct binding assays employed had a day to day (n = 4) coefficient of variation [(s.d. x 100)/mean] of 15% and 24% respectively. The inhibition assay for mite allergen was reproducible in the presence of protein concentrations of added plant, fungal, arthropod and animal extracts in excess of the protein concentrations that occur under the operational mite assay conditions. The mite inhibition assay was also reproducible in the presence of non-mite allergen extracts, with and without additional sera containing IgE specific for the non0mite allergens. The binding of a constant quantity of mite allergen to the activated solid phase in the direct binding assay was reproducible in the presence of added bovine serum albumin, and of a fungal or arthropod extract, representing the heterogeneous components of an allergen extract at the concentrations of total protein known to occur in the direct binding assay of mite extracts. (author)

Competitive binding thyroid assay with improved bound-free separation step

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1979-01-01

A competitive binding assay is described for serum thyroid hormone using 125 I-labelled thyroid hormone and exogenous thyroid hormone binding protein. The unbound thyroid hormone is separated from thyroid hormone bound to thyroid hormone binding protein using an intermediate base anion exchange resin. This resin comprises tertiary and quaternary amine groups on a polyalkyleneamine lattice and is compressed with microcrystalline cellulose in a tablet form. The assay technique of the present invention employing an intermediate base anion resin was found to give superior results compared with alternative assay techniques used in serum thyroid hormone estimation. (UK)

Ligand-protein conjugated quantification assay by UV spectrophotometry in 99mTc indirect labeling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Basualdo, Daniel A.; Rabiller, Graciela; Poch, Carolina; El Tamer, Elias A.

2009-01-01

Objective: Quantify IgG-HYNIC conjugated for obtaining substitution ratio and as a chemical quality control for 99m Tc labeling of this immunoglobulin. Introduction: The Operational Guidance on Hospital Radiopharmacy by IAEA states that the procedures performed in a Radiopharmacy Laboratory fall into three operational levels. At present, Nuclear Medicine Centre of 'Hospital de Clinicas' has an operational level 2b which requires the preparation of radiopharmaceuticals from approved reagent kits and radionuclide generators, and labeling of autologous blood cells. Centre's goal is to reach an operational level 3a, which allows us to compounding radiopharmaceuticals from drugs and radionuclides for diagnosis; modification to existing commercial kits; related research and development. In approach of that goal, we addressed the optimization of conjugation of proteins and peptides with S-HYNIC so as to bring about the procedures involved. In this work, was conjugated nonspecific polyclonal immunoglobulin G (IgG) with S-HYNIC. Our interest was focused in calculate how many HYNIC groups were incorporated per IgG molecule so that in later stages can be obtained a correlate with labeling efficiency. Materials and methods: A sample of IgG-HYNIC conjugate of 0.2 ml was diluted in 4 ml of benzaldehyde o-sulfonic acid (1 mg / ml, 0.1 M NaAc, pH 4.7). The reaction was incubated at room temperature overnight in darkness. As a negative control took 0.2 ml of IgG-HYNIC conjugate in 4 ml of NaAc buffer 0.1 M. 3 ml of benzaldehyde o-sulfonic acid (1 mg / ml 0.1 M NaAc, pH 4.7) was used as blank. The absorption of the hydrazone was read at 343 nm. The hydrazine concentration was calculated using a molar extinction coefficient ε (343 nm) 17000 M-1cm-1. Results: Molar substitution ratio (MSR) was calculated. The MSR indicates the number of HYNIC groups incorporated in the IgG-HYNIC conjugate determined by the spectrophotometric assay. Conclusions: In labeling with a bifunctional

Analysis of close associations of uropod-associated proteins in human T-cells using the proximity ligation assay

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tommy Baumann

2013-10-01

Full Text Available We have shown previously that the raft-associated proteins flotillin-1 and -2 are rapidly recruited to the uropods of chemoattractant-stimulated human neutrophils and T-cells and are involved in cell polarization. Other proteins such as the adhesion receptor PSGL-1, the actin-membrane linker proteins ezrin/radixin/moesin (ERM and the signaling enzyme phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate 5-kinase type Iγ90 (PIPKIγ90 also accumulate in the T-cell uropod. Using the in situ proximity ligation assay (PLA we now have investigated putative close associations of these proteins in human freshly isolated T-cells before and after chemokine addition. The PLA allows in situ subcellular localization of close proximity of endogenous proteins at single-molecule resolution in fixed cells. It allows detection also of weaker and transient complexes that would not be revealed with co-immunoprecipitation approaches. We previously provided evidence for heterodimer formation of tagged flotillin-1 and -2 in T-cells before and after chemokine addition using fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET. We now confirm these findings using PLA for the endogenous flotillins in fixed human T-cells. Moreover, in agreement with the literature, our PLA findings confirm a close association of endogenous PSGL-1 and ERM proteins both in resting and chemokine-activated human T-cells. In addition, we provide novel evidence using the PLA for close associations of endogenous activated ERM proteins with PIPKIγ90 and of endogenous flotillins with PSGL-1 in human T-cells, before and after chemokine addition. Our findings suggest that preformed clusters of these proteins coalesce in the uropod upon cell stimulation.

Low dose radiation induced protein and its experimental and ophthalmic clinical research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shen Wei; Su Liaoyuan; Liu Fenju; Ding Jie; Li Longbiao; Pan Chengsi

2001-01-01

The protective effects of low dose radiation (LDR) induced protein on cellular impairments caused by some harmful chemical and physical factors were studied. Male Kunming mice were irradiated with LDR, then the spleen cells of the mice were broken with ultrasonic energy and then ultracentrifugalized. The supernatant solution contained with LDR induced protein. The newly emerging protein was detected by gel filtration and its molecular weight was determined by gel electrophoresis. The content of newly emerging protein (LDR induced protein) was determined by Lowry's method. The method of isotope incorporation was used to observe the biological activity and its influence factors, the protective effects of LDR induced protein on the cells impaired by irradiating with ultraviolet (UV), high doses of 60 Co γ-rays and exposed to heat respectively, and the stimulative effects of LDR induced protein on human peripheral blood lymphocytes. Newly emerging protein has been observed in the experiment. The molecular weight of the protein is in the region 76.9 KD+- - 110.0 KD+-, the yield of the protein was 613.33 +- 213.42 μg per 3 x 10 7 spleen cells. DPM values (isotope were incorporated) of normal and injured mice spleen cells increased significantly after stimulating with the solution contained LDR induced protein. It is concluded that LDR induced protein could be obtained from mice spleen cells exposed to 5 - 15 cGy radiation for 2 - 16 h. The protein had biological activity and was able to stimulate the transformation of the spleen cells in vitro. It had obvious protective effects on some impaired cells caused by high dose radiation, UV radiation, heat and so on. It also had stimulative effects on the transformation of peripheral blood T and B lymphocytes of healthy individual and patients with eye diseases. It indicates that LDR induced protein increased immune function of human

A murine monoclonal antibody based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for almond (Prunus dulcis L.) detection.

Science.gov (United States)

Su, Mengna; Venkatachalam, Mahesh; Liu, Changqi; Zhang, Ying; Roux, Kenneth H; Sathe, Shridhar K

2013-11-13

A sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using anti-almond soluble protein rabbit polyclonal antibodies as capture antibodies and murine monoclonal antibody 4C10 as the detection antibodies was developed. The assay is specific and sensitive (3-200 ng almond protein/mL) for almond detection. The standardized assay is accurate (assay variability assay did not register any cross-reactivity with the tested food matrices, suggesting the assay to be almond amandin specific. The assay could detect the presence of declared almond in the tested matched commercial samples. Further, the assay reliably detected the presence of almonds in the laboratory prepared food samples spiked with almond flour.

The electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA)

OpenAIRE

sprotocols

2015-01-01

The electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA), also known as “gel shift assay”, is used to examine the binding parameters and relative affinities of protein and DNA interactions. We produced recombinant CCA1 protein and tested its binding affinity for the promoter fragments that contain CBS (AAAAATCT) or evening element (EE, AAAATATCT) (1) using a modified procedure adopted from published protocols (2,3).

In-Solution SH2 Domain Binding Assay Based on Proximity Ligation.

Science.gov (United States)

Machida, Kazuya

2017-01-01

Protein-protein interactions mediated by SH2 domains confer specificity in tyrosine kinase pathways. Traditional assays for assessing interactions between an SH2 domain and its interacting protein such as far-Western and pull-down are inherently low throughput. We developed SH2-PLA, an in-solution SH2 domain binding assay, that takes advantage of the speed and sensitivity of proximity ligation and real-time PCR. SH2-PLA allows for rapid assessment of SH2 domain binding to a target protein using only a few microliters of cell lysate, thereby making it an attractive new tool to study tyrosine kinase signaling.

Biocompatibility evaluation in vitro. Part I: Morphology expression and proliferation of human and rat osteoblasts on the biomaterials

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

无

2001-01-01

The biocompatibility evaluation of calcium phosphate based biomaterials is performed by tissue culture in vitro model. Three kinds of bioceramic materials which are potential to deal with bone trauma and/or conduct tissue growth are recommodated. The biological research results show that human and animal osteoblast cells anchor the materials surface in two hours in culture. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) demonstrated the normal cell distribution and proliferation on both of dense and porous biomaterials. Hydroxyapatite and tricalcium phosphate stimulate cell proliferation. However, DNA and protein synthesis were considerably limited and the apoptosis phenomenon would be present on the hydroxyapatite (HA) materials by adding Al, Mg elements. Several important methods of biocompatibility evaluation of implant materials are described and the related biological molecular techniques such as tissue culture, cell transfection, cellular DNA stain, and Lowry assay are involved in the present research.

Ultraviolet, Visible, and Fluorescence Spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Penner, Michael H.

Spectroscopy in the ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) range is one of the most commonly encountered laboratory techniques in food analysis. Diverse examples, such as the quantification of macrocomponents (total carbohydrate by the phenol-sulfuric acid method), quantification of microcomponents, (thiamin by the thiochrome fluorometric procedure), estimates of rancidity (lipid oxidation status by the thiobarbituric acid test), and surveillance testing (enzyme-linked immunoassays), are presented in this text. In each of these cases, the analytical signal for which the assay is based is either the emission or absorption of radiation in the UV-Vis range. This signal may be inherent in the analyte, such as the absorbance of radiation in the visible range by pigments, or a result of a chemical reaction involving the analyte, such as the colorimetric copper-based Lowry method for the analysis of soluble protein.

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay characterization of basal variation and heritability of systemic microfibrillar-associated protein 4.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Susanne Gjørup Sækmose

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Microfibrillar-associated protein 4 (MFAP4 is a systemic biomarker that is significantly elevated in samples from patients suffering from hepatic cirrhosis. The protein is generally localized to elastic fibers and other connective tissue fibers in the extracellular matrix (ECM, and variation in systemic MFAP4 (sMFAP4 has the potential to reflect diverse diseases with increased ECM turnover. Here, we aimed to validate an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA for the measurement of sMFAP4 with an emphasis on the robustness of the assay. Moreover, we aimed to determine confounders influencing the basal sMFAP4 variability and the genetic contribution to the basal variation. METHODS: The sandwich ELISA was based on two monoclonal anti-MFAP4 antibodies and was optimized and calibrated with a standard of recombinant MFAP4. The importance of pre-analytical sample handling was evaluated regarding sample tube type, time, and temperature conditions. The mean value structure and variance structure was determined in a twin cohort including 1,417 Danish twins (age 18-67 years by mixed-effect linear regression modeling. RESULTS: The practical working range of the sandwich ELISA was estimated to be 4-75 U/ml. The maximum intra- and inter-assay variation was estimated to be 8.7% and 6.6%, respectively. Sample handling and processing appeared to influence MFAP4 measurements only marginally. The average concentration of sMFAP4 in the serum was 18.9 ± 8.4 (SD U/ml in the twin cohort (95% CI: 18.5-19.4, median sMFAP4 17.3 U/ml. The mean structure model was demonstrated to include waist-hip ratio, age, and cigarette smoking status in interactions with gender. A relatively low heritability of h(2 = 0.24 was found after applying a model including additive genetic factors and shared and non-shared environmental factors. CONCLUSIONS: The described ELISA provides robust measures of the liver fibrosis marker sMFAP4. The low heritability and the relatively

High-Yield Production in Escherichia coli of Fungal Immunomodulatory Protein Isolated from Flammulina velutipes and Its Bioactivity Assay in Vivo

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shenkui Liu

2013-01-01

Full Text Available A fungal immunomodulatory protein isolated from Flammulina velutipes (FIP-fve has structural similarity to the variable region of the immunoglobulin heavy chain. In the present study, the recombinant bioactive FIP-fve protein with a His-tag in N-terminal of recombinant protein was expressed in transetta (DE3 at a high level under the optimized culturing conditions of 0.2 mM IPTG and 28 °C. The efficiency of the purification was improved with additional ultrasonication to the process of lysozyme lysis. The yield of the bioactive FIP-fve protein with 97.1% purity reached 29.1 mg/L with a large quantity for industrial applications. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay showed a maximum increase in interleukin-2 (IL-2 and gamma interferon (IFN-γ for the mice serum group of 5 mg/kg body mass (p < 0.01 with three doses of His-FIP-fve. However, the production of IL-4 had no apparent difference compared to the control.

The use of an in vitro microneutralization assay to evaluate the potential of recombinant VP5 protein as an antigen for vaccinating against Grass carp reovirus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xu Dan

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Grass carp reovirus (GCRV is the causative pathogen of grass carp hemorrhagic disease, one of the major diseases damaging grass carp Ctenopharyngon idellus breeding industry in China. Prevention and control of the disease is impeded largely due to the lack of research in economic subunit vaccine development. This study aimed to evaluate the potential of viral outer shell protein VP5 as subunit vaccine. Methods The vp5 gene was isolated from the viral genome through RT-PCR and genetically engineered to express the recombinant VP5 protein in E coli. The viral origin of the recombinant protein was confirmed by Western blot analysis with a monoclonal antibody against viral VP5 protein. Polyclonal antibody against the recombinant VP5 protein was prepared from mice. A microneutralization assay was developed to test its neutralizing ability against GCRV infection in cell culture. Results The GST-VP5 fusion protein (rVP5 was produced from E. Coli with expected molecular weight of 90 kDa. The protein was purified and employed to prepare anti-VP5 polyclonal antibody from mice. The anti-VP5 antibody was found to neutralize GCRV through in vitro microneutralization assay and viral progeny quantification analysis. Conclusions The present study showed that the viral VP5 protein was involved in viral infection and bacterially-expressed VP5 could be suitable for developing subunit vaccine for the control of GCRV infection.

Calibration and LOD/LOQ estimation of a chemiluminescent hybridization assay for residual DNA in recombinant protein drugs expressed in E. coli using a four-parameter logistic model.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, K R; Dipaolo, B; Ji, X

2000-06-01

Calibration is the process of fitting a model based on reference data points (x, y), then using the model to estimate an unknown x based on a new measured response, y. In DNA assay, x is the concentration, and y is the measured signal volume. A four-parameter logistic model was used frequently for calibration of immunoassay when the response is optical density for enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) or adjusted radioactivity count for radioimmunoassay (RIA). Here, it is shown that the same model or a linearized version of the curve are equally useful for the calibration of a chemiluminescent hybridization assay for residual DNA in recombinant protein drugs and calculation of performance measures of the assay.

FLIPR assays of intracellular calcium in GPCR drug discovery

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Kasper Bø; Bräuner-Osborne, Hans

2009-01-01

Fluorescent dyes sensitive to changes in intracellular calcium have become increasingly popular in G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) drug discovery for several reasons. First of all, the assays using the dyes are easy to perform and are of low cost compared to other assays. Second, most non...

A national quality control scheme for serum HGH assays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hunter, W.M.; McKenzie, I.

1979-01-01

In the autumn of 1975 the Supraregional Assay Service established a Quality Control Sub-Committee and the intra-laboratory QC Scheme for Growth Hormone (HGH) assays which is described here has served, in many respects, as a pilot scheme for protein RIA. Major improvements in accuracy, precision and between-laboratory agreement can be brought about by intensively interactive quality control schemes. A common standard is essential and should consist of ampoules used for one or only a small number of assays. Accuracy and agreement were not good enough to allow the overall means to serve as target values but a group of 11 laboratories were sufficiently accurate to provide a 'reference group mean' to so serve. Gross non-specificity was related to poor assay design and was quickly eliminated. Within-laboratory between-batch variability was much worse than that normally claimed for simple protein hormone RIA. A full report on this Scheme will appear shortly in Annals of Clinical Biochemistry. (Auth.)

Resonance – Journal of Science Education | Indian Academy of ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

https://www.ias.ac.in/article/fulltext/reso/009/11/0072-0085. Keywords. Six sigma; biuret. Lowry; protein estimation; runs test. Author Affiliations. V Sitaramam1 V Krishnabrahmam2. Department of Biotechnology University of Pune Pune 411007, India. Swatsam Softech Pvt. Ltd., Vanasthalipuram, Hyderabad 500 070, India.

The possible role of cerium oxide (CeO2) nanoparticles in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Maha Abd Elkader Hegazy

2017-01-20

Jan 20, 2017 ... Parkinson's disease (PD) is currently regarded as the most com- mon degenerative ... Contents lists available at ScienceDirect. Alexandria Journal .... protein concentration by the Lowry's method using Folin phenol reagent with ...... 37. Iancu R, Mohapel P, Brundin P, Paul G. Behavioral characterization of a.

Homogeneous competitive assay of ligand affinities based on quenching fluorescence of tyrosine/tryptophan residues in a protein via Főrster-resonance-energy-transfer

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Yanling; Yang, Xiaolan; Pu, Jun; Zhao, Yunsheng; Zhang, Ying; Xie, Guoming; Zheng, Jun; Yuan, Huidong; Liao, Fei

2010-11-01

A new homogeneous competitive assay of ligand affinities was proposed based on quenching the fluorescence of tryptophan/tyrosine residues in a protein via Főrster-resonance-energy-transfer using a fluorescent reference ligand as the acceptor. Under excitation around 280 nm, the fluorescence of a protein or a bound acceptor was monitored upon competitive binding against a nonfluorescent candidate ligand. Chemometrics for deriving the binding ratio of the acceptor with either fluorescence signal was discussed; the dissociation constant ( Kd) of a nonfluorescent candidate ligand was calculated from its concentration to displace 50% binding of the acceptor. N-biotinyl-N'-(1-naphthyl)-ethylenediamine (BNEDA) and N-biotinyl-N'-dansyl-ethylenediamine (BDEDA) were used as the reference ligands and acceptors to streptavidin to test this new homogeneous competitive assay. Upon binding of an acceptor to streptavidin, there were the quench of streptavidin fluorescence at 340 nm and the characteristic fluorescence at 430 nm for BNEDA or at 525 nm for BDEDA. Kd of BNEDA and BDEDA was obtained via competitive binding against biotin. By quantifying BNEDA fluorescence, Kd of each tested nonfluorescent biotin derivative was consistent with that by quantifying streptavidin fluorescence using BNEDA or BDEDA as the acceptor. The overall coefficients of variation were about 10%. Therefore, this homogeneous competitive assay was effective and promising to high-throughput-screening.

A magnetic bead-based ligand binding assay to facilitate human kynurenine 3-monooxygenase drug discovery.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, Kris; Mole, Damian J; Homer, Natalie Z M; Iredale, John P; Auer, Manfred; Webster, Scott P

2015-02-01

Human kynurenine 3-monooxygenase (KMO) is emerging as an important drug target enzyme in a number of inflammatory and neurodegenerative disease states. Recombinant protein production of KMO, and therefore discovery of KMO ligands, is challenging due to a large membrane targeting domain at the C-terminus of the enzyme that causes stability, solubility, and purification difficulties. The purpose of our investigation was to develop a suitable screening method for targeting human KMO and other similarly challenging drug targets. Here, we report the development of a magnetic bead-based binding assay using mass spectrometry detection for human KMO protein. The assay incorporates isolation of FLAG-tagged KMO enzyme on protein A magnetic beads. The protein-bound beads are incubated with potential binding compounds before specific cleavage of the protein-compound complexes from the beads. Mass spectrometry analysis is used to identify the compounds that demonstrate specific binding affinity for the target protein. The technique was validated using known inhibitors of KMO. This assay is a robust alternative to traditional ligand-binding assays for challenging protein targets, and it overcomes specific difficulties associated with isolating human KMO. © 2014 Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening.

Development of an alpha-fetoprotein and Golgi protein 73 multiplex detection assay using xMAP technology.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Yun; Ma, Jie; Wang, Yipeng; Zhang, Yonghong; Hou, Yongjin; Zhang, Chunming; Sun, Huanqin; Sun, Jianping; Wang, Zikang; Li, Ning

2018-04-06

Development of a new method to simultaneously detect Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and Golgi protein 73 (GP73) from peripheral blood. Anti human AFP and GP73 monoclonal antibodies was used to develop a sandwich immunity reaction using xMAP technology for the simultaneous detection of plasma AFP and GP73. The assay evaluated the sensitivity, cross reactivity, range of detection, precision, recovery and linearity dilution effect. The assay utilized plasma samples and compared its performance with commercially available Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) kits. The assay was successful in detecting AFP and GP73 simultaneously. Validation experiments demonstrated the limit of detection was AFP 0.006 μg/l and GP73 0.482 μg/l. The functional sensitivity was AFP 0.010 μg/l and GP73 0.640 μg/l. The range of detection was AFP 0.01-50 μg/l and GP73 0.64-100 μg/l. No cross reactivity was observed. The intra- and inter-assay variation for AFP was 0.19-3.46% and 3.1-5.8% and for GP73 was 1.5-3.2% and 1.1-7.6% respectively. The recovery for AFP was 96-106% and GP73 was 89-110%. 80 clinical plasma samples from healthy controls, and patients with liver cirrhosis and Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) were evaluated. For healthy controls (n = 25), the AFP was 2.40 (1.55, 3.30) μg/l and GP73 was 42.60 (39.10, 57.40) μg/l. For patients with liver cirrhosis (n = 19), the AFP was 2.60 (1.70, 4.20) μg/l and GP73 was 136.10 (92.10, 261.70) μg/l, and for HCC patients (n = 36), the AFP was 13.65 (3.35, 158.88) μg/l and GP73 was 186.25 (96.73, 262.03) μg/l. The new assay demonstrated a good correlation with commercially available ELISA kits (correlation coefficients (r) were 0.997 (AFP, p < 0.001) and 0.959 (GP73, p < 0.001). The method demonstrated a sensitive, effective and accurate method for the simultaneous detection of AFP and GP73, and could be used clinically for routine detection and monitoring of patients with chronic hepatitis B

Tuberculin purified protein derivative (PPD) immunoassay as an in vitro alternative assay for identity and confirmation of potency.

Science.gov (United States)

Ho, Mei M; Kairo, Satnam K; Corbel, Michael J

2006-01-01

Tuberculin purified protein derivative (PPD) currently can only be standardised by delayed hypersensitivity skin reactions in sensitised guinea pigs. An in vitro dot blot immunoassay was developed for both identity and confirmation of potency estimation of PPD. Polyclonal antibodies (mainly IgG) were generated and immunoreacted with human, bovine and, to lesser extent, avian PPD preparations. Combining size exclusion chromatography (FPLC-SEC) and dot blot immunoassay, the results showed that PPD preparations were mixtures of very heterogeneous tuberculoproteins ranging in size from very large aggregates to very small degraded molecules. All individual fractions of PPD separated by size were immunoreactive, although those of the largest molecular sizes appeared the most immunoreactive in this in vitro dot blot immunoassay. This method is very sensitive and specific to tuberculoproteins and can be an in vitro alternative for the in vivo intradermal skin assay which uses guinea pigs for identity of PPD preparations. Although the capacity of PPD to elicit cell-mediated immune responses on intradermal testing has to be confirmed by in vivo assay, the dot blot immunoassay offers a rapid, sensitive and animal-free alternative to in vivo testing for confirming the identity of PPD preparations with appropriate potencies. This alternative assay would be particularly useful for national regulatory laboratories for confirming the data of manufacturers and thus reducing the use of animals.

Naturally-acquired humoral immune responses against the N- and C-termini of the Plasmodium vivax MSP1 protein in endemic regions of Brazil and Papua New Guinea using a multiplex assay

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alonso Pedro L

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Progress towards the development of a malaria vaccine against Plasmodium vivax, the most widely distributed human malaria parasite, will require a better understanding of the immune responses that confer clinical protection to patients in regions where malaria is endemic. Methods Glutathione S-transferase (GST and GST-fusion proteins representing the N- terminus of the merozoite surface protein 1 of P. vivax, PvMSP1-N, and the C-terminus, PvMSP1-C, were covalently coupled to BioPlex carboxylated beads. Recombinant proteins and coupled beads were used, respectively, in ELISA and Bioplex assays using immune sera of P. vivax patients from Brazil and PNG to determine IgG and subclass responses. Concordances between the two methods in the seropositivity responses were evaluated using the Kappa statistic and the Spearman's rank correlation. Results The results using this methodology were compared with the classical microtitre enzyme-linked immnosorbent assay (ELISA, showing that the assay was sensitive, reproducible and had good concordance with ELISA; yet, further research into different statistical analyses seems desirable before claiming conclusive results exclusively based on multiplex assays. As expected, results demonstrated that PvMSP1 was immunogenic in natural infections of patients from different endemic regions of Brazil and Papua New Guinea (PNG, and that age correlated only with antibodies against the C-terminus part of the molecule. Furthermore, the IgG subclass profiles were different in these endemic regions having IgG3 predominantly recognizing PvMSP1 in Brazil and IgG1 predominantly recognizing PvMSP1 in PNG. Conclusions This study validates the use of the multiplex assay to measure naturally-acquired IgG antibodies against the merozoite surface protein 1 of P. vivax.

Development of a dot blot assay with antibodies to recombinant “core” 14-3-3 protein: Evaluation of its usefulness in diagnosis of Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease

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Sarada Subramanian

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Background and Purpose: Definitive diagnosis of Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (CJD requires demonstration of infective prion protein (PrPSc in brain tissues by immunohistochemistry or immunoblot, making antemortem diagnosis of CJD difficult. The World Health Organization (WHO recommends detection of 14-3-3 protein in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF in cases of dementia, with clinical correlation, as a useful diagnostic marker for CJD, obviating the need for brain biopsy.This facility is currently available in only a few specialized centers in the West and no commercial kit is available for clinical diagnostic use in India. Hence the objective of this study was to develop an in-house sensitive assay for quantitation of 14-3-3 protein and to evaluate its diagnostic potential to detect 14-3-3 proteins in CSF as a biomarker in suspected cases of CJD. Materials and Methods: A minigene expressing the “core” 14-3-3 protein was synthesized by overlapping polymerase chain reaction (PCR and the recombinant protein was produced by employing a bacterial expression system. Polyclonal antibodies raised in rabbit against the purified recombinant protein were used for developing a dot blot assay with avidin-biotin technology for signal amplification and quantitation of 14-3-3 protein in CSF. Results: The results in the present study suggest the diagnostic potential of the dot blot method with about 10-fold difference (P< 0.001 in the CSF levels of 14-3-3 protein between the CJD cases (N= 50 and disease controls (N= 70. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC analysis of the results suggested an optimal cutoff value of 2 ng/mL. Conclusions: We have developed an indigenous, economical, and sensitive dot blot method for the quantitation of 14-3-3 protein in CSF.

Relationships between ytterbium precipitation assay, colorimetric ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

digestion and metabolism of protein (Komolong et al., 2001). ... room temperature (25 °C) pending chemical analyses and in vitro ... assayed without sodium sulphite but with a heat-stable α-amylase due to the high ... of starch in the tree fruits.

Barcoded microchips for biomolecular assays.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yi; Sun, Jiashu; Zou, Yu; Chen, Wenwen; Zhang, Wei; Xi, Jianzhong Jeff; Jiang, Xingyu

2015-01-20

Multiplexed assay of analytes is of great importance for clinical diagnostics and other analytical applications. Barcode-based bioassays with the ability to encode and decode may realize this goal in a straightforward and consistent manner. We present here a microfluidic barcoded chip containing several sets of microchannels with different widths, imitating the commonly used barcode. A single barcoded microchip can carry out tens of individual protein/nucleic acid assays (encode) and immediately yield all assay results by a portable barcode reader or a smartphone (decode). The applicability of a barcoded microchip is demonstrated by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) immunoassays for simultaneous detection of three targets (anti-gp41 antibody, anti-gp120 antibody, and anti-gp36 antibody) from six human serum samples. We can also determine seven pathogen-specific oligonucleotides by a single chip containing both positive and negative controls.

Large-scale protein-protein interaction analysis in Arabidopsis mesophyll protoplasts by split firefly luciferase complementation.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jian-Feng; Bush, Jenifer; Xiong, Yan; Li, Lei; McCormack, Matthew

2011-01-01

Protein-protein interactions (PPIs) constitute the regulatory network that coordinates diverse cellular functions. There are growing needs in plant research for creating protein interaction maps behind complex cellular processes and at a systems biology level. However, only a few approaches have been successfully used for large-scale surveys of PPIs in plants, each having advantages and disadvantages. Here we present split firefly luciferase complementation (SFLC) as a highly sensitive and noninvasive technique for in planta PPI investigation. In this assay, the separate halves of a firefly luciferase can come into close proximity and transiently restore its catalytic activity only when their fusion partners, namely the two proteins of interest, interact with each other. This assay was conferred with quantitativeness and high throughput potential when the Arabidopsis mesophyll protoplast system and a microplate luminometer were employed for protein expression and luciferase measurement, respectively. Using the SFLC assay, we could monitor the dynamics of rapamycin-induced and ascomycin-disrupted interaction between Arabidopsis FRB and human FKBP proteins in a near real-time manner. As a proof of concept for large-scale PPI survey, we further applied the SFLC assay to testing 132 binary PPIs among 8 auxin response factors (ARFs) and 12 Aux/IAA proteins from Arabidopsis. Our results demonstrated that the SFLC assay is ideal for in vivo quantitative PPI analysis in plant cells and is particularly powerful for large-scale binary PPI screens.

Large-scale protein-protein interaction analysis in Arabidopsis mesophyll protoplasts by split firefly luciferase complementation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jian-Feng Li

Full Text Available Protein-protein interactions (PPIs constitute the regulatory network that coordinates diverse cellular functions. There are growing needs in plant research for creating protein interaction maps behind complex cellular processes and at a systems biology level. However, only a few approaches have been successfully used for large-scale surveys of PPIs in plants, each having advantages and disadvantages. Here we present split firefly luciferase complementation (SFLC as a highly sensitive and noninvasive technique for in planta PPI investigation. In this assay, the separate halves of a firefly luciferase can come into close proximity and transiently restore its catalytic activity only when their fusion partners, namely the two proteins of interest, interact with each other. This assay was conferred with quantitativeness and high throughput potential when the Arabidopsis mesophyll protoplast system and a microplate luminometer were employed for protein expression and luciferase measurement, respectively. Using the SFLC assay, we could monitor the dynamics of rapamycin-induced and ascomycin-disrupted interaction between Arabidopsis FRB and human FKBP proteins in a near real-time manner. As a proof of concept for large-scale PPI survey, we further applied the SFLC assay to testing 132 binary PPIs among 8 auxin response factors (ARFs and 12 Aux/IAA proteins from Arabidopsis. Our results demonstrated that the SFLC assay is ideal for in vivo quantitative PPI analysis in plant cells and is particularly powerful for large-scale binary PPI screens.

A flow cytometry-optimized assay using an SOS-green fluorescent protein (SOS-GFP) whole-cell biosensor for the detection of genotoxins in complex environments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Norman, Anders; Hansen, Lars H.; Sørensen, Søren Johannes

2006-01-01

/mL, and proved far more sensitive than a previously published assay using the same biosensor strain. By applying the SOS-green fluorescent protein (GFP) whole-cell biosensor directly to soil microcosms we were also able to evaluate both the applicability and sensitivity of a biosensor based on SOS...

Substrate coated with receptor and labelled ligand for assays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1980-01-01

Improvements in the procedures for assaying ligands are described. The assay consists of a polystyrene tube on which receptors are present for both the ligand to be assayed and a radioactively labelled form of the ligand. The receptors on the bottom portion of the tube are also coated with labelled ligands, thus eliminating the necessity for separate addition of the labelled ligand and sample during an assay. Examples of ligands to which this method is applicable include polypeptides, nucleotides, nucleosides and proteins. Specific examples are given in which the ligand to be assayed is digoxin, the labelled form of the ligand is 3-0-succinyl digoxyigenin tyrosine ( 125 I) and the receptor is digoxin antibody. (U.K.)

Monitoring cyclodextrin-polyviologen pseudopolyrotaxanes with the Bradford assay.

Science.gov (United States)

Belitsky, Jason M; Nelson, Alshakim; Stoddart, J Fraser

2006-01-21

Self-assembled multivalent pseudopolyrotaxanes, composed of lactoside-bearing cyclodextrin (CD) rings threaded on linear polyviologen polymers, have been introduced recently as flexible and dynamic neoglycoconjugates. In the course of this research, it was found that polyviologens are responsive to the Bradford assay, which is traditionally highly selective for proteins. The response of the pseudopolyrotaxanes to the Bradford assay was dependant on, and thus indicative of, the degree of threading of the CD rings onto the polyelectrolyte. The assay was then used to report on the threading and dethreading of native and lactoside-bearing alpha-CD rings onto and off of polyviologen chains, a phenomenon which demonstrates the utility of biochemical assays to address problems unique to supramolecular chemistry.

Contributions of procoagulants and anticoagulants to the international normalized ratio and thrombin generation assay in patients treated with warfarin: potential role of protein Z as a powerful determinant of coagulation assays.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Qute; Kim, Ji-Eun; Hyun, Jungwon; Han, Kyou-Sup; Kim, Hyun Kyung

2013-07-01

The effects of warfarin are measured with the international normalized ratio (INR). However, the thrombin generation assay (TGA) may offer more information about global coagulation. We analyzed the monitoring performance of the TGA and INR and investigated the impact of procoagulants (fibrinogen, factor (F)II, FVII, FIX, and FX) and anticoagulants (proteins C, S, and Z) on them. The TGA was performed on a calibrated automated thrombogram, producing lag time, endogenous thrombin potential (ETP), and peak thrombin in 239 patients treated with warfarin. Pro- and anticoagulant levels were also measured. The INR was significantly and inversely correlated with ETP. The therapeutic range of ETP comparable to an INR range of 2.0-3.0 was 290.1-494.6. ETP showed comparable performance to the INR as a warfarin-monitoring parameter with respect to clinical complication rate. The median levels of FII, FVII, FIX, and FX and proteins C and Z tended to decrease gradually with increasing anticoagulation intensity according to the INR or ETP. Of note, protein Z levels decreased dramatically with increasing anticoagulation status. INRs were significantly determined by FII, FVII, and protein Z. ETP was significantly dependent on FVII, and proteins C and Z concentration. Protein Z significantly reduced the total amount of thrombin generation and prolonged PT value in vitro. The INR and ETP exhibit similar efficacy for warfarin monitoring according to the clinical complication rate. Protein Z is considered to be a significant determinant of INR and ETP in patients on warfarin therapy. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Laser therapy of muscle injuries.

Science.gov (United States)

Dawood, Munqith S; Al-Salihi, Anam Rasheed; Qasim, Amenah Wala'a

2013-05-01

Low-level lasers are used in general therapy and healing process due to their good photo-bio-stimulation effects. In this paper, the effects of diode laser and Nd:YAG laser on the healing process of practically managed skeletal muscle trauma has been successfully studied. Standard impact trauma was induced by using a specially designed mechanical device. The impacted muscle was left for 3 days for complete development of blunt trauma. After that it was irradiated by five laser sessions for 5 days. Two types of lasers were used; 785-nm diode laser and 1.064-nm Nd:YAG laser, both in continuous and pulsed modes. A special electronic circuit was designed and implemented to modulate the diode laser for this purpose. Tissue samples of crushed skeletal muscle have been dissected from the injured irradiated muscle then bio-chemically analyzed for the regeneration of contractile and collagenous proteins using Lowry assay for protein determination and Reddy and Enwemeka assay for hydroxyproline determination. The results showed that both lasers stimulate the regeneration capability of traumatized skeletal muscle. The diode laser in CW and pulsed modes showed better results than the Nd:YAG in accelerating the preservation of the normal tissue content of collagenous and contractile proteins beside controlling the regeneration of non-functional fibrous tissue. This study proved that the healing achieved by the laser treatment was faster than the control group by 15-20 days.

Assay of 25-OH vitamin D3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nayer, P. de; Thalasso, M.; Beckers, C.

1977-01-01

A simplified version of the competitive protein binding assay for 25-OH vit D3 derived from the method of Belsey et al. is presented. The procedure does not include a chromatography step, and is performed on an alcoolic extract of 0.1 ml plasma or serum. Normal rat serum (1:20,000) was used as binding protein. No β-lipoproteins were added to the assay buffer. A 10% displacement of the tracer was observed at 0.04 ng/tube, and 50% at 0.15 ng/tube, allowing for the measurement of 25-OH vit D3 concentrations between 2 ng/ml and 200 ng/ml. Mean values in a normal group was 23.1 +- 6.5 ng/ml (range 16-37 ng/ml, n = 11). (orig.) [de

Enzymeaticial analysis and soluble proteins assays on radioprotective effects of cordyceps militaris

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yoo, Beong Gyu [Wonkwang Health Science College, Iksan (Korea, Republic of); Park, Joon Chul [Ansan 1 College, Ansan (Korea, Republic of)

2001-06-01

Effect of single pre-administration of Cordyceps militaries (Cm) extract on the survival ratio, body weight and organ weight changes and blood cell counts after whole-body {gamma}-irradiation were investigated. The single pre-administration of Cm extract at 24 hrs before {gamma}-irradiation increased the 40-day survival ration of irradiated mice from 60.1% to 71/4%. The administration of Cm extract completely prevented weight reductions of spleen and thymus produced by {gamma}-irradiation (P<0.01, P<0.05). Similar but somewhat less radioprotective effect was also found in the testis of the Cm treated mice. The administration of Cm extract retarded the reduction of both leukocyte and lymphocyte counts occured during the first 7 days and accelerated the recovery of the counts thereafter. The extract also accelerated the recovery of the erythrocyte counts occurred after the day 21th. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the soluble proteins extracted from various organs did not reveal differences to any extent in all groups except in the levers of the irradiated and extract treated groups, in which some proteins were missing or less present. Also, the result of general intra and extra mycelial enzyme assays with Cm, extramycelial enzyme activity was relatively higher than the intramycelial enzyme. Cm appeared to indicate that {alpha}-amylase was the highest among the enzymes and gluosidase and chitinase were followed. Since the spleen, thymus and testis have been well known as radiosensitive organs, the protective action of Cm extract on irradiated mice may be responsible for its enhancing recovery of these organs. Although the exact mechanism in protective effect of Cm extract on irradiated mice is not clear yet, the present study is the first report regarding the Cm which was tested and found to be a potential radioprotective agent.

Enzymeaticial analysis and soluble proteins assays on radioprotective effects of cordyceps militaris

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoo, Beong Gyu; Park, Joon Chul

2001-01-01

Effect of single pre-administration of Cordyceps militaries (Cm) extract on the survival ratio, body weight and organ weight changes and blood cell counts after whole-body γ-irradiation were investigated. The single pre-administration of Cm extract at 24 hrs before γ-irradiation increased the 40-day survival ration of irradiated mice from 60.1% to 71/4%. The administration of Cm extract completely prevented weight reductions of spleen and thymus produced by γ-irradiation (P<0.01, P<0.05). Similar but somewhat less radioprotective effect was also found in the testis of the Cm treated mice. The administration of Cm extract retarded the reduction of both leukocyte and lymphocyte counts occured during the first 7 days and accelerated the recovery of the counts thereafter. The extract also accelerated the recovery of the erythrocyte counts occurred after the day 21th. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the soluble proteins extracted from various organs did not reveal differences to any extent in all groups except in the levers of the irradiated and extract treated groups, in which some proteins were missing or less present. Also, the result of general intra and extra mycelial enzyme assays with Cm, extramycelial enzyme activity was relatively higher than the intramycelial enzyme. Cm appeared to indicate that α-amylase was the highest among the enzymes and gluosidase and chitinase were followed. Since the spleen, thymus and testis have been well known as radiosensitive organs, the protective action of Cm extract on irradiated mice may be responsible for its enhancing recovery of these organs. Although the exact mechanism in protective effect of Cm extract on irradiated mice is not clear yet, the present study is the first report regarding the Cm which was tested and found to be a potential radioprotective agent

A Functional Assay for GPR55: Envision Protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

Anavi-Goffer, Sharon; Ross, Ruth A

2016-01-01

AlphaScreen(®) SureFire(®) assay is a novel technology that combines luminescent oxygen channeling technology, nano-beads, and monocloncal antibodies to detect the level of a selected protein in a volume lower than 5 μl. This method is more sensitive compared with the traditional enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA), and can detect an increasing number of new targets. Here, we described a method for AlphaScreen(®) SureFire(®) assay that targets ERK1/2 phosphorylation, a primary downstream signaling pathway that conveys activation of GPR55 by L-α-lysophosphatidylinositol (LPI) and certain cannabinoids.

Exploration of the dynamic properties of protein complexes predicted from spatially constrained protein-protein interaction networks.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eric A Yen

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Protein complexes are not static, but rather highly dynamic with subunits that undergo 1-dimensional diffusion with respect to each other. Interactions within protein complexes are modulated through regulatory inputs that alter interactions and introduce new components and deplete existing components through exchange. While it is clear that the structure and function of any given protein complex is coupled to its dynamical properties, it remains a challenge to predict the possible conformations that complexes can adopt. Protein-fragment Complementation Assays detect physical interactions between protein pairs constrained to ≤8 nm from each other in living cells. This method has been used to build networks composed of 1000s of pair-wise interactions. Significantly, these networks contain a wealth of dynamic information, as the assay is fully reversible and the proteins are expressed in their natural context. In this study, we describe a method that extracts this valuable information in the form of predicted conformations, allowing the user to explore the conformational landscape, to search for structures that correlate with an activity state, and estimate the abundance of conformations in the living cell. The generator is based on a Markov Chain Monte Carlo simulation that uses the interaction dataset as input and is constrained by the physical resolution of the assay. We applied this method to an 18-member protein complex composed of the seven core proteins of the budding yeast Arp2/3 complex and 11 associated regulators and effector proteins. We generated 20,480 output structures and identified conformational states using principle component analysis. We interrogated the conformation landscape and found evidence of symmetry breaking, a mixture of likely active and inactive conformational states and dynamic exchange of the core protein Arc15 between core and regulatory components. Our method provides a novel tool for prediction and

Self-Checking Cell-Based Assays for GPCR Desensitization and Resensitization.

Science.gov (United States)

Fisher, Gregory W; Fuhrman, Margaret H; Adler, Sally A; Szent-Gyorgyi, Christopher; Waggoner, Alan S; Jarvik, Jonathan W

2014-09-01

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) play stimulatory or modulatory roles in numerous physiological states and processes, including growth and development, vision, taste and olfaction, behavior and learning, emotion and mood, inflammation, and autonomic functions such as blood pressure, heart rate, and digestion. GPCRs constitute the largest protein superfamily in the human and are the largest target class for prescription drugs, yet most are poorly characterized, and of the more than 350 nonolfactory human GPCRs, over 100 are orphans for which no endogenous ligand has yet been convincingly identified. We here describe new live-cell assays that use recombinant GPCRs to quantify two general features of GPCR cell biology-receptor desensitization and resensitization. The assays employ a fluorogen-activating protein (FAP) reporter that reversibly complexes with either of two soluble organic molecules (fluorogens) whose fluorescence is strongly enhanced when complexed with the FAP. Both assays require no wash or cleanup steps and are readily performed in microwell plates, making them adaptable to high-throughput drug discovery applications. © 2014 Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening.

Enzyme-immuno assay for total estrogens and human placental lactogen. Comparison with radio-immuno-assay in normal pregnancy-monitoring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raichvarg, D.; Tallet, F.; Lajeunie, E.; Bonnaire, Y.; Danglas, P.

1980-01-01

The concentrations of estrogens (E) and human placental lactogen (HLP) are estimated in sera by radio immuno-assay (RIA) and enzyme-immuno-assay (EIA). Statistical data indicate mean intra-assay variation coefficients of 7% and 12% for E and HLP tests, respectively. The correlation coefficient (RIA/EIA) are found higher than 0,9% for both hormonal assays. The dilution curves obtained by RIA and EIA are similar. However, Student'test gives a significant difference for E determination. In fact, total E and E 3 only are measured by EIA and RIA, respectively. In most cases biological interferences are negligible except for HLP in presence of higher protein or haemoglobin levels. RIA and EIA are performed to study serum HLP and E levels throughout normal pregnancies. Results allow to use EIA for HLP and E evaluations in pregnancy-monitoring [fr

Cytotoxicity and cytokine expression induced by silorane and methacrylate-based composite resins.

Science.gov (United States)

Longo, Daniele Lucca; Paula-Silva, Francisco Wanderley Garcia; Faccioli, Lucia Helena; Gatón-Hernández, Patrícia Maria; Queiroz, Alexandra Mussolino de; Silva, Léa Assed Bezerra da

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate cytotoxicity and cytokine production induced by light-cured or non-light-cured methacrylate-based and silorane composite resins in RAW 264.7 macrophages. Cells were stimulated with the extracts from light-cured or non-light-cured composite resins. After incubation for 24 h, cytotoxicity was assessed with the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assays, and total protein was quantified using the Lowry method. TNF-α detection was examined with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) conducted with cell supernatants after cell stimulation for 6, 12, and 24 h. Data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey's post hoc test (α=0.05). KaloreTM and FiltekTM Silorane were cytotoxic with or without light curing (p0.05). However, after 24 h FiltekTM Silorane inhibited the production of TNF-α (p<0.05). KaloreTM and FiltekTM Silorane were cytotoxic regardless of light curing. The extract obtained from KaloreTM after 15 days of incubation stimulated the production of TNF-α, unlike that obtained from FiltekTM Silorane.

Recombinant HT{sub m4} gene, protein and assays

Science.gov (United States)

Lim, B.; Adra, C.N.; Lelias, J.M.

1996-09-03

The invention relates to a recombinant DNA molecule which encodes a HT{sub m4} protein, a transformed host cell which has been stably transfected with a DNA molecule which encodes a HT{sub m4} protein and a recombinant HT{sub m4} protein. The invention also relates to a method for detecting the presence of a hereditary atopy. 2 figs.

Influência do tamanho das partículas na solubilização enzimática da proteína do farelo de soja = The influence of particle size in the enzymatic extraction of soybean meal protein

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maura Stenzel

2009-04-01

Full Text Available O objetivo deste trabalho foi verificar a influência do tamanho das partículas na quantidade de proteína solubilizada a partir do farelo de soja. O farelo foi peneirado e cada fração foi submetida à hidrólise enzimática com as proteases Alcalase e Flavourzyme. Ashidrólises foram realizadas a 60ºC, agitação de 100 rpm, concentração de Alcalase 0,5% (proteína/proteína por 3h e concentração de Flavourzyme 1% (proteína/proteína por 5h. A quantidade de proteína solubilizada foi determinada pelo método de Lowry. A análisegranulométrica do farelo mostrou que quase metade da amostra corresponde a partículas maiores que 1,68 mm. O modelo que resultou em melhor ajuste dos dados foi o GGS, e o diâmetro médio de Sauter da amostra foi 1,150 mm. Com relação à hidrólise enzimática,para as duas enzimas foi verificada uma tendência de aumento na quantidade solubilizada para as frações mais finas e maior efetividade da Alcalase na solubilização proteica. The objective of this work was to verify the influence of particlesize in the results of enzymatic extraction of soybean meal protein. The meal was classified in homogeneous fractions, and each was subjected to enzymatic hydrolysis with Alcalase and Flavourzyme proteases. The hydrolyses were conducted at 60ºC, with agitation of 100 rpm, 0.5% concentration of Alcalase (protein/protein for three hours, and 1% concentration of Flavourzyme (protein/protein for five hours. The results were analyzed based on the amount of solubilized protein, determined through the Lowry method. The granulometric analysis of the meal showed that almost half of the sample is composed of particles larger that 1.68 mm. The model that resulted in the best adjustment of experimental data was GGS, and the Sauter mean diameter of the sample was 1.150 mm. Regarding enzymatic hydrolysis, a trend of increase in the amount of solubilized proteinwas verified for both enzymes for the finer fractions and greater

Proseek single-plex protein assay kit system to detect sAxl and Gas6 in serological material of brain tumor patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Heidi Jaksch-Bogensperger

2018-06-01

Full Text Available • The receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK Axl and its ligand Gas6 are critically involved in the pathogenesis of high-grade glioma (HGG. Both proteins were found to be overexpressed e.g. in tumor cells, mediating cell proliferation and migration as well as tumor angiogenesis and neuroinflammation. The extracellular domain of Axl (sAxl and Gas6 were found in the peri-tumoral edema and blood of animals as well as in human glioma tissue. Therefore, we monitored the level of sAxl and Gas6 in human blood samples. To increase the sensitivity of protein detection beyond commonly used standard methods we preliminary tested the innovative Proseek Single-Plex Protein Assay Kit System from Olink Bioscience together with new antibodies against the soluble RTK sAxl and its ligand Gas6. We conclude that the Proseek method is a highly sensitive and fast procedure that can be used as a possible powerful tool compared to routinely used ELISA-methods.

Rapid 2,2'-bicinchoninic-based xylanase assay compatible with high throughput screening

Science.gov (United States)

William R. Kenealy; Thomas W. Jeffries

2003-01-01

High-throughput screening requires simple assays that give reliable quantitative results. A microplate assay was developed for reducing sugar analysis that uses a 2,2'-bicinchoninic-based protein reagent. Endo-1,4-â-D-xylanase activity against oat spelt xylan was detected at activities of 0.002 to 0.011 IU ml−1. The assay is linear for sugar...

Radioreceptor assay: theory and applications to pharmacology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perret, G.; Simon, P.

1984-01-01

The aim of the first part of this work is to present the theory of the radioreceptor assay and to compare it to the other techniques of radioanalysis (radioimmunoassay, competitive protein binding assays). The technology of the radioreceptor assay is then presented and its components (preparation of the receptors, radioligand, incubation medium) are described. The analytical characteristics of the radioreceptor assay (specificity, sensitivity, reproductibility, accuracy) and the pharmacological significance of the results are discussed. The second part is devoted to the description of the radioreceptor assays of some pharmacological classes (neuroleptics, tricyclic antidepressants, benzodiazepines, β-blockers, anticholinergic drugs) and to their use in therapeutic drug monitoring. In conclusion, by their nature, radioreceptor assays are highly sensitive, reliable, precise, accurate and simple to perform. Their chief disadvantage relates to specificity, since any substance having an appreciable affinity to the receptor site will displace the specifically bound radioligand. Paradoxically in some cases, this lack of specificity may be advantageous in that it allows for the detection of not only the apparent compound but of active metabolites and endogenous receptor agonists as well and in that radioreceptors assays can be devised for a whole pharmacological class and not only for one drug as it is the case for classical physico-chemical techniques. For all these reasons future of radioreceptor assay in pharmacology appears promising [fr

Identification of the major capsid protein of erythrocytic necrosis virus (ENV) and development of quantitative real-time PCR assays for quantification of ENV DNA

Science.gov (United States)

Purcell, Maureen K.; Pearman-Gillman, Schuyler; Thompson, Rachel L.; Gregg, Jacob L.; Hart, Lucas M.; Winton, James R.; Emmenegger, Eveline J.; Hershberger, Paul K.

2016-01-01

Viral erythrocytic necrosis (VEN) is a disease of marine and anadromous fish that is caused by the erythrocytic necrosis virus (ENV), which was recently identified as a novel member of family Iridoviridae by next-generation sequencing. Phylogenetic analysis of the ENV DNA polymerase grouped ENV with other erythrocytic iridoviruses from snakes and lizards. In the present study, we identified the gene encoding the ENV major capsid protein (MCP) and developed a quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) assay targeting this gene. Phylogenetic analysis of the MCP gene sequence supported the conclusion that ENV does not group with any of the currently described iridovirus genera. Because there is no information regarding genetic variation of the MCP gene across the reported host and geographic range for ENV, we also developed a second qPCR assay for a more conserved ATPase-like gene region. The MCP and ATPase qPCR assays demonstrated good analytical and diagnostic sensitivity and specificity based on samples from laboratory challenges of Pacific herring Clupea pallasii. The qPCR assays had similar diagnostic sensitivity and specificity as light microscopy of stained blood smears for the presence of intraerythrocytic inclusion bodies. However, the qPCR assays may detect viral DNA early in infection prior to the formation of inclusion bodies. Both qPCR assays appear suitable for viral surveillance or as a confirmatory test for ENV in Pacific herring from the Salish Sea.

Development and application of an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using recombinant truncated Cap protein for the diagnosis of porcine circovirus-like virus P1.

Science.gov (United States)

Wen, Li-bin; Wen, Shi-fu; He, Kong-wang

2016-01-19

Porcine circovirus-like virus P1 is a newly discovered virus. To date, there has been no specific serological assay for use in the diagnosis of P1 infection. Because P1 has high homology to porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) at the nucleotide level, the C-terminal portion of the capsid protein (amino acids 73-114), a discriminative antigen, was expressed in a prokaryotic expression system. The recombinant product (rctCap), composed of three identical repeated domains, was shown to be strongly immunoreactive to P1-specific serum. This assay was validated by comparison with an indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA). The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of the rctCap enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) developed in this study are 93.6% and 98.3%, respectively, compared with the results from IFAs on 450 sera samples from pigs. The indirect ELISA that we developed with rctCap, the recombinant capsid fragment containing the 217-342 nt repeat domain, was sensitive, specific, and suitable for the large-scale detection of P1 infections in swine.

Gene protein detection platform--a comparison of a new human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 assay with conventional immunohistochemistry and fluorescence in situ hybridization platforms.

Science.gov (United States)

Stålhammar, Gustav; Farrajota, Pedro; Olsson, Ann; Silva, Cristina; Hartman, Johan; Elmberger, Göran

2015-08-01

Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) immunohistochemistry (IHC) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) are widely used semiquantitative assays for selecting breast cancer patients for HER2 antibody therapy. However, both techniques have been shown to have disadvantages. Our aim was to test a recent automated technique of combined IHC and brightfield dual in situ hybridization-gene protein detection platform (GPDP)-in breast cancer HER2 protein, gene, and chromosome 17 centromere status evaluations, comparing the results in accordance to the American Society of Clinical Oncology/College of American Pathologists recommendations for HER2 testing in breast cancer from both 2007 and 2013. The GPDP technique performance was evaluated on 52 consecutive whole slide invasive breast cancer cases with HER2 IHC 2/3+ scoring results. Applying in turns the American Society of Clinical Oncology/College of American Pathologists recommendations for HER2 testing in breast cancer from 2007 and 2013 to both FISH and GPDP DISH assays, the HER2 gene amplification results showed 100% concordance among amplified/nonamplified cases, but there was a shift in 4 cases toward positive from equivocal results and toward equivocal from negative results. This might be related to the emphasis on the average HER2 copy number in the 2013 criteria. HER2 expression by IVD market IHC kit (Pathway®) has a strong correlation with GPDP HER2 protein, including a full concordance for all cases scored as 3+ and a reduction from 2+ to 1+ in 7 cases corresponding to nonamplified cases. Gene protein detection platform HER2 protein "solo" could have spared the need for 7 FISH studies. In addition, the platform offered advantages on interpretation reassurance including selecting areas for counting gene signals paralleled with protein IHC expression, on heterogeneity detection, interpretation time, technical time, and tissue expense. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for quantification of mouse surfactant protein D (SP-D)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Soren; Schmidt, Vivi; Steffensen, Maria Abildgaard

2008-01-01

characterized and validated for use in sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Based on two of these, we established an ELISA that allows for measurements of mouse SP-D in various body fluids. The final ELISA was optimized and calibrated with a standard of purified recombinant mouse SP-D, which......Surfactant protein D (SP-D) is a pattern recognition molecule of the collectin family of C-type lectins. It is found in the airways and at mucosal surfaces. SP-D is part of the innate immune system where it neutralizes and leads to elimination of microorganisms. It regulates the functions of other...... innate immune cells, such as macrophages and neutrophils. It also modulates the adaptive immune response by interacting with antigen-presenting cells and T cells. Monoclonal anti-mouse-SP-D antibodies were raised from SP-D deficient mice using recombinant SP-D as antigen. Ten monoclonal antibodies were...

Evaluation of an Immunochromatographic Assay for Rapid Detection of Penicillin-Binding Protein 2a in Human and Animal Staphylococcus intermedius Group, Staphylococcus lugdunensis, and Staphylococcus schleiferi Clinical Isolates.

Science.gov (United States)

Arnold, A R; Burnham, C-A D; Ford, B A; Lawhon, S D; McAllister, S K; Lonsway, D; Albrecht, V; Jerris, R C; Rasheed, J K; Limbago, B; Burd, E M; Westblade, L F

2016-03-01

The performance of a rapid penicillin-binding protein 2a (PBP2a) detection assay, the Alere PBP2a culture colony test, was evaluated for identification of PBP2a-mediated beta-lactam resistance in human and animal clinical isolates of Staphylococcus intermedius group, Staphylococcus lugdunensis, and Staphylococcus schleiferi. The assay was sensitive and specific, with all PBP2a-negative and PBP2a-positive strains testing negative and positive, respectively. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

The pH of chemistry assays plays an important role in monoclonal immunoglobulin interferences.

Science.gov (United States)

Alberti, Michael O; Drake, Thomas A; Song, Lu

2015-12-01

Immunoglobulin paraproteins can interfere with multiple chemistry assays. We want to investigate the mechanisms of immunoglobulin interference. Serum samples containing paraproteins from the index patient and eight additional patients were used to investigate the interference with the creatinine and total protein assays on the Beckman Coulter AU5400/2700 analyzer, and to determine the effects of pH and ionic strength on the precipitation of different immunoglobulins in these patient samples. The paraprotein interference with the creatinine and total protein assays was caused by the precipitation of IgM paraprotein in the index patient's samples under alkaline assay conditions. At extremely high pH (12-13) and extremely low pH (1-2) and low ionic strength, paraprotein formed large aggregates in samples from the index patient but not from other patients. The pH and ionic strength are the key factors that contribute to protein aggregation and precipitation which interfere with the creatinine and total protein measurements on AU5400/2700. The different amino acid sequence of each monoclonal paraprotein will determine the pH and ionic strength at which the paraprotein will precipitate.

Measurement of glutathione-protein mixed disulfides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Livesey, J.C.; Reed, D.J.

1984-01-01

The development of a sensitive and highly specific assay for the presence of mixed disulfides between protein thiol groups and endogenous thiols has been undertaken. Previous investigations on the concentrations of glutathione (GSH), glutathione disulfide (GSSG) and protein glutathione mixed disulfides (ProSSG) have been of limited usefulness because of the poor specificity of the assays used. Our assay for these forms of glutathione is based on high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and is an extension of an earlier method. After perchloric acid precipitation, the protein sample is washed with an organic solvent to fully denature the protein. Up to a 10-fold increase in GSH released from fetal bovine serum (FBS) protein has been found when the protein precipitate is washed with ethanol rather than ether, as earlier suggested. Similar effects have been observed with an as yet unidentified thiol which elutes in the chromatography system with a retention volume similar to cysteine

Fluorescence lifetime assays: current advances and applications in drug discovery.

Science.gov (United States)

Pritz, Stephan; Doering, Klaus; Woelcke, Julian; Hassiepen, Ulrich

2011-06-01

Fluorescence lifetime assays complement the portfolio of established assay formats available in drug discovery, particularly with the recent advances in microplate readers and the commercial availability of novel fluorescent labels. Fluorescence lifetime assists in lowering complexity of compound screening assays, affording a modular, toolbox-like approach to assay development and yielding robust homogeneous assays. To date, materials and procedures have been reported for biochemical assays on proteases, as well as on protein kinases and phosphatases. This article gives an overview of two assay families, distinguished by the origin of the fluorescence signal modulation. The pharmaceutical industry demands techniques with a robust, integrated compound profiling process and short turnaround times. Fluorescence lifetime assays have already helped the drug discovery field, in this sense, by enhancing productivity during the hit-to-lead and lead optimization phases. Future work will focus on covering other biochemical molecular modifications by investigating the detailed photo-physical mechanisms underlying the fluorescence signal.

Clinical applications of HPLC-competitive protein binding assay for serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Shouli

1989-01-01

This report describes the clinical applications of HPLC-competitive protein binding assay for serum 25(OH) Vit D in 156 cases. Serum 25(OH) Vit D of normal human was 33.1 +- 14.8 nmol/L (13.2 +- 5.9 ng/ml), while for various diseases are as follows: rickets, 18.0 +- 9.0 nmol/L (7.2 +- 3.6 ng/ml, n = 36, P 0.1); pneumonia of children, 33.8 +- 14.8 nmol/L (13.5 +- 5.9 ng/ml, n = 10, P > 0.5); cirrhosis, 13.8 +- 11.3 nmol/L (5.5 +- 4.5 ng/ml, n = 9, P 0.2); administration of anticonvulsant (1 to 15 years), 19.0 +- 6.5 nmol/L (7.6 +- 2.6 ng/ml, n = 19, P 6 months), 15.3 +- 5.0 nmol/L (6.1 +- 2.0 ng/ml, n = 6, P 0.5); pregnant women, 39.8 +- 16.5 nmol/L (15.9 +- 6.6 ng/ml, n = 7, P > 0.1). We found it is a useful reference value for most of the above diseased state especially for differentiation between rickets and hypervitaminosis

The ability of in vitro antioxidant assays to predict the efficiency of a cod protein hydrolysate and brown seaweed extract to prevent oxidation in marine food model systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Jónsdóttir, Rósa; Geirsdóttir, Margrét; Hamaguchi, Patricia Y; Jamnik, Polona; Kristinsson, Hordur G; Undeland, Ingrid

2016-04-01

The ability of different in vitro antioxidant assays to predict the efficiency of cod protein hydrolysate (CPH) and Fucus vesiculosus ethyl acetate extract (EA) towards lipid oxidation in haemoglobin-fortified washed cod mince and iron-containing cod liver oil emulsion was evaluated. The progression of oxidation was followed by sensory analysis, lipid hydroperoxides and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) in both systems, as well as loss of redness and protein carbonyls in the cod system. The in vitro tests revealed high reducing capacity, high DPPH radical scavenging properties and a high oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) value of the EA which also inhibited lipid and protein oxidation in the cod model system. The CPH had a high metal chelating capacity and was efficient against oxidation in the cod liver oil emulsion. The results indicate that the F. vesiculosus extract has a potential as an excellent natural antioxidant against lipid oxidation in fish muscle foods while protein hydrolysates are more promising for fish oil emulsions. The usefulness of in vitro assays to predict the antioxidative properties of new natural ingredients in foods thus depends on the knowledge about the food systems, particularly the main pro-oxidants present. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Specific and sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for analysis of residual allergenic food proteins in commercial bottled wine fined with egg white, milk, and nongrape-derived tannins.

Science.gov (United States)

Rolland, Jennifer M; Apostolou, Effie; de Leon, Maria P; Stockley, Creina S; O'Hehir, Robyn E

2008-01-23

Regulations introduced by the Food Standards Australia New Zealand in December 2002 require all wine and wine product labels in Australia to identify the presence of a processing aid, additive or other ingredient, which is known to be a potential allergen. The objective of this study was to establish sensitive assays to detect and measure allergenic proteins from commonly used processing aids in final bottled wine. Sensitive and specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) were developed and established for the proteins casein, ovalbumin, and peanut. Lower limits of detection of these proteins were 8, 1, and 8 ng/mL, respectively. A panel of 153 commercially available bottled Australian wines were tested by these ELISA, and except for two red wines known to contain added whole eggs, residuals of these food allergens were not detected in any wine. These findings are consistent with a lack of residual potentially allergenic egg-, milk-, or nut-derived processing aids in final bottled wine produced in Australia according to good manufacturing practice at a concentration that could cause an adverse reaction in egg, milk, or peanut/tree-nut allergic adult consumers.

Novel Biosensor of Membrane Protein Proximity Based on Fluorogen Activated Proteins.

Science.gov (United States)

Vasilev, Kalin V; Gallo, Eugenio; Shank, Nathaniel; Jarvik, Jonathan W

2016-01-01

We describe a novel biosensor system for reporting proximity between cell surface proteins in live cultured cells. The biosensor takes advantage of recently developed fluorogen-activating proteins (FAPs) that display fluorescence only when bound to otherwise-nonfluorescent fluorogen molecules. To demonstrate feasibility for the approach, two recombinant rapamycin-binding proteins were expressed as single-pass plasma membrane proteins in HeLa cells; one of the proteins (scAvd- FRB) carried an extracellular avidin tag; the other (HL1-TO1-FKBP) carried an extracellular FAP. Cells were incubated with a membrane-impermeable bivalent ligand (biotin-PEG2000-DIR) consisting of biotin joined to a dimethyl-indole red (DIR) fluorogen by a polyethylene glycol linker, thus tethering the fluorogen to the scAvd-FRB fusion protein. Addition of rapamycin, which promotes FKBP-FRB dimerization and thereby brings the FAP in close proximity to the tethered fluorogen, led to a significant increase in DIR fluorescence. We call the new proximity assay TEFLA, for tethered fluorogen assay.

Purification of thyrotropin from human hypophysis: preliminary preparation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borghi, V.C.; Lin, L.H.; Bartolini, P.

1988-07-01

The adequacy of stored crude preparations for isolation of human tyrotropin (TSH) was evaluated according to Ross et al from a side fraction obtained during the purification of growth hormone from frozen pituitaries (SOMATORMON). Six crude TSH preparations were stored at - 20 0 C during several years for further purification. One of these preparations was purified by sucessive chromatographies on Sephadex G-100, hydroxylapatite and SP-Sephadex C50. The TSH content present in the chromatographic fractions and in the pools was assayed by specific radioimmunoassay developed at our laboratory. The protein determination of the fractions and pools was performed by absorbance at 280 nm and by the method of Lowry at al, respectively. The TSH activity increased eight times during the purification and the TSH purified had a radioimmunological potency around half that de scribed by Roos at al. The results suggest the fitness of long time stored preparations in the attainment of pure TSH. (author) [pt

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using a virus type-specific peptide based on a subdomain of envelope protein e(rns) for serologic diagnosis of pestivirus infections in swine

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Langedijk, J.P.; Middel, W.G.; Meloen, R.H.; Kramps, J.A.; Smit, de J.A.

2001-01-01

Peptides deduced from the C-terminal end (residues 191 to 227) of pestivirus envelope protein Erns were used to develop enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) to measure specifically antibodies against different types of pestiviruses. The choice of the peptide was based on the modular structure

Comparison of cell-based and non-cell-based assay platforms for the detection of clinically relevant anti-drug neutralizing antibodies for immunogenicity assessment of therapeutic proteins.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Jenny; Wala, Iwona; Han, Hong; Nagatani, Janice; Barger, Troy; Civoli, Francesca; Kaliyaperumal, Arunan; Zhuang, Yao; Gupta, Shalini

2015-04-01

Anti-drug neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) formed due to unwanted immunogenicity of a therapeutic protein point towards a mature immune response. NAb detection is important in interpreting the therapeutic's efficacy and safety in vivo. In vitro cell-based NAb assays provide a physiological system for NAb detection, however are complex assays. Non-cell-based competitive ligand binding (CLB) approaches are also employed for NAb detection. Instead of cells, CLB assays use soluble receptor and conjugated reagents and are easier to perform, however have reduced physiological relevance. The aim of this study was to compare the performance of CLB assays to established cell-based assays to determine the former's ability to detect clinically relevant NAbs towards therapeutics that (i) acted as an agonist or (ii) acted as antagonists by binding to a target receptor. We performed a head-to-head comparison of the performance of cell-based and CLB NAb assays for erythropoietin (EPO) and two anti-receptor monoclonal antibodies (AMG-X and AMG 317). Clinically relevant NAb-positive samples identified previously by a cell-based assay were assessed in the corresponding CLB format(s). A panel of 12 engineered fully human anti-EPO monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) was tested in both EPO NAb assay formats. Our results showed that the CLB format was (i) capable of detecting human anti-EPO MAbs of differing neutralizing capabilities and affinities and (ii) provided similar results as the cell-based assay for detecting NAbs in patient samples. The cell-based and CLB assays also behaved comparably in detecting NAbs in clinical samples for AMG-X. In the case of anti-AMG 317 NAbs, the CLB format failed to detect NAbs in more than 50% of the tested samples. We conclude that assay sensitivity, drug tolerance and the selected assay matrix played an important role in the inability of AMG 317 CLB assays to detect clinically relevant NAbs. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

First 25-hydroxyvitamin D assay for general chemistry analyzers.

Science.gov (United States)

Saida, Fakhri B; Chen, Xiaoru; Tran, Kiet; Dou, Chao; Yuan, Chong

2015-03-01

25-Hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], the predominant circulating form of vitamin D, is an accurate indicator of the general vitamin D status of an individual. Because vitamin D deficiencies have been linked to several pathologies (including osteoporosis and rickets), accurate monitoring of 25(OH)D levels is becoming increasingly important in clinical settings. Current 25(OH)D assays are either chromatographic or immunoassay-based assays. These assays include HPLC, liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), enzyme-immunosorbent, immunochemiluminescence, immunofluorescence and radioimmunoassay. All these assays use heterogeneous formats that require phase separation and special instrumentations. In this article, we present an overview of these assays and introduce the first homogeneous assay of 25(OH)D for use on general chemistry analyzers. A special emphasis is put on the unique challenges posed by the 25(OH)D analyte. These challenges include a low detection limit, the dissociation of the analyte from its serum transporter and the inactivation of various binding proteins without phase separation steps.

Differentiation of foot-and-mouth disease virus-infected from vaccinated pigs by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using nonstructural protein 3AB as the antigen and application to an eradication program

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chung, Wen Bin; Sørensen, Karl Johan; Liao, Pei Chih

2002-01-01

Baculovirus-expressed foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) nonstructural protein 3AB was used as the antigen in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. This assay allowed the differentiation of vaccinated from infected pigs. Serial studies were performed using sera collected from pigs in the field...... in Taiwan showed that the positive reactors steadily decreased over time in both finishers and sows, indicating that the pig population risk of infection by FMDV has decreased....

Recombinant Helicobacter bilis Protein P167 for Mouse Serodiagnosis in a Multiplex Microbead Assay

OpenAIRE

Feng, Sunlian; Kendall, Lon V.; Hodzic, Emir; Wong, Scott; Lorenzana, Edward; Freet, Kimberly; Ku, Karin S.; Luciw, Paul A.; Barthold, Stephen W.; Khan, Imran H.

2004-01-01

Infection of mice with Helicobacter bilis is widespread in research and commercial mouse colonies. Therefore, sensitive, specific, and high-throughput assays are needed for rapid and accurate testing of mice in large numbers. This report describes a novel multiplex assay, based on fluorescent microbeads, for serodetection of H. bilis infection. The assay requires only a few microliters of serum to perform and is amenable to a high-throughput format. Individual microbead sets were conjugated t...

Interlaboratory Optimization and Evaluation of a Serological Assay for Diagnosis of Human Baylisascariasis

OpenAIRE

Rascoe, Lisa N.; Santamaria, Cynthia; Handali, Sukwan; Dangoudoubiyam, Sriveny; Kazacos, Kevin R.; Wilkins, Patricia P.; Ndao, Momar

2013-01-01

A Western blot assay using a recombinant protein, recombinant Baylisascaris procyonis RAG1 protein (rBpRAG1), was developed for the diagnosis of human baylisascariasis concurrently by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia, and the National Reference Centre for Parasitology (NRCP) in Montreal, Canada. Assay performance was assessed by testing 275 specimens at the CDC and 405 specimens at the NRCP. Twenty specimens from 16 cases of baylisascariasis were evalua...

Exponential isothermal amplification of nucleic acids and amplified assays for proteins, cells, and enzyme activities.

Science.gov (United States)

Reid, Michael S; Le, X Chris; Zhang, Hongquan

2018-04-27

Isothermal exponential amplification techniques, such as strand-displacement amplification (SDA), rolling circle amplification (RCA), loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), nucleic acid sequence-based amplification (NASBA), helicase-dependent amplification (HDA), and recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA), have great potential for on-site, point-of-care, and in-situ assay applications. These amplification techniques eliminate the need for temperature cycling required for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) while achieving comparable amplification yield. We highlight here recent advances in exponential amplification reaction (EXPAR) for the detection of nucleic acids, proteins, enzyme activities, cells, and metal ions. We discuss design strategies, enzyme reactions, detection techniques, and key features. Incorporation of fluorescence, colorimetric, chemiluminescence, Raman, and electrochemical approaches enables highly sensitive detection of a variety of targets. Remaining issues, such as undesirable background amplification resulting from non-specific template interactions, must be addressed to further improve isothermal and exponential amplification techniques. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Assay of ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pike, C.; Berry, J.

1987-01-01

Assays of ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase (rubisco) can be used to illustrate many properties of photosynthetic systems. Many different leaves have been assayed with this standard procedure. The tissue is ground with a mortar and pestle in extraction buffer. The supernatant after centrifugation is used as the source of enzyme. Buffer, RuBP, [ 14 C]-NaHCO 3 , and enzyme are combined in a scintillation vial; the reaction is run for 1 min at 30 0 . The acid-stable products are counted. Reproducibility in student experiments has been excellent. The assay data can be combined with analyses of leaf properties such as fresh and dry weight, chlorophyll and protein content, etc. Students have done projects such as the response of enzyme to temperature and to various inhibitors. They also report on the use of a transition state analog, carboxyarabinitol bisphosphate, to titrate the molar concentration of rubisco molecules (active sites) in an enzyme sample. Thus, using crude extracts the catalytic activity of a sample can be compared to the absolute quantity of enzyme or to the turnover number

Multiplex PCR assay for detection of recombinant genes encoding fatty acid desaturases fused with lichenase reporter protein in GM plants.

Science.gov (United States)

Berdichevets, Iryna N; Shimshilashvili, Hristina R; Gerasymenko, Iryna M; Sindarovska, Yana R; Sheludko, Yuriy V; Goldenkova-Pavlova, Irina V

2010-07-01

Thermostable lichenase encoded by licB gene of Clostridium thermocellum can be used as a reporter protein in plant, bacterial, yeast, and mammalian cells. It has important advantages of high sensitivity and specificity in qualitative and quantitative assays. Deletion variants of LicB (e.g., LicBM3) retain its enzymatic activity and thermostability and can be expressed in translational fusion with target proteins without compromising with their properties. Fusion with the lichenase reporter is especially convenient for the heterologous expression of proteins whose analysis is difficult or compromised by host enzyme activities, as it is in case of fatty acid desaturases occurring in all groups of organisms. Recombinant desaturase-lichenase genes can be used for creating genetically modified (GM) plants with improved chill tolerance. Development of an analytical method for detection of fused desaturase-lichenase transgenes is necessary both for production of GM plants and for their certification. Here, we report a multiplex polymerase chain reaction method for detection of desA and desC desaturase genes of cyanobacteria Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 and Synechococcus vulcanus, respectively, fused to licBM3 reporter in GM plants.

Identification of Rift Valley fever virus nucleocapsid protein-RNA binding inhibitors using a high-throughput screening assay.

Science.gov (United States)

Ellenbecker, Mary; Lanchy, Jean-Marc; Lodmell, J Stephen

2012-09-01

Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) is an emerging infectious pathogen that causes severe disease in humans and livestock and has the potential for global spread. Currently, there is no proven effective treatment for RVFV infection, and there is no licensed vaccine. Inhibition of RNA binding to the essential viral nucleocapsid (N) protein represents a potential antiviral therapeutic strategy because all of the functions performed by N during infection involve RNA binding. To target this interaction, we developed a fluorescence polarization-based high-throughput drug-screening assay and tested 26 424 chemical compounds for their ability to disrupt an N-RNA complex. From libraries of Food and Drug Administration-approved drugs, druglike molecules, and natural product extracts, we identified several lead compounds that are promising candidates for medicinal chemistry.

Comparison of Protein Phosphatase Inhibition Assay with LC-MS/MS for Diagnosis of Microcystin Toxicosis in Veterinary Cases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Caroline E. Moore

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Microcystins are acute hepatotoxins of increasing global concern in drinking and recreational waters and are a major health risk to humans and animals. Produced by cyanobacteria, microcystins inhibit serine/threonine protein phosphatase 1 (PP1. A cost-effective PP1 assay using p-nitrophenyl phosphate was developed to quickly assess water and rumen content samples. Significant inhibition was determined via a linear model, which compared increasing volumes of sample to the log-transformed ratio of the exposed rate over the control rate of PP1 activity. To test the usefulness of this model in diagnostic case investigations, samples from two veterinary cases were tested. In August 2013 fifteen cattle died around two ponds in Kentucky. While one pond and three tested rumen contents had significant PP1 inhibition and detectable levels of microcystin-LR, the other pond did not. In August 2013, a dog became fatally ill after swimming in Clear Lake, California. Lake water samples collected one and four weeks after the dog presented with clinical signs inhibited PP1 activity. Subsequent analysis using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS detected microcystin congeners -LR, -LA, -RR and -LF but not -YR. These diagnostic investigations illustrate the advantages of using functional assays in combination with LC-MS/MS.

A novel clot lysis assay for recombinant plasminogen activator.

Science.gov (United States)

Jamialahmadi, Oveis; Fazeli, Ahmad; Hashemi-Najafabadi, Sameereh; Fazeli, Mohammad Reza

2015-03-01

Recombinant plasminogen activator (r-PA, reteplase) is an engineered variant of alteplase. When expressed in E. coli, it appears as inclusion bodies that require refolding to recover its biological activity. An important step following refolding is to determine the activity of refolded protein. Current methods for enzymatic activity of thrombolytic drugs are costly and complex. Here a straightforward and low-cost clot lysis assay was developed. It quantitatively measures the activity of the commercial reteplase and is also capable of screening refolding conditions. As evidence for adequate accuracy and sensitivity of the current assay, r-PA activity measurements are shown to be comparable to those obtained from chromogenic substrate assay.

A molecular assay for sensitive detection of pathogen-specific T-cells.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Victoria O Kasprowicz

Full Text Available Here we describe the development and validation of a highly sensitive assay of antigen-specific IFN-γ production using real time quantitative PCR (qPCR for two reporters--monokine-induced by IFN-γ (MIG and the IFN-γ inducible protein-10 (IP10. We developed and validated the assay and applied it to the detection of CMV, HIV and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB specific responses, in a cohort of HIV co-infected patients. We compared the sensitivity of this assay to that of the ex vivo RD1 (ESAT-6 and CFP-10-specific IFN-γ Elispot assay. We observed a clear quantitative correlation between the two assays (P<0.001. Our assay proved to be a sensitive assay for the detection of MTB-specific T cells, could be performed on whole blood samples of fingerprick (50 uL volumes, and was not affected by HIV-mediated immunosuppression. This assay platform is potentially of utility in diagnosis of infection in this and other clinical settings.

Assay for intrinsic factor based on blocking of the R binder of gastric juice by cobinamide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Begley, J.A.; Trachtenberg, A.

1979-01-01

An in vitro assay for measurement of gastric juice intrinsic factor (IF) was developed based on the ability of the cobinamide (Cbi) [(CN, OH) Cbi] to bind to the gastric juice R-type binders of cobalamin (Cbl) and not to the IF binder. Subsequently added radioactive Cbl, CN-[ 57 Co] Cbl, binds only to the IF binders and allows for direct measurement of this Cbl binding protein. This Cbi blocking assay was found to function as well as the more conventional methods of IF measurement, G-100 column chromatography, and IF blocking antibody assay. The present assay has the advantage of eliminating the need for elaborate forms of protein separation and does not rely on a source of antibody

Independency of Fe ions in hemoglobin on immunomagnetic reduction assay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, S.Y.; Lan, C.B.; Chen, C.H.; Horng, H.E.; Hong, Chin-Yih; Yang, H.C.; Lai, Y.K.; Lin, Y.H.; Teng, K.S.

2009-01-01

Immunomagnetic reduction (IMR), which involves measuring the reduction in the ac magnetic susceptibility of magnetic reagents, is due to the association between bio-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles and target bio-molecules. This has been demonstrated for assaying proteins in solutions free of Fe ions, such as serum. In this work, the validity of IMR assay for samples rich in Fe ions like hemoglobin (Hb) is investigated. According to the results, there is no magnetic signal contributed by Fe-ion-rich Hb. Furthermore, the results show a high sensitivity in assaying hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) by using IMR.

Independency of Fe ions in hemoglobin on immunomagnetic reduction assay

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, S.Y. [MagQu Co. Ltd., Sindian City, Taipei County 231, Taiwan (China); Institute of Electro-optical Science and Technology, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei 116, Taiwan (China); Lan, C.B.; Chen, C.H. [Institute of Electro-optical Science and Technology, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei 116, Taiwan (China); Horng, H.E. [Institute of Electro-optical Science and Technology, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei 116, Taiwan (China)], E-mail: phyfv001@scc.ntnu.edu.tw; Hong, Chin-Yih [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Nan-Kai University of Technology, Nantau County, Taiwan (China)], E-mail: cyhong@nkut.edu.tw; Yang, H.C. [Department of Physics, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan (China)], E-mail: hcyang@phys.ntu.edu.tw; Lai, Y.K. [College of Life Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu City 300, Taiwan (China); Department of Bioresources, Da-Yeh University, Changhua 515, Taiwan (China); Lin, Y.H.; Teng, K.S. [Apex Biotechnology Co. Ltd., Hsinchu City 300, Taiwan (China)

2009-10-15

Immunomagnetic reduction (IMR), which involves measuring the reduction in the ac magnetic susceptibility of magnetic reagents, is due to the association between bio-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles and target bio-molecules. This has been demonstrated for assaying proteins in solutions free of Fe ions, such as serum. In this work, the validity of IMR assay for samples rich in Fe ions like hemoglobin (Hb) is investigated. According to the results, there is no magnetic signal contributed by Fe-ion-rich Hb. Furthermore, the results show a high sensitivity in assaying hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) by using IMR.

Evaluation of apoptosis and apoptosis proteins as possible markers of radiation at doses 0.1-2 Gy, in comparison to the micronucleus assay in three cell lines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jaworska, A.; Angelis, P. de

1997-01-01

In recent years the interest in apoptosis as possible indicator of radiation damage has increased. Studies have been done to examine the induction of apoptosis after ionizing radiation using morphological criteria, characteristic DNA damage pattern(ladders), early DNA damage using flow cytometry and/or expression of the proteins involved in apoptosis. But the picture which emerges from these investigations is unclear. Some researchers suggest that apoptosis studies can be used as potential assays of biological dosimetry, others doubt if apoptosis can be used as a marker of irradiation at all. Most studies have been done using relatively high doses of radiation. In this study we focus on apoptosis induction after relatively small doses (0,1-2 Gy). We detected apoptosis with the in situ terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase assay by flow cytometry, and measured the expression of proteins that regulate apoptosis (Bcl-2, Bax, P53) with Western blotting. As comparison we used the cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay as a reference. The studies were carried out in three lymphoid cell lines: the mouse lymphoma L5178Y resistant and sensitive cell lines widely used in radiobiological studies, and the human pre-B cell leukemia Reh cells. Our results indicate that we can not consider the examined parameters of apoptosis as markers of radiation in these cell lines. (author)

A Novel Detection Platform for Shrimp White Spot Syndrome Virus Using an ICP11-Dependent Immunomagnetic Reduction (IMR) Assay.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Bing-Hsien; Lin, Yu-Chen; Ho, Chia-Shin; Yang, Che-Chuan; Chang, Yun-Tsui; Chang, Jui-Feng; Li, Chun-Yuan; Cheng, Cheng-Shun; Huang, Jiun-Yan; Lee, Yen-Fu; Hsu, Ming-Hung; Lin, Feng-Chun; Wang, Hao-Ching; Lo, Chu-Fang; Yang, Shieh-Yueh; Wang, Han-Ching

2015-01-01

Shrimp white spot disease (WSD), which is caused by white spot syndrome virus (WSSV), is one of the world's most serious shrimp diseases. Our objective in this study was to use an immunomagnetic reduction (IMR) assay to develop a highly sensitive, automatic WSSV detection platform targeted against ICP11 (the most highly expressed WSSV protein). After characterizing the magnetic reagents (Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles coated with anti ICP11), the detection limit for ICP11 protein using IMR was approximately 2 x 10(-3) ng/ml, and the linear dynamic range of the assay was 0.1~1 x 10(6) ng/ml. In assays of ICP11 protein in pleopod protein lysates from healthy and WSSV-infected shrimp, IMR signals were successfully detected from shrimp with low WSSV genome copy numbers. We concluded that this IMR assay targeting ICP11 has potential for detecting the WSSV.

Immunoradiometric assay for the determination of E. coli proteins in recombinant dna derived human growth hormone produced at IPEN-CNEN/SP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soares, Carlos R.J.

1995-01-01

An immunoradiometric assay (IRMA) for the determination of multiple antigens was set up in order to quantify E. coli (ECP) in lots of purified recombinant human growth hormone (rec-hGH). SDS-PAGE and Western Blotting techniques were carried out, in parallel, to confirm the results obtained by IRMA and to provide more information about the contaminants. Anti-ECP antibodies were obtained by rabbit immunization with ECP, which were submitted to the same purification process utilized for rec-hGH with the exception of the last step. A strain-process-specific assay was thus set up. The antiserum obtained was purified through an affinity column prepared with the same ECP used for immunization, this provided an highly sensitive assay (0,03 ng ECP/mL). This IRMA was shown to be specific, not presenting any cross reaction with hGH and studies carried out on precision, accuracy and linearity of response with dilution confirmed its validity as one of the fundamental purity tests for rec-hGH produced at IPEN-CNEN/SP, whose principles can be easily extended to the analysis of other similar products. These studies have also shown that the utilization of an affinity column, prepared with the described anti-ECP antiserum was very effective, providing rec-hGH lots with less then 10 parts per million (0,001%) of contaminating proteins. (author). 45 refs., 15 figs., 11 tabs

[Assays of HbA1c and Amadori products in human biology].

Science.gov (United States)

Gillery, P

2014-09-01

Different Amadori products, formed during the early steps of the non-enzymatic glycation of proteins, may be assayed in current practice in human biology. The most important marker is HbA1c, resulting from the binding of glucose to the N-terminal extremity of HbA beta chains. HbA1c may be evaluated by various techniques (ion exchange or affinity high performance liquid chromatography, capillary electrophoresis, immunoassay, enzymatic technique) and is considered the best marker of diabetic patient survey. Due to its irreversible and cumulative formation, it provides a retrospective information on the glycemic balance over the four to eight weeks preceding blood collection. It benefits from an international standardization, based on a reference method using liquid chromatography coupled to capillary electrophoresis or mass spectrometry, maintained by an international network of reference laboratories. When HbA1c assay cannot be used (anemia, hemolysis, hemoglobinopathy) or when a shorter period of glycemic equilibrium must be evaluated (child and adolescent, pregnancy, therapeutic changes), other Amadori products may be assayed, like plasma fructosamine (all plasma glycated proteins) or glycated albumin. Nevertheless, these assays are less used in practice, because their semiological value has been less evidenced. Besides, fructosamine assay lacks specificity, and glycated albumin assay has been described recently. An expanding use of HbA1c assay is expected, especially for the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus and the evaluation of other risks, especially cardiovascular ones. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Analysis of Protein-Membrane Interactions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kemmer, Gerdi Christine

Cellular membranes are complex structures, consisting of hundreds of different lipids and proteins. These membranes act as barriers between distinct environments, constituting hot spots for many essential functions of the cell, including signaling, energy conversion, and transport. These functions....... Discovered interactions were then probed on the level of the membrane using liposome-based assays. In the second part, a transmembrane protein was investigated. Assays to probe activity of the plasma membrane ATPase (Arabidopsis thaliana H+ -ATPase isoform 2 (AHA2)) in single liposomes using both giant...... are implemented by soluble proteins reversibly binding to, as well as by integral membrane proteins embedded in, cellular membranes. The activity and interaction of these proteins is furthermore modulated by the lipids of the membrane. Here, liposomes were used as model membrane systems to investigate...

Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy Based Protein Assay for Cereal Samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Sezer, Banu; Bilge, Gonca; Boyaci, Ismail Hakki

2016-12-14

Protein content is an important quality parameter in terms of price, nutritional value, and labeling of various cereal samples. However, conventional analysis methods, namely, Kjeldahl and Dumas, have major drawbacks such as long analysis time, titration mistakes, and carrier gas dependence with high purity. For this reason, there is an urgent need for rapid, reliable, and environmentally friendly technologies for protein analysis. The present study aims to develop a new method for protein analysis in wheat flour and whole meal by using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), which is a multielemental, fast, and simple spectroscopic method. Unlike the Kjeldahl and Dumas methods, it has potential to analyze a high number of samples in considerably short time. In the study, nitrogen peaks in LIBS spectra of wheat flour and whole meal samples with different protein contents were correlated with results of the standard Dumas method with the aid of chemometric methods. A calibration graph showed good linearity with the protein content between 7.9 and 20.9% and a 0.992 coefficient of determination (R 2 ). The limit of detection was calculated as 0.26%. The results indicated that LIBS is a promising and reliable method with its high sensitivity for routine protein analysis in wheat flour and whole meal samples.

Fluorescence Polarization Screening Assays for Small Molecule Allosteric Modulators of ABL Kinase Function.

Science.gov (United States)

Grover, Prerna; Shi, Haibin; Baumgartner, Matthew; Camacho, Carlos J; Smithgall, Thomas E

2015-01-01

The ABL protein-tyrosine kinase regulates intracellular signaling pathways controlling diverse cellular processes and contributes to several forms of cancer. The kinase activity of ABL is repressed by intramolecular interactions involving its regulatory Ncap, SH3 and SH2 domains. Small molecules that allosterically regulate ABL kinase activity through its non-catalytic domains may represent selective probes of ABL function. Here we report a screening assay for chemical modulators of ABL kinase activity that target the regulatory interaction of the SH3 domain with the SH2-kinase linker. This fluorescence polarization (FP) assay is based on a purified recombinant ABL protein consisting of the N-cap, SH3 and SH2 domains plus the SH2-kinase linker (N32L protein) and a short fluorescein-labeled probe peptide that binds to the SH3 domain. In assay development experiments, we found that the probe peptide binds to the recombinant ABL N32L protein in vitro, producing a robust FP signal that can be competed with an excess of unlabeled peptide. The FP signal is not observed with control N32L proteins bearing either an inactivating mutation in the SH3 domain or enhanced SH3:linker interaction. A pilot screen of 1200 FDA-approved drugs identified four compounds that specifically reduced the FP signal by at least three standard deviations from the untreated controls. Secondary assays showed that one of these hit compounds, the antithrombotic drug dipyridamole, enhances ABL kinase activity in vitro to a greater extent than the previously described ABL agonist, DPH. Docking studies predicted that this compound binds to a pocket formed at the interface of the SH3 domain and the linker, suggesting that it activates ABL by disrupting this regulatory interaction. These results show that screening assays based on the non-catalytic domains of ABL can identify allosteric small molecule regulators of kinase function, providing a new approach to selective drug discovery for this important

Fluorescence Polarization Screening Assays for Small Molecule Allosteric Modulators of ABL Kinase Function.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Prerna Grover

Full Text Available The ABL protein-tyrosine kinase regulates intracellular signaling pathways controlling diverse cellular processes and contributes to several forms of cancer. The kinase activity of ABL is repressed by intramolecular interactions involving its regulatory Ncap, SH3 and SH2 domains. Small molecules that allosterically regulate ABL kinase activity through its non-catalytic domains may represent selective probes of ABL function. Here we report a screening assay for chemical modulators of ABL kinase activity that target the regulatory interaction of the SH3 domain with the SH2-kinase linker. This fluorescence polarization (FP assay is based on a purified recombinant ABL protein consisting of the N-cap, SH3 and SH2 domains plus the SH2-kinase linker (N32L protein and a short fluorescein-labeled probe peptide that binds to the SH3 domain. In assay development experiments, we found that the probe peptide binds to the recombinant ABL N32L protein in vitro, producing a robust FP signal that can be competed with an excess of unlabeled peptide. The FP signal is not observed with control N32L proteins bearing either an inactivating mutation in the SH3 domain or enhanced SH3:linker interaction. A pilot screen of 1200 FDA-approved drugs identified four compounds that specifically reduced the FP signal by at least three standard deviations from the untreated controls. Secondary assays showed that one of these hit compounds, the antithrombotic drug dipyridamole, enhances ABL kinase activity in vitro to a greater extent than the previously described ABL agonist, DPH. Docking studies predicted that this compound binds to a pocket formed at the interface of the SH3 domain and the linker, suggesting that it activates ABL by disrupting this regulatory interaction. These results show that screening assays based on the non-catalytic domains of ABL can identify allosteric small molecule regulators of kinase function, providing a new approach to selective drug discovery

ANALISA KADAR PROTEIN CRUDE ENZIM SELULASE DARI KAPANG Rhizopuz Sp PADA SUBSTRAT AMPAS TEBU HASIL ISOLASI DARI KEBUN CENGKEH, KARE, MADIUN

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pujiati pujiati

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Kapang Rhizopus sp merupakan salah satu mikroorganisme yang memiliki kemampuan tinggi untuk menghasilkan enzim selulase.Enzim selulase merupakan enzim yang dapat menghidrolisis selulosa. Hidrolisis meliputi proses pemecahan polisakarida di dalam biomassa lignoselulosa, yaitu: selulosa dan hemiselulosa menjadi monomer gula penyususnnya. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui produksi dan aktivitas enzim selulase terhadap aktivitas crude enzim selulase dari kapang Rhizopus sp dengan subsrtat ampas tebu (bagase. Metode penelitian menggunakan kuantitatif eksperimen dengan pola rancangan acak lengkap (RAL dua faktorial. Perlakuan penelitian meliputi perbedan inokulum (K yaitu 5% (K1, 15% (K2, 25% (K3 dan lama fermentasi (T yaitu 3hari (T1, 6hari (T2, 9hari (T3, dan 12hari (T4. Data yang diambil dari perlakuan tersebut adalah kadar protein dengan metode brownstead lowry. Analisis data menggunakan variansi anava dua jalur dengan taraf signifikansi 5% setelah itu dilanjutkan dengan uji Beda Nyata Terkecil (BNT . Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa: Fhit > Ftab sehingga ada pengaruh antara konsentrasi inokulum dan lama fermentasi terhadap aktivitas crude enzim selulase dari kapang Rhizopus sp, Perlakuan perbedaan konsentrasi dan lama fermentasi mendapatkan kadar protein tertinggi 0,715 dengan konsentrasi 25%  dan lama fementasi 25%

The assay of glucocerebrosidase activity using the natural substrate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strasberg, P.M.; Lowden, J.A.

1982-01-01

The authors have examined eight published methods for the assay of glucocerebrosidase using the natural substrate glucocerebroside and tabulated the variable components and conditions while comparing these methods to their own. In each case assays were performed using a 8000 fold, partially purified human placental enzyme, having a pH optimum of 5.4-5.6 and a Ksub(m) of approximately 0.60 mmol per liter. Results were obtained by following the release of radioactive ceramide or of unlabelled glucose. In many cases published results had been based on a one- or two-hour incubation time. Apparent specific activities varied over a 70-fold difference between the various procedures. When the authors measured activities from the linear (15-30 min) portion of rate curves the values increased by 1.4 to 3 times but still ranged from 6x10 3 -180x10 3 nmol. mg -1 protein h -1 . They obtained maximum velocity using 1.2 mmol glucocerebroside, 0.5% (w/v) crude taurocholate and 2 μg enzyme protein/ml. Specific activities reported from different laboratories are not directly comparable. Conditions for assay should be optimized for the enzyme preparation to be studied. (Auth.)

Performance characteristics of the ARCHITECT anti-HCV assay.

Science.gov (United States)

Jonas, Gesa; Pelzer, Claudia; Beckert, Christian; Hausmann, Michael; Kapprell, Hans-Peter

2005-10-01

The ARCHITECT Anti-HCV assay is a fully automated high throughput chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay (CMIA) for the detection of antibodies to structural and nonstructural proteins of the hepatitis C virus (HCV). To further enhance the performance of this test, the assay was modified to improve the specificity for blood donor specimens. The specificity of the enhanced ARCHITECT Anti-HCV assay was evaluated by screening blood donor samples randomly collected from various German blood banks, as well as hospitalized patient samples derived from Germany and the US. Additionally, antibody sensitivity was determined on commercially available anti-HCV seroconversion panels and on a commercially available worldwide anti-HCV genotype performance panel. Apparent specificity of the modified ARCHITECT Anti-HCV assay in a blood donor population consisting of 3811 specimens was 99.92%, compared to 99.76% for the current on-market assay. Additionally, antibody sensitivity was determined on commercially available anti-HCV seroconversion panels. Seroconversion sensitivity equivalent to or better than the current on-market product was observed by testing 33 seroconversion panels. This study demonstrates that the modified version of the ARCHITECT Anti-HCV assay shows improved specificity for blood donor specimens compared to the current assay on market without compromising sensitivity. With the availability of the improved ARCHITECT Anti-HCV assay and the recent launch of the ARCHITECT HIV Ag/Ab Combo assay, the ARCHITECT system now offers a full hepatitis/retrovirus menu with excellent performance on a high throughput, random access, automated analyzer, ideally suited for blood screening and diagnostic applications.

The Manchester Acute Coronary Syndromes (MACS) decision rule: validation with a new automated assay for heart-type fatty acid binding protein.

Science.gov (United States)

Body, Richard; Burrows, Gillian; Carley, Simon; Lewis, Philip S

2015-10-01

The Manchester Acute Coronary Syndromes (MACS) decision rule may enable acute coronary syndromes to be immediately 'ruled in' or 'ruled out' in the emergency department. The rule incorporates heart-type fatty acid binding protein (h-FABP) and high sensitivity troponin T levels. The rule was previously validated using a semiautomated h-FABP assay that was not practical for clinical implementation. We aimed to validate the rule with an automated h-FABP assay that could be used clinically. In this prospective diagnostic cohort study we included patients presenting to the emergency department with suspected cardiac chest pain. Serum drawn on arrival was tested for h-FABP using an automated immunoturbidimetric assay (Randox) and high sensitivity troponin T (Roche). The primary outcome, a diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), was adjudicated based on 12 h troponin testing. A secondary outcome, major adverse cardiac events (MACE; death, AMI, revascularisation or new coronary stenosis), was determined at 30 days. Of the 456 patients included, 78 (17.1%) had AMI and 97 (21.3%) developed MACE. Using the automated h-FABP assay, the MACS rule had the same C-statistic for MACE as the original rule (0.91; 95% CI 0.88 to 0.92). 18.9% of patients were identified as 'very low risk' and thus eligible for immediate discharge with no missed AMIs and a 2.3% incidence of MACE (n=2, both coronary stenoses). 11.1% of patients were classed as 'high-risk' and had a 92.0% incidence of MACE. Our findings validate the performance of a refined MACS rule incorporating an automated h-FABP assay, facilitating use in clinical settings. The effectiveness of this refined rule should be verified in an interventional trial prior to implementation. UK CRN 8376. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Two-Phase Microfluidic Systems for High Throughput Quantification of Agglutination Assays

KAUST Repository

Castro, David

2018-04-01

Lab-on-Chip, the miniaturization of the chemical and analytical lab, is an endeavor that seems to come out of science fiction yet is slowly becoming a reality. It is a multidisciplinary field that combines different areas of science and engineering. Within these areas, microfluidics is a specialized field that deals with the behavior, control and manipulation of small volumes of fluids. Agglutination assays are rapid, single-step, low-cost immunoassays that use microspheres to detect a wide variety molecules and pathogens by using a specific antigen-antibody interaction. Agglutination assays are particularly suitable for the miniaturization and automation that two-phase microfluidics can offer, a combination that can help tackle the ever pressing need of high-throughput screening for blood banks, epidemiology, food banks diagnosis of infectious diseases. In this thesis, we present a two-phase microfluidic system capable of incubating and quantifying agglutination assays. The microfluidic channel is a simple fabrication solution, using laboratory tubing. These assays are incubated by highly efficient passive mixing with a sample-to-answer time of 2.5 min, a 5-10 fold improvement over traditional agglutination assays. It has a user-friendly interface that that does not require droplet generators, in which a pipette is used to continuously insert assays on-demand, with no down-time in between experiments at 360 assays/h. System parameters are explored, using the streptavidin-biotin interaction as a model assay, with a minimum detection limit of 50 ng/mL using optical image analysis. We compare optical image analysis and light scattering as quantification methods, and demonstrate the first light scattering quantification of agglutination assays in a two-phase ow format. The application can be potentially applied to other biomarkers, which we demonstrate using C-reactive protein (CRP) assays. Using our system, we can take a commercially available CRP qualitative slide

A method of radiocompetitive assay of total thyroxine in the serum by means of enzymatic release of thyroxine from the transporting proteins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Snarski, A.; Wyrwinski, J.

1978-01-01

Pepsin causes denaturation of the transporting proteins and liberates thyroxine which can be assayed by the radiocompetitive method. Change of the pH of the medium from acid to alkaline inactivates irreveribly pepsin. The enzymatic release of thyroxine is much simpler that the method of ethanol extraction and thermal denaturation of the transporting proteins applied up to now. The new technique of thyroxine release has been introduced for radiocompetitive determination of thyroxine using dextran coated charcoal for adsorption of the free hormone. A new method has been elaborated for preparation of working standards of thyroxine in a mixture of pepsin solution with hormone-free serum. The method is efficient and rapid. The normal range is from 50 to 130 nanomol/l. Over 7 000 determinations were done as yet in patients with suspected thyroid function disturbances. (author)

Multi-site analytical evaluation of the Abbott ARCHITECT tacrolimus assay.

Science.gov (United States)

Wallemacq, Pierre; Goffinet, Jean-Sebastien; O'Morchoe, Susan; Rosiere, Thomas; Maine, Gregory T; Labalette, Myriam; Aimo, Giuseppe; Dickson, Diana; Schmidt, Ed; Schwinzer, Reinhard; Schmid, Rainer W

2009-04-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the analytical performance of the Abbott ARCHITECT Tacrolimus immunoassay. Proficiency panels and specimens from a population of organ transplant recipients were analyzed in 6 clinical laboratories in Europe and the United States, and the results were compared with other methods. The ARCHITECT assay requires a whole blood specimen pretreatment step with methanol/zinc sulfate to precipitate protein and extract the drug, followed by a 30-minute immunoassay using anti-tacrolimus antibody-coated paramagnetic microparticles and an acridinium-tacrolimus tracer. The assay was free from hematocrit interference in the range 25%-55% and from interference by extremes of cholesterol, triglycerides, bilirubin, total protein, and uric acid. The total percent of coefficient of variations of the assay were 4.9%-7.6% at 3 ng/mL, 2.9%-4.6% at 8.6 ng/mL, and 3.1%-8.2% at 15.5 ng/mL. Limit of detection was Abbott IMx Tacrolimus II immunoassay (4 sites) yielded average biases between -0.94 and +0.26 ng/mL; ARCHITECT assay versus the Dade Dimension Tacrolimus immunoassay (2 sites) yielded average biases of -0.46 and +0.11 ng/mL; and ARCHITECT assay versus LC-MSMS methods at 2 sites yielded average biases of +0.51 and +1.63 ng/mL. Spearman correlation coefficients were >/=0.90 on all method comparisons. The ARCHITECT Tacrolimus assay is a semiautomated, robust, and highly sensitive immunoassay, representing an alternative approach for laboratories not equipped with LC-MSMS, and meets the 1 ng/mL recommendation of LOQ by the European Consensus Conference on Tacrolimus Optimization.

Detection and characterisation of Complement protein activity in bovine milk by bactericidal sequestration assay.

Science.gov (United States)

Maye, Susan; Stanton, Catherine; Fitzgerald, Gerald F; Kelly, Philip M

2015-08-01

While the Complement protein system in human milk is well characterised, there is little information on its presence and activity in bovine milk. Complement forms part of the innate immune system, hence the importance of its contribution during milk ingestion to the overall defences of the neonate. A bactericidal sequestration assay, featuring a Complement sensitive strain, Escherichia coli 0111, originally used to characterise Complement activity in human milk was successfully applied to freshly drawn bovine milk samples, thus, providing an opportunity to compare Complement activities in both human and bovine milks. Although not identical in response, the levels of Complement activity in bovine milk were found to be closely comparable with that of human milk. Differential counts of Esch. coli 0111 after 2 h incubation were 6.20 and 6.06 log CFU/ml, for raw bovine and human milks, respectively - the lower value representing a stronger Complement response. Exposing bovine milk to a range of thermal treatments e.g. 42, 45, 65, 72, 85 or 95 °C for 10 min, progressively inhibited Complement activity by increasing temperature, thus confirming the heat labile nature of this immune protein system. Low level Complement activity was found, however, in 65 and 72 °C heat treated samples and in retailed pasteurised milk which highlights the outer limit to which high temperature, short time (HTST) industrial thermal processes should be applied if retention of activity is a priority. Concentration of Complement in the fat phase was evident following cream separation, and this was also reflected in the further loss of activity recorded in low fat variants of retailed pasteurised milk. Laboratory-based churning of the cream during simulated buttermaking generated an aqueous (buttermilk) phase with higher levels of Complement activity than the fat phase, thus pointing to a likely association with the milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) layer.

Comet assay. Pt.1. Theory and practice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kruszewski, M.; Wojewodzka, M.; Iwanenko, T.

1996-01-01

Comet assay is a new method for measuring DNA breakage in a single cell. The main applications of the method are estimation of DNA single and double strand breaks, oxidative damage, pyrimidine dimers and (6-4)photoproducts, DNA-DNA and DNA-protein crosslinks. The method is used for studying DNA damage and its repair. (author).19 refs, 9 figs

A lanthipeptide library used to identify a protein-protein interaction inhibitor.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Xiao; Lennard, Katherine R; He, Chang; Walker, Mark C; Ball, Andrew T; Doigneaux, Cyrielle; Tavassoli, Ali; van der Donk, Wilfred A

2018-04-01

In this article we describe the production and screening of a genetically encoded library of 10 6 lanthipeptides in Escherichia coli using the substrate-tolerant lanthipeptide synthetase ProcM. This plasmid-encoded library was combined with a bacterial reverse two-hybrid system for the interaction of the HIV p6 protein with the UEV domain of the human TSG101 protein, which is a critical protein-protein interaction for HIV budding from infected cells. Using this approach, we identified an inhibitor of this interaction from the lanthipeptide library, whose activity was verified in vitro and in cell-based virus-like particle-budding assays. Given the variety of lanthipeptide backbone scaffolds that may be produced with ProcM, this method may be used for the generation of genetically encoded libraries of natural product-like lanthipeptides containing substantial structural diversity. Such libraries may be combined with any cell-based assay to identify lanthipeptides with new biological activities.

Drosophila comet assay: insights, uses, and future perspectives

Science.gov (United States)

Gaivão, Isabel; Sierra, L. María

2014-01-01

The comet assay, a very useful tool in genotoxicity and DNA repair testing, is being applied to Drosophila melanogaster since around 15 years ago, by several research groups. This organism is a valuable model for all kind of processes related to human health, including DNA damage response. The assay has been performed mainly in vivo using different larvae cell types (from brain, midgut, hemolymph, and imaginal disk), but also in vitro with the S2 cell line. Since its first application, it has been used to analyze the genotoxicity and action mechanisms of different chemicals, demonstrating good sensitivity and proving its usefulness. Moreover, it is the only assay that can be used to analyze DNA repair in somatic cells in vivo, comparing the effects of chemicals in different repair strains, and to quantitate repair activities in vitro. Additionally, the comet assay in Drosophila, in vivo and in vitro, has been applied to study the influence of protein overexpression on genome integrity and degradation. Although the assay is well established, it could benefit from some research to determine optimal experimental design to standardize it, and then to allow comparisons among laboratories independently of the chosen cell type. PMID:25221574

Development of a solid-phase assay for measurement of proteolytic enzyme activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Varani, J.; Johnson, K.; Kaplan, J.

1980-01-01

A solid-phase, plate assay was developed for the measurement of proteolytic enzyme activity. In this assay procedure, radiolabeled substrates were dried onto the surface of microtiter wells. Following drying, the wells were washed two times with saline to remove the nonadherent substrate. When proteolytic enzymes were added to the wells, protein hydrolysis occurred, releasing radioactivity into the supernatant fluid. The amount of protein hydrolysis that occurred was reflected by the amount of radioactivity in the supernatant fluid. When 125 I-hemoglobin was used as the substrate, it was as susceptible to hydrolysis by trypsin in the solid-phase assay as it was in solution in a standard assay procedure. Protease activity from a variety of sources (including from viable cells as well as from extracellular sources) were also able to hydrolyze the hemoglobin on the plate. 125 I-Labeled serum albumen, fibrinogen, and rat pulmonary basement membrane were also susceptible to hydrolysis by trypsin in the solid phase. When [ 14 C]elastin was dried onto the plate, it behaved in a similar manner to elastin in solution. It was resistant to hydrolysis by nonspecific proteases such as trypsin and chymotrypsin but was highly susceptible to hydrolysis by elastase. The solid-phase plate assay has several features which recommended it for routine use. It is as sensitive as standard tube assays (and much more sensitive than routinely used colormetric assays). It is quick and convenient; there are no precipitation, centrifugation, or filtration steps. In addition, very small volumes of radioactive wastes are generated. Another advantage of the solid-phase plate assay is the resistance of the dried substrates to spontaneous breakdown and to microbial contamination. Finally, this assay is suitable for use with viable cells as well as for extracellular proteases

A Luciferase Reporter Gene Assay to Measure Ebola Virus Viral Protein 35-Associated Inhibition of Double-Stranded RNA-Stimulated, Retinoic Acid-Inducible Gene 1-Mediated Induction of Interferon β.

Science.gov (United States)

Cannas, Valeria; Daino, Gian Luca; Corona, Angela; Esposito, Francesca; Tramontano, Enzo

2015-10-01

During Ebola virus (EBOV) infection, the type I interferon α/β (IFN-α/β) innate immune response is suppressed by EBOV viral protein 35 (VP35), a validated drug target. Identification of EBOV VP35 inhibitors requires a cellular system able to assess the VP35-based inhibitory functions of viral double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) IFN-β induction. We established a miniaturized luciferase gene reporter assay in A549 cells that measures IFN-β induction by viral dsRNA and is dose-dependently inhibited by VP35 expression. When compared to influenza A virus NS1 protein, EBOV VP35 showed improved inhibition of viral dsRNA-based IFN-β induction. This assay can be used to screen for EBOV VP35 inhibitors. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

A deadenylase assay by size-exclusion chromatography.

Science.gov (United States)

He, Guang-Jun; Yan, Yong-Bin

2012-01-01

The shortening of the 3'-end poly(A) tail, also called deadenylation, is crucial to the regulation of mRNA processing, transportation, translation and degradation. The deadenylation process is achieved by deadenylases, which specifically catalyze the removal of the poly(A) tail at the 3'-end of eukaryotic mRNAs and release 5'-AMP as the product. To achieve their physiological functions, all deadenylases have numerous binding partners that may regulate their catalytic properties or recruit them into various protein complexes. To study the effects of various partners, it is important to develop new deadenylase assay that can be applied either in vivo or in vitro. In this research, we developed the deadenylase assay by the size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) method. The SEC analysis indicated that the poly(A) or oligo(A) substrate and the product AMP could be successfully separated and quantified. The enzymatic parameters of deadenylase could be obtained by quantifying the AMP generation. When using the commercial poly(A) as the substrate, a biphasic catalytic process was observed, which might correlate to the two distinct states of poly(A) in the commercial samples. Different lots of commercial poly(A) had dissimilar size distributions and were dissimilar in response to the degradation of deadenylase. The deadenylation pattern, processive or distributive, could also be investigated using the SEC assay by monitoring the status of the substrate and the generation kinetics of AMP and A2. The SEC assay was applicable to both simple samples using the purified enzyme and complex enzyme reaction conditions such as using protein mixtures or crude cell extracts as samples. The influence of solutes with absorption at 254 nm could be successfully eliminated by constructing the different SEC profiles.

Insulin-like growth factors: assay methods and their implications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guyda, H.J.; Posner, B.I.; Schiffrin, A.; Rappaport, R.; Postel-Vinay, M.C.; Corvol, M.T.

1981-01-01

The insulin-like growth factors (IGF's) are small molecular weight peptides (6-10 x 10 3 daltons) that circulate in blood plasma almost entirely bound to macromolecular carrier proteins. The growth-promoting and insulin-like activities of IGF's can be explained by the observed ability of these peptides to interact with the IGF receptor on the one hand and with the insulin receptor on the other. These observations have led to the establishment of radioreceptor assays (RRA's), competitive protein binding assays (CPBA's), and more recently radioimmunoassays (RIA's) for the IGF's that have different specificities. Because of their ease of performance and sensitivity, the radioligand assays have largely supplanted the biological assays originally utilized to identify and characterize these anabolic peptides. In this report the authors' studies are summarised which utilize a slightly acidic IGF which has been purified on the basis of its insulin-like activity in an insulin RRA and which was termed ILAs. They refer to purified insulin-like peptides that have the properties of a somatomedin by the generic term insulin-like growth factor (IGF). Somatomedin (SM) activity will be utilized to connote that activity in plasma or serum determined by bioassay. The competitive dose-response curves for IGF peptides in the insulin RRA as well as those in the ILAs RRA are presented. A combination of bioassays, RRA and RIA were employed to assess somatomedin activity and IGF peptide levels in a number of clinical circumstances. The correlations are discussed. (Auth.)

A new scintillation proximity assay-based approach for the detection of KRAS mutations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, So-Young; Lim, Jae-Cheong; Cho, Eun-Ha; Jung, Sung-Hee [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI), Daejeon (Korea, Republic of). Radioisotope Research Div.

2016-04-01

KRAS is very commonly mutated resulting in a constitutively activated protein, which is independent of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) ligand binding and resistant to anti-EGFR therapy. Although KRAS is frequently studied, there is still no uniform standard for detecting of KRAS mutations. In this report, a new scintillation proximity assay-based approach is described that determines the relative affinities of wild-type and mutated KRAS to the anti-KRAS antibody. We performed in vitro experiments using normal human colonic cells (CCD18Co), KRAS wild type (Caco-2) and KRAS mutant (HCT 116) cell lines to determine the relative affinities of wild type or mutated KRAS toward an anti-KRAS monoclonal antibody. The process consists of two primary steps: immunoprecipitation from cell lysate to enrich the KRAS protein and the scintillation proximity assay of the immunoprecipitant to determine the relative affinity against the antibody. A fixed concentration of cell lysates was purified by the immunoprecipitation method. The expressions of the KRAS protein in all cell lines was quantitatively confirmed by western blot analysis. For the scintillation proximity assay, the KRAS standard protein was radiolabeled with {sup 125}I by a simple mixing process in the iodogen tube immediately at room temperature immediately before use. The obtained CPM (count per minute) values of were used to calculate the KRAS concentration using purified KRAS as the standard. The calculated relative affinities of 7 μg of Caco-2 and HCT 116 immunoprecipitants for the anti-KRAS antibody were 77 and 0%, respectively. The newly developed scintillation proximity assay-based strategy determines the relative affinities of wild-type or mutated KRAS towards the anti-KRAS monoclonal antibody. This determination can help distinguish mutated KRAS from the wild type protein. The new SPA based approach for detecting KRAS mutations is applicable to many other cancer-related mutations.

A new scintillation proximity assay-based approach for the detection of KRAS mutations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, So-Young; Lim, Jae-Cheong; Cho, Eun-Ha; Jung, Sung-Hee

2016-01-01

KRAS is very commonly mutated resulting in a constitutively activated protein, which is independent of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) ligand binding and resistant to anti-EGFR therapy. Although KRAS is frequently studied, there is still no uniform standard for detecting of KRAS mutations. In this report, a new scintillation proximity assay-based approach is described that determines the relative affinities of wild-type and mutated KRAS to the anti-KRAS antibody. We performed in vitro experiments using normal human colonic cells (CCD18Co), KRAS wild type (Caco-2) and KRAS mutant (HCT 116) cell lines to determine the relative affinities of wild type or mutated KRAS toward an anti-KRAS monoclonal antibody. The process consists of two primary steps: immunoprecipitation from cell lysate to enrich the KRAS protein and the scintillation proximity assay of the immunoprecipitant to determine the relative affinity against the antibody. A fixed concentration of cell lysates was purified by the immunoprecipitation method. The expressions of the KRAS protein in all cell lines was quantitatively confirmed by western blot analysis. For the scintillation proximity assay, the KRAS standard protein was radiolabeled with 125 I by a simple mixing process in the iodogen tube immediately at room temperature immediately before use. The obtained CPM (count per minute) values of were used to calculate the KRAS concentration using purified KRAS as the standard. The calculated relative affinities of 7 μg of Caco-2 and HCT 116 immunoprecipitants for the anti-KRAS antibody were 77 and 0%, respectively. The newly developed scintillation proximity assay-based strategy determines the relative affinities of wild-type or mutated KRAS towards the anti-KRAS monoclonal antibody. This determination can help distinguish mutated KRAS from the wild type protein. The new SPA based approach for detecting KRAS mutations is applicable to many other cancer-related mutations.

Evaluation of a radioreceptor assay for TSH receptor autoantibodies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rootwelt, K.

1988-02-01

A commercial radioreceptor assay for TSH receptor autoantibodies (TRAb), based on solubilized porcine receptor and purified radio-iodinated bovine TSH, was tested in 264 subjects with a variety of thyroid disorders. The sensitivity of the assay for the detection of hyperthyroid Graves' disease was 91%. The assay specificity for Graves' disease was 95%. With the exception of one patient with Hashimoto's disease and one patient with de Quervain's subacute thyroiditis no subjects other than Graves' patients had detectable TRAb. Thus purely blocking TSII receptor autoantibodies were not detected with the assay. One female with thyroxine-treated idiopathic primary hypothyroidism who had given birth to two children with transiently elevated TSH, was found to have a circulating TSH-binding substance that resulted in an abnormally negative TRAb value, and highly discrepant results when TSH was measured with a double antibody TSH radioimmunoassay and an immunoradiometric assay. The TSH-binding substance was precipitated like a protein, but was not IgG. Similar findings have not previously been reported.

Agarose gel shift assay reveals that calreticulin favors substrates with a quaternary structure in solution

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Boelt, Sanne Grundvad; Houen, Gunnar; Højrup, Peter

2015-01-01

Here we present an agarose gel shift assay that, in contrast to other electrophoresis approaches, is loaded in the center of the gel. This allows proteins to migrate in either direction according to their isoelectric points. Therefore, the presented assay enables a direct visualization, separation...... structure. It is also demonstrated that the agarose gel shift assay is useful in the study of other protein interactions and can be used as an alternative method to native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis....... measure of interactions. Therefore, no interaction studies between calreticulin and substrates in solution have been investigated previously. The results presented here indicate that calreticulin has a preference for substrates with a quaternary structure and primarily β-sheets in their secondary...

[Comparison of the clinical performance of the ECLusys HBsAg II assay with the Lumipulse f and HISCL 2000-i HBsAg screening assays].

Science.gov (United States)

Sugiura, Aya; Iwahara, Kunihiro; Suga, Yasuyuki; Uchiyama, Sachinori; Maekawa, Masato

2012-02-01

We compared the ECLusys HBsAgII (ECL HBsAg) assay to the Lumipulse Forte (LPf HBsAg) and HISCL (HIS HBsAg) assays. Measurement of dilution panels for which the WHO HBsAg international reference panel was the parent specimen revealed that the ECL and HIS assays enabled detection to a theoretical level of 0.04 IU/mL, whereas the LPf assay enabled detection to a level of 0.08 IU/mL. In a specificity test using high RF positive specimens (n = 33), pregnancy specimens (n = 35), cytomegalovirus antibody positive specimens (n = 36), and high M protein positive specimens (n = 21) that were confirmed negative for HBsAg by the LPf assay, negative results were obtained for all specimens on the HIS assay, but the ECL assay yielded a positive result for one of the high RF positive specimens. This individual was suggested on further testing to be an HBV carrier who was strongly positive for HBc antibody. In HBsAg mutants detection test, the detection rate was 92.3% with the ECL assay and 69.2% with the HIS assay. In a correlation test using routinely collected clinical specimens (n = 155), including positive stock specimens, aside from the one case where the LPf assay gave a negative result but both the ECL and HIS assays gave positive results, all of the results were consistent for all specimens. The above results confirmed that the ECL assay is both highly sensitive and specific, and also enables a high rate of HBsAg mutant detection.

External Quality Control for Dried Blood Spot Based C-reactive Protein Assay: Experience from the Indonesia Family Life Survey and the Longitudinal Aging Study in India

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Peifeng; Herningtyas, Elizabeth H.; Kale, Varsha; Crimmins, Eileen M.; Risbud, Arun R.; McCreath, Heather; Lee, Jinkook; Strauss, John; O’Brien, Jennifer C.; Bloom, David E.; Seeman, Teresa E.

2015-01-01

Measurement of C-reactive protein, a marker of inflammation, in dried blood spots has been increasingly incorporated in community-based social surveys internationally. Although the dried blood spot based CRP assay protocol has been validated in the United States, it remains unclear whether laboratories in other less developed countries can generate C-reactive protein results of similar quality. We therefore conducted external quality monitoring for dried blood spot based C-reactive protein measurement for the Indonesia Family Life Survey and the Longitudinal Aging Study in India. Our results show that dried blood spot based C-reactive protein results in these two countries have excellent and consistent correlations with serum-based values and dried blood spot based results from the reference laboratory in the United States. Even though the results from duplicate samples may have fluctuations in absolute values over time, the relative order of C-reactive protein levels remains similar and the estimates are reasonably precise for population-based studies that investigate the association between socioeconomic factors and health. PMID:25879265

[Comparison of the clinical performance of the ECLusys HIV combi assay with the Lumipulse f and HISCL 2000-i HIV-1/2 ab screening assays].

Science.gov (United States)

Sugiura, Aya; Iwahara, Kunihiro; Suga, Yasuyuki; Uchiyama, Sachinori; Maekawa, Masato

2012-04-01

We compared the ECLusys HIV combi assay (ECL HIV Ag/Ab) to the Lumipulse Forte (LPf HIV 1/2 Ab) and HISCL (HIS HIV 1/2 Ab) assays. In a dilution sensitivity test using dilution panels of WHO HIV antibody international reference panel (HIV-1 Subtype A, B, C, E, HIV-1 Group O, HIV-2) and HIV-1/2 Ab CE marked material(HIV-1, HIV-2) parent specimens, the ECL assay enabled detection at a higher level of sensitivity than either the LPf assay or the HIS assay for all dilution panels. In an early detection test in the early phase of infection in which a BBI HIV seroconversion panel was used, the ECL assay enabled detection 7 days after initial blood sample collection, whereas the LPf and HIS assays enabled detection after 27 days. In a specificity test using high RF positive specimens (n=33), pregnancy specimens (n=35), cytomegalovirus antibody positive specimens (n=36), and high M protein positive specimens (n=21) that were confirmed negative for HIV-1/2 antibodies by the LPf assay, negative results were obtained for all specimens on both the ECL assay and the HIS assay. In a correlation test using routinely collected clinical specimens (n=121), including positive stock specimens, the ECL and HIS assays demonstrated the highest agreement rate 98.3%. The above results confirmed that the fourth-generation reagent ECL assay, which simultaneously detects both HIV-1/2 antibodies and p24 antigens, is both highly sensitive and specific, and is a suitable assay for use in routine testing.

A Broad G Protein-Coupled Receptor Internalization Assay that Combines SNAP-Tag Labeling, Diffusion-Enhanced Resonance Energy Transfer, and a Highly Emissive Terbium Cryptate.

Science.gov (United States)

Levoye, Angélique; Zwier, Jurriaan M; Jaracz-Ros, Agnieszka; Klipfel, Laurence; Cottet, Martin; Maurel, Damien; Bdioui, Sara; Balabanian, Karl; Prézeau, Laurent; Trinquet, Eric; Durroux, Thierry; Bachelerie, Françoise

2015-01-01

Although G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) internalization has long been considered as a major aspect of the desensitization process that tunes ligand responsiveness, internalization is also involved in receptor resensitization and signaling, as well as the ligand scavenging function of some atypical receptors. Internalization thus contributes to the diversity of GPCR-dependent signaling, and its dynamics and quantification in living cells has generated considerable interest. We developed a robust and sensitive assay to follow and quantify ligand-induced and constitutive-induced GPCR internalization but also receptor recycling in living cells. This assay is based on diffusion-enhanced resonance energy transfer (DERET) between cell surface GPCRs labeled with a luminescent terbium cryptate donor and a fluorescein acceptor present in the culture medium. GPCR internalization results in a quantifiable reduction of energy transfer. This method yields a high signal-to-noise ratio due to time-resolved measurements. For various GPCRs belonging to different classes, we demonstrated that constitutive and ligand-induced internalization could be monitored as a function of time and ligand concentration, thus allowing accurate quantitative determination of kinetics of receptor internalization but also half-maximal effective or inhibitory concentrations of compounds. In addition to its selectivity and sensitivity, we provided evidence that DERET-based internalization assay is particularly suitable for characterizing biased ligands. Furthermore, the determination of a Z'-factor value of 0.45 indicates the quality and suitability of DERET-based internalization assay for high-throughput screening (HTS) of compounds that may modulate GPCRs internalization.

A selection that reports on protein-protein interactions within a thermophilic bacterium.

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen, Peter Q; Silberg, Jonathan J

2010-07-01

Many proteins can be split into fragments that exhibit enhanced function upon fusion to interacting proteins. While this strategy has been widely used to create protein-fragment complementation assays (PCAs) for discovering protein-protein interactions within mesophilic organisms, similar assays have not yet been developed for studying natural and engineered protein complexes at the temperatures where thermophilic microbes grow. We describe the development of a selection for protein-protein interactions within Thermus thermophilus that is based upon growth complementation by fragments of Thermotoga neapolitana adenylate kinase (AK(Tn)). Complementation studies with an engineered thermophile (PQN1) that is not viable above 75 degrees C because its adk gene has been replaced by a Geobacillus stearothermophilus ortholog revealed that growth could be restored at 78 degrees C by a vector that coexpresses polypeptides corresponding to residues 1-79 and 80-220 of AK(Tn). In contrast, PQN1 growth was not complemented by AK(Tn) fragments harboring a C156A mutation within the zinc-binding tetracysteine motif unless these fragments were fused to Thermotoga maritima chemotaxis proteins that heterodimerize (CheA and CheY) or homodimerize (CheX). This enhanced complementation is interpreted as arising from chemotaxis protein-protein interactions, since AK(Tn)-C156A fragments having only one polypeptide fused to a chemotaxis protein did not complement PQN1 to the same extent. This selection increases the maximum temperature where a PCA can be used to engineer thermostable protein complexes and to map protein-protein interactions.

An Evaluation Study of Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) Using Recombinant Protein Pap31 for Detection of Antibody against Bartonella bacilliformis Infection among the Peruvian Population

Science.gov (United States)

Angkasekwinai, Nasikarn; Atkins, Erin H.; Romero, Sofia; Grieco, John; Chao, Chien Chung; Ching, Wei Mei

2014-01-01

Reliable laboratory testing is of great importance to detect Bartonella bacilliformis infection. We evaluated the sensitivity and specificity of the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using recombinant protein Pap31 (rPap31) for the detection of antibodies against B. bacilliformis as compared with immunofluorescent assay (IFA). Of the 302 sera collected between 1997 and 2000 among an at-risk Peruvian population, 103 and 34 samples tested positive for IFA-immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IFA-IgM, respectively. By using Youden's index, the cutoff values of ELISA-IgG at 0.915 gave a sensitivity of 84.5% and specificity of 94%. The cutoff values of ELISA-IgM at 0.634 gave a sensitivity of 88.2% and specificity of 85.1%. Using latent class analysis, estimates of sensitivity and specificity of almost all the assays were slightly higher than those of a conventional method of calculation. The test is proved beneficial for discriminating between infected and non-infected individuals with the advantage of low-cost and high-throughput capability. PMID:24515944

75 FR 2853 - False Killer Whale Take Reduction Team Meeting

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-19

... interactions in Hawaiian waters. Pacific Science 59:593-601. Carretta J.V., K.A. Forney, M.S. Lowry, J. Barlow....S. Lowry, J. Barlow, J. Baker, D. Johnston, B. Hanson, R.L. Brownell Jr., J. Robbins, D.K. Mattila...

Measurement of amyloid formation by turbidity assay-seeing through the cloud.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Ran; So, Masatomo; Maat, Hendrik; Ray, Nicholas J; Arisaka, Fumio; Goto, Yuji; Carver, John A; Hall, Damien

2016-01-01

Detection of amyloid growth is commonly carried out by measurement of solution turbidity, a low-cost assay procedure based on the intrinsic light scattering properties of the protein aggregate. Here, we review the biophysical chemistry associated with the turbidimetric assay methodology, exploring the reviewed literature using a series of pedagogical kinetic simulations. In turn, these simulations are used to interrogate the literature concerned with in vitro drug screening and the assessment of amyloid aggregation mechanisms.

Development of a novel in vitro assay for the evaluation of integron DNA integrase activity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fatemeh Tohidi

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Integrons play an important role in multidrug resistance. The integron platform codes for integrase (intI that is required for gene cassette integration through site-specific recombination. The recombination crossover occurs between the G and TT nucleotides in non-palindromic attI and palindromic attC sites. The aim of this study was to establish an efficient in vitro assay for integrase purification and activity detection. To this end, the intI gene was cloned into the pET-22b plasmid. Then, the resulting recombinant plasmid was transformed into Escherichia coli Origami™ strain. The recombinant protein expression was confirmed by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE and western blot assays. The recombinant intI protein was purified by nickel–nitrilotriacetic acid (Ni–NTA affinity chromatography, and its activity was measured by a newly introduced assay. Briefly, specific primers for each side of attI and attC were used, thereby, a polymerase chain reaction would be performed, if a fused plasmid containing both attI and attC sites was created upon recombination. SDS-PAGE and western blotting confirmed the presence of a 38-kDa recombinant protein. Optimum conditions were established for the measurement of the integrase activity and a new model assay was conducted to analyse the recombination activity in vitro. Although the electrophoretic mobility shift assay is an efficient and reliable method, the newly introduced assay provided new or enhanced capability to determine the integrase activity, suggesting that there is no need for expensive and advanced equipment.

Receptor-based screening assays for the detection of antibiotics residues - A review.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmed, Saeed; Ning, Jianan; Cheng, Guyue; Ahmad, Ijaz; Li, Jun; Mingyue, Liu; Qu, Wei; Iqbal, Mujahid; Shabbir, M A B; Yuan, Zonghui

2017-05-01

Consumer and regulatory agencies have a high concern to antibiotic residues in food producing animals, so appropriate screening assays of fast, sensitive, low cost, and easy sample preparation for the identification of these residues are essential for the food-safety insurance. Great efforts in the development of a high-throughput antibiotic screening assay have been made in recent years. Concerning the screening of antibiotic residue, this review elaborate an overview on the availability, advancement and applicability of antibiotic receptor based screening assays for the safety assessment of antibiotics usage (i.e. radio receptor assay, enzyme labeling assays, colloidal gold receptor assay, enzyme colorimetry assay and biosensor assay). This manuscript also tries to shed a light on the selection, preparation and future perspective of receptor protein for antibiotic residue detection. These assays have been introduced for the screening of numerous food samples. Receptor based screening technology for antibiotic detection has high accuracy. It has been concluded that at the same time, it can detect a class of drugs for certain receptor, and realize the multi-residue detection. These assays offer fast, easy and precise detection of antibiotics. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A novel cell-based assay to measure activity of Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus nsP2 protease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Campos-Gomez, Javier; Ahmad, Fahim; Rodriguez, Efrain; Saeed, Mohammad F.

2016-01-01

The encephalitic alphaviruses encode nsP2 protease (nsP2pro), which because of its vital role in virus replication, represents an attractive target for therapeutic intervention. To facilitate the discovery of nsP2 inhibitors we have developed a novel assay for quantitative measurement of nsP2pro activity in a cell-based format. The assay is based on a substrate fusion protein consisting of eGFP and Gaussia luciferase (Gluc) linked together by a small peptide containing a VEEV nsp2pro cleavage sequence. The expression of the substrate protein in cells along with recombinant nsP2pro results in cleavage of the substrate protein resulting in extracellular release of free Gluc. The Gluc activity in supernatants corresponds to intracellular nsP2pro-mediated substrate cleavage; thus, providing a simple and convenient way to quantify nsP2pro activity. Here, we demonstrate potential utility of the assay in identification of nsP2pro inhibitors, as well as in investigations related to molecular characterization of nsP2pro. - Highlights: • A novel cell-based assay to measure VEEV nsP2 protease activity was developed. • Assay utility was demonstrated for antiviral screening. • .The assay also proved to be useful in basic mechanistic studies of nsP2 protease.

A novel cell-based assay to measure activity of Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus nsP2 protease

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Campos-Gomez, Javier; Ahmad, Fahim; Rodriguez, Efrain; Saeed, Mohammad F., E-mail: saeed@southernresearch.org

2016-09-15

The encephalitic alphaviruses encode nsP2 protease (nsP2pro), which because of its vital role in virus replication, represents an attractive target for therapeutic intervention. To facilitate the discovery of nsP2 inhibitors we have developed a novel assay for quantitative measurement of nsP2pro activity in a cell-based format. The assay is based on a substrate fusion protein consisting of eGFP and Gaussia luciferase (Gluc) linked together by a small peptide containing a VEEV nsp2pro cleavage sequence. The expression of the substrate protein in cells along with recombinant nsP2pro results in cleavage of the substrate protein resulting in extracellular release of free Gluc. The Gluc activity in supernatants corresponds to intracellular nsP2pro-mediated substrate cleavage; thus, providing a simple and convenient way to quantify nsP2pro activity. Here, we demonstrate potential utility of the assay in identification of nsP2pro inhibitors, as well as in investigations related to molecular characterization of nsP2pro. - Highlights: • A novel cell-based assay to measure VEEV nsP2 protease activity was developed. • Assay utility was demonstrated for antiviral screening. • .The assay also proved to be useful in basic mechanistic studies of nsP2 protease.

Optimization of a colorimetric assay for glycosylated human serum albumin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bohney, J.P.; Feldhoff, R.C.

1986-01-01

The thiobarbituric acid (TBA) assay has been used for several years to quantitate the amount of glucose which has been non-enzymatically linked to hemoglobin and other proteins. The ketoamine-protein adduct is converted to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) by mild hydrolysis with oxalic acid. Reaction of HMF with TBA yields a colored product which has an absorbance maximum at 443 nm. Several modifications of the original procedure has been published, but none permit the unambiguous quantitation of glycosylated human serum albumin (glc-HSA). Problems relate to reagent preparation and stability, the time and temperature of hydrolysis, the choice of standards, and background color corrections. The authors have found that maximum color yield occurs after hydrolysis in an autoclave for 2 h. This increases the sensitivity 3-fold and cuts the assay time in half relative to hydrolysis for 4.5 h at 100 0 C. A NaBH 4 reduction of a parallel protein sample must be performed to correct for variable background color associated with different sample sources and amounts. HMF can be used as a standard, however, corrections must be made for HMF degradation. Fructose is a better standard, but HMF formation from fructose is faster than formation from glc-HSA. This may result in an underestimate of percent glycosylation. The best standard appears to be glc-HSA prepared with [ 3 H]glucose. It appears that with proper controls and standards the TBA assay can be used to determine actual rather than relative percent glycosylation

High-throughput assessment of context-dependent effects of chromatin proteins

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brueckner, L. (Laura); Van Arensbergen, J. (Joris); Akhtar, W. (Waseem); L. Pagie (Ludo); B. van Steensel (Bas)

2016-01-01

textabstractBackground: Chromatin proteins control gene activity in a concerted manner. We developed a high-throughput assay to study the effects of the local chromatin environment on the regulatory activity of a protein of interest. The assay combines a previously reported multiplexing strategy

Selective alteration of adult hippocampal neurogenesis and impaired spatial pattern separation performance in the RSK2-deficient mouse model of Coffin-Lowry syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Castillon, Charlotte; Lunion, Steeve; Desvignes, Nathalie; Hanauer, André; Laroche, Serge; Poirier, Roseline

2018-07-01

Adult neurogenesis is involved in certain hippocampus-dependent cognitive functions and is linked to psychiatric diseases including intellectual disabilities. The Coffin-Lowry syndrome (CLS) is a developmental disorder caused by mutations in the Rsk2 gene and characterized by intellectual disabilities associated with growth retardation. How RSK2-deficiency leads to cognitive dysfunctions in CLS is however poorly understood. Here, using Rsk2 Knock-Out mice, we characterized the impact of RSK2 deficiency on adult hippocampal neurogenesis in vivo. We report that the absence of RSK2 does not affect basal proliferation, differentiation and survival of dentate gyrus adult-born neurons but alters the maturation progression of young immature newborn neurons. Moreover, when RSK2-deficient mice were submitted to spatial learning, in contrast to wild-type mice, proliferation of adult generated neurons was decreased and no pro-survival effect of learning was observed. Thus, learning failed to recruit a selective population of young newborn neurons in association with deficient long-term memory recall. Given the proposed role of the dentate gyrus and of adult-generated newborn neurons in hippocampal-dependent pattern separation function, we explored this function in a delayed non-matching to place task and in an object-place pattern separation task and report severe deficits in spatial pattern separation in Rsk2-KO mice. Together, this study reveals a previously unknown role for RSK2 in the early stages of maturation and learning-dependent involvement of adult-born dentate gyrus neurons. These alterations associated with a deficit in the ability of RSK2-deficient mice to finely discriminate relatively similar spatial configurations, may contribute to cognitive dysfunction in CLS. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The TRPC2 channel forms protein-protein interactions with Homer and RTP in the rat vomeronasal organ

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brann Jessica H

2010-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The signal transduction cascade operational in the vomeronasal organ (VNO of the olfactory system detects odorants important for prey localization, mating, and social recognition. While the protein machinery transducing these external cues has been individually well characterized, little attention has been paid to the role of protein-protein interactions among these molecules. Development of an in vitro expression system for the transient receptor potential 2 channel (TRPC2, which establishes the first electrical signal in the pheromone transduction pathway, led to the discovery of two protein partners that couple with the channel in the native VNO. Results Homer family proteins were expressed in both male and female adult VNO, particularly Homer 1b/c and Homer 3. In addition to this family of scaffolding proteins, the chaperones receptor transporting protein 1 (RTP1 and receptor expression enhancing protein 1 (REEP1 were also expressed. RTP1 was localized broadly across the VNO sensory epithelium, goblet cells, and the soft palate. Both Homer and RTP1 formed protein-protein interactions with TRPC2 in native reciprocal pull-down assays and RTP1 increased surface expression of TRPC2 in in vitro assays. The RTP1-dependent TRPC2 surface expression was paralleled with an increase in ATP-stimulated whole-cell current in an in vitro patch-clamp electrophysiological assay. Conclusions TRPC2 expression and channel activity is regulated by chaperone- and scaffolding-associated proteins, which could modulate the transduction of chemosignals. The developed in vitro expression system, as described here, will be advantageous for detailed investigations into TRPC2 channel activity and cell signalling, for a channel protein that was traditionally difficult to physiologically assess.

Specific binding assay technique; standardization of reagent

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huggins, K.G.; Roitt, I.M.

1979-01-01

The standardization of a labelled constituent, such as anti-IgE, for use in a specific binding assay method is disclosed. A labelled ligand, such as IgE, is standardized against a ligand reference substance, such as WHO standard IgE, to determine the weight of IgE protein represented by the labelled ligand. Anti-light chain antibodies are contacted with varying concentrations of the labelled ligand. The ligand is then contacted with the labelled constituent which is then quantitated in relation to the amount of ligand protein present. The preparation of 131 I-labelled IgE is described. Also disclosed is an improved specific binding assay test method for determining the potency of an allergen extract in serum from an allergic individual. The improvement involved using a parallel model system of a second complex which consisted of anti-light chain antibodies, labelled ligand and the standardized labelled constituent (anti-IgE). The amount of standardized labelled constituent bound to the ligand in the first complex was determined, as described above, and the weight of ligand inhibited by addition of soluble allergen was then used as a measure of the potency of the allergen extract. (author)

An acoustic prion assay

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gordon Hayward

2016-12-01

Full Text Available An acoustic prion assay has been demonstrated for sheep brain samples. Only five false positives and no false negatives were observed in a test of 45 positive and 45 negative samples. The acoustic prion sensor was constructed using a thickness shear mode quartz resonator coated with a covalently bound recombinant prion protein. The characteristic indicator of a scrapie infected sheep brain sample was an observed shoulder in the frequency decrease in response to a sample.The response of the sensor aligns with a conformational shift in the surface protein and with the propagation mechanism of the disease. This alignment is evident in the response timing and shape, dependence on concentration, cross species behaviour and impact of blood plasma. This alignment is far from sufficient to prove the mechanism of the sensor but it does offer the possibility of a rapid and inexpensive additional tool to explore prion disease. Keywords: Prions, Thickness shear mode quartz sensor

Development of a multiplex Luminex assay for detecting swine antibodies to structural and nonstructural proteins of foot-and-mouth disease virus in Taiwan.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Tsu-Han; Lee, Fan; Lin, Yeou-Liang; Pan, Chu-Hsiang; Shih, Chia-Ni; Tseng, Chun-Hsien; Tsai, Hsiang-Jung

2016-04-01

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) and swine vesicular disease (SVD) are serious vesicular diseases that have devastated swine populations throughout the world. The aim of this study was to develop a multianalyte profiling (xMAP) Luminex assay for the differential detection of antibodies to the FMD virus of structural proteins (SP) and nonstructural proteins (NSP). After the xMAP was optimized, it detected antibodies to SP-VP1 and NSP-3ABC of the FMD virus in a single serum sample. These tests were also compared with 3ABC polypeptide blocking enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and virus neutralization test (VNT) methods for the differential diagnosis and assessment of immune status, respectively. To detect SP antibodies in 661 sera from infected naïve pigs and vaccinated pigs, the diagnostic sensitivity (DSn) and diagnostic specificity (DSp) of the xMAP were 90.0-98.7% and 93.0-96.5%, respectively. To detect NSP antibodies, the DSn was 90% and the DSp ranged from 93.3% to 99.1%. The xMAP can detect the immune response to SP and NSP as early as 4 days postinfection and 8 days postinfection, respectively. Furthermore, the SP and NSP antibodies in all 15 vaccinated but unprotected pigs were detected by xMAP. A comparison of SP and NSP antibodies detected in the sera of the infected samples indicated that the results from the xMAP had a high positive correlation with results from the VNT and a 3ABC polypeptide blocking ELISA assay. However, simultaneous quantitation detected that xMAP had no relationship with the VNT. Furthermore, the specificity was 93.3-94.9% with 3ABC polypeptide blocking ELISA for the FMDV-NSP antibody. The results indicated that xMAP has the potential to detect antibodies to FMDV-SP-VP1 and NSP-3ABC and to distinguish FMDV-infected pigs from pigs infected with the swine vesicular disease virus. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Analytical and Clinical Performance Evaluation of the Abbott Architect PIVKA Assay.

Science.gov (United States)

Ko, Dae-Hyun; Hyun, Jungwon; Kim, Hyun Soo; Park, Min-Jeong; Kim, Jae-Seok; Park, Ji-Young; Shin, Dong Hoon; Cho, Hyoun Chan

2018-01-01

Protein induced by vitamin K absence (PIVKA) is measured using various assays and is used to help diagnose hepatocellular carcinoma. The present study evaluated the analytical and clinical performances of the recently released Abbott Architect PIVKA assay. Precision, linearity, and correlation tests were performed in accordance with the Clinical Laboratory Standardization Institute guidelines. Sample type suitability was assessed using serum and plasma samples from the same patients, and the reference interval was established using sera from 204 healthy individuals. The assay had coefficients of variation of 3.2-3.5% and intra-laboratory variation of 3.6-5.5%. Linearity was confirmed across the entire measurable range. The Architect PIVKA assay was comparable to the Lumipulse PIVKA assay, and the plasma and serum samples provided similar results. The lower reference limit was 13.0 mAU/mL and the upper reference limit was 37.4 mAU/mL. The ability of the Architect PIVKA assay to detect hepatocellular carcinoma was comparable to that of the alpha-fetoprotein test and the Lumipulse PIVKA assay. The Architect PIVKA assay provides excellent analytical and clinical performance, is simple for clinical laboratories to adopt, and has improved sample type suitability that could broaden the assay's utility. © 2018 by the Association of Clinical Scientists, Inc.

Radioimmunoassay of inactive creatine kinase B protein in human plasma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Burnam, M H; Shell, W E [California Univ., Los Angeles (USA). School of Medicine

1981-08-27

The authors describe a rapid, sensitive radioimmunoassay for enzymatically inactive creatine kinase B protein (CK-Bi) in plasma. /sup 125/I-CK-Bi of high specific activity and good stability was prepared by oxidant-based iodination. A 12-minute first antibody incubation was used. Bound and free antigen were separated by a second antibody system. Large excesses of purified CK-MM from human skeletal muscle did not react in the assay. Cross reactivity to CK-MB purified from the plasma of patients with acute myocardial infarction was negligible. The 95th percentile of plasma CK-Bi in 150 adults was 145 ..mu..g equivalents/ml. Within-assay and between-assay precision ranged from 5% to 9% and 6% to 10%, respectively. Evidence is presented indicating that the assay measures inactive creatine kinase B protein, a protein not measured by current assay systems dependent on biological activity.

Radioimmunoassay of inactive creatine kinase B protein in human plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burnam, M.H.; Shell, W.E.

1981-01-01

The authors describe a rapid, sensitive radioimmunoassay for enzymatically inactive creatine kinase B protein (CK-Bi) in plasma. 125 I-CK-Bi of high specific activity and good stability was prepared by oxidant-based iodination. A 12-minute first antibody incubation was used. Bound and free antigen were separated by a second antibody system. Large excesses of purified CK-MM from human skeletal muscle did not react in the assay. Cross reactivity to CK-MB purified from the plasma of patients with acute myocardial infarction was negligible. The 95th percentile of plasma CK-Bi in 150 adults was 145 μg equivalents/ml. Within-assay and between-assay precision ranged from 5% to 9% and 6% to 10%, respectively. Evidence is presented indicating that the assay measures inactive creatine kinase B protein, a protein not measured by current assay systems dependent on biological activity. (Auth.)

Radioimmunoassay for pregnancy-associated plasma protein A

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sinosich, M.J.; Teisner, B.; Folkerson, J.; Saunders, D.M.; Grudzinskas, J.G.

1982-01-01

A specific and highly sensitive radioimmunoassay for determination of pregnancy-associated plasma protein A in human serum is described. The minimum detection limit for this protein was 2.9 μg/L. The within- and between-assay coefficients of variation were 4.0 and 4.5%, respectively. The circulating protein was detected within 32 days of conception in eight normal pregnancies and within 21 days in a twin pregnancy. Circulating concentrations in the mother at term were consistently higher (10-fold) than in matched amniotic fluid; none was detected in the umbilical circulation. This protein was also detected in the circulation of patients with hydatidiform mole. This assay will permit investigations into the clinical evaluation of measurements of the protein during early pregnancy and trophoblastic disease

Quantification of protein concentration using UV absorbance and Coomassie dyes.

Science.gov (United States)

Noble, James E

2014-01-01

The measurement of a solubilized protein concentration in solution is an important assay in biochemistry research and development labs for applications ranging from enzymatic studies to providing data for biopharmaceutical lot release. Spectrophotometric protein quantification assays are methods that use UV and visible spectroscopy to rapidly determine the concentration of protein, relative to a standard, or using an assigned extinction coefficient. Where multiple samples need measurement, and/or the sample volume and concentration is limited, preparations of the Coomassie dye commonly known as the Bradford assay can be used. © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cross-species assay validation using the AOP “deiodinase inhibition leading to impaired posterior chamber inflation”

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High throughput screening assays able to detect chemical interactions with specific biological targets are increasingly being used to identify chemicals that could be hazardous to humans or wildlife. Most of these assays examine interaction with mammalian proteins. The present wo...

Spontaneous and cytokine induced basophil adhesion evaluated by microtiter assay

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Quan, Sha; Poulsen, Lars K; Reimert, Claus Michael

2002-01-01

We have developed a microtiter assay for evaluating basophil spontaneous adhesion to extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins exemplified by fibronectin and cytokine induced basophil adhesion to bovine serum albumin (BSA). The percentage of basophils adhering to either ECM or BSA was quantified...

Mixture models for single-cell assays with applications to vaccine studies

OpenAIRE

Finak, Greg; McDavid, Andrew; Chattopadhyay, Pratip; Dominguez, Maria; De Rosa, Steve; Roederer, Mario; Gottardo, Raphael

2013-01-01

Blood and tissue are composed of many functionally distinct cell subsets. In immunological studies, these can be measured accurately only using single-cell assays. The characterization of these small cell subsets is crucial to decipher system-level biological changes. For this reason, an increasing number of studies rely on assays that provide single-cell measurements of multiple genes and proteins from bulk cell samples. A common problem in the analysis of such data is to identify biomarkers...

The challenging measurement of protein in complex biomass-derived samples

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Haven, M.O.; Jørgensen, H.

2014-01-01

and fast protein measurement on this type of samples was the ninhydrin assay. This method has also been used widely for this purpose, but with two different methods for protein hydrolysis prior to the assay - alkaline or acidic hydrolysis. In samples containing glucose or ethanol, there was significant...... that the presence of cellulose, lignin and glucose (above 50 g/kg) could significantly affect the results of the assay. Comparison of analyses performed with the ninhydrin assay and with a CN analyser revealed that there was good agreement between these two analytical methods, but care has to be taken when applying...... the ninhydrin assay. If used correctly, the ninhydrin assay can be used as a fast method to evaluate the adsorption of cellulases to lignin....

Simple fluorescence-based detection of protein kinase A activity using a molecular beacon probe.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Changbei; Lv, Xiaoyuan; Wang, Kemin; Jin, Shunxin; Liu, Haisheng; Wu, Kefeng; Zeng, Weimin

2017-11-02

Protein kinase A was detected by quantifying the amount of ATP used after a protein kinase reaction. The ATP assay was performed using the T4 DNA ligase and a molecular beacon (MB). In the presence of ATP, DNA ligase catalyzed the ligation of short DNA. The ligation product then hybridized to MB, resulting in a fluorescence enhancement of the MB. This assay was capable of determining protein kinase A in the range of 12.5∼150 nM, with a detection limit of 1.25 nM. Furthermore, this assay could also be used to investigate the effect of genistein on protein kinase A. It was a universal, non-radioisotopic, and homogeneous method for assaying protein kinase A.

AlphaScreen-based homogeneous assay using a pair of 25-residue artificial proteins for high-throughput analysis of non-native IgG.

Science.gov (United States)

Senga, Yukako; Imamura, Hiroshi; Miyafusa, Takamitsu; Watanabe, Hideki; Honda, Shinya

2017-09-29

Therapeutic IgG becomes unstable under various stresses in the manufacturing process. The resulting non-native IgG molecules tend to associate with each other and form aggregates. Because such aggregates not only decrease the pharmacological effect but also become a potential risk factor for immunogenicity, rapid analysis of aggregation is required for quality control of therapeutic IgG. In this study, we developed a homogeneous assay using AlphaScreen and AF.2A1. AF.2A1 is a 25-residue artificial protein that binds specifically to non-native IgG generated under chemical and physical stresses. This assay is performed in a short period of time. Our results show that AF.2A1-AlphaScreen may be used to evaluate the various types of IgG, as AF.2A1 recognizes the non-native structure in the constant region (Fc region) of IgG. The assay was effective for detection of non-native IgG, with particle size up to ca. 500 nm, generated under acid, heat, and stirring conditions. In addition, this technique is suitable for analyzing non-native IgG in CHO cell culture supernatant and mixed with large amounts of native IgG. These results indicate the potential of AF.2A1-AlphaScreen to be used as a high-throughput evaluation method for process monitoring as well as quality testing in the manufacturing of therapeutic IgG.

Multiplexed profiling of GPCR activities by combining split TEV assays and EXT-based barcoded readouts.

Science.gov (United States)

Galinski, Sabrina; Wichert, Sven P; Rossner, Moritz J; Wehr, Michael C

2018-05-25

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the largest class of cell surface receptors and are implicated in the physiological regulation of many biological processes. The high diversity of GPCRs and their physiological functions make them primary targets for therapeutic drugs. For the generation of novel compounds, however, selectivity towards a given target is a critical issue in drug development as structural similarities between members of GPCR subfamilies exist. Therefore, the activities of multiple GPCRs that are both closely and distantly related to assess compound selectivity need to be tested simultaneously. Here, we present a cell-based multiplexed GPCR activity assay, termed GPCRprofiler, which uses a β-arrestin recruitment strategy and combines split TEV protein-protein interaction and EXT-based barcode technologies. This approach enables simultaneous measurements of receptor activities of multiple GPCR-ligand combinations by applying massively parallelized reporter assays. In proof-of-principle experiments covering 19 different GPCRs, both the specificity of endogenous agonists and the polypharmacological effects of two known antipsychotics on GPCR activities were demonstrated. Technically, normalization of barcode reporters across individual assays allows quantitative pharmacological assays in a parallelized manner. In summary, the GPCRprofiler technique constitutes a flexible and scalable approach, which enables simultaneous profiling of compound actions on multiple receptor activities in living cells.

Light assisted drying (LAD) for protein stabilization: optical characterization of samples

Science.gov (United States)

Young, Madison A.; McKinnon, Madison E.; Elliott, Gloria D.; Trammell, Susan R.

2018-02-01

Light-Assisted Drying (LAD) is a novel biopreservation technique which allows proteins to be immobilized in a dry, amorphous solid at room temperature. Indicator proteins are used in a variety of diagnostic assays ranging from highthroughput 96-well plates to new microfluidic devices. A challenge in the development of protein-based assays is preserving the structure of the protein during production and storage of the assay, as the structure of the protein is responsible for its functional activity. Freeze-drying or freezing are currently the standard for the preservation of proteins, but these methods are expensive and can be challenging in some environments due to a lack of available infrastructure. An inexpensive, simple processing method that enables supra-zero temperature storage of proteins used in assays is needed. Light-assisted drying offers a relatively inexpensive method for drying samples. Proteins suspended in a trehalose solution are dehydrated using near-infrared laser light. The laser radiation speeds drying and as water is removed the sugar forms a protective matrix. The goal of this study is optically characterize samples processed with LAD. We use polarized light imaging (PLI) to look at crystallization kinetics of samples and determine optimal humidity. PLI shows a 62.5% chance of crystallization during LAD processing and negligible crystallization during low RH storage.

Structural characterization of respiratory syncytial virus fusion inhibitor escape mutants: homology model of the F protein and a syncytium formation assay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morton, Craig J.; Cameron, Rachel; Lawrence, Lynne J.; Lin Bo; Lowe, Melinda; Luttick, Angela; Mason, Anthony; McKimm-Breschkin, Jenny; Parker, Michael W.; Ryan, Jane; Smout, Michael; Sullivan, Jayne; Tucker, Simon P.; Young, Paul R.

2003-01-01

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a ubiquitous human pathogen and the leading cause of lower respiratory tract infections in infants. Infection of cells and subsequent formation of syncytia occur through membrane fusion mediated by the RSV fusion protein (RSV-F). A novel in vitro assay of recombinant RSV-F function has been devised and used to characterize a number of escape mutants for three known inhibitors of RSV-F that have been isolated. Homology modeling of the RSV-F structure has been carried out on the basis of a chimera derived from the crystal structures of the RSV-F core and a fragment from the orthologous fusion protein from Newcastle disease virus (NDV). The structure correlates well with the appearance of RSV-F in electron micrographs, and the residues identified as contributing to specific binding sites for several monoclonal antibodies are arranged in appropriate solvent-accessible clusters. The positions of the characterized resistance mutants in the model structure identify two promising regions for the design of fusion inhibitors

A broad G protein-coupled receptor internalization assay that combines SNAP-tag labeling, diffusion-enhanced resonance energy transfer, and a highly emissive terbium cryptate acceptor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Angélique eLEVOYE

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Although G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR internalization has long been considered a major aspect of the desensitization process that tunes ligand responsiveness, internalization is also involved in receptor resensitization and signaling, as well as the ligand scavenging function of some atypical receptors. Internalization thus contributes to the diversity of GPCR-dependent signaling, and its dynamics and quantification in living cells has generated considerable interest. We developed a robust and sensitive assay to follow and quantify ligand-induced and constitutive GPCR internalization but also receptor recycling in living cells. This assay is based on diffusion-enhanced resonance energy transfer (DERET between cell surface GPCRs labeled with a luminescent terbium cryptate donor and a fluorescein acceptor present in the culture medium. GPCR internalization results in a quantifiable reduction of energy transfer. This method yields a high signal-to-noise ratio due to time-resolved measurements. For various GPCRs belonging to different classes, we demonstrated that constitutive and ligand-induced internalization could be monitored as a function of time and ligand concentration, thus allowing accurate quantitative determination of kinetics of receptor internalization but also half-maximal effective or inhibitory concentrations of compounds. In addition to its selectivity and sensitivity, we provided evidence that DERET-based internalization assay is particularly suitable for characterizing biased ligands. Furthermore, the determination of a Z’-factor value of 0.45 indicates the quality and suitability of DERET-based internalization assay for high-throughput screening (HTS of compounds that may modulate GPCRs internalization.

A rapid enzymatic assay for high-throughput screening of adenosine-producing strains

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Huina; Zu, Xin; Zheng, Ping; Zhang, Dawei

2015-01-01

Adenosine is a major local regulator of tissue function and industrially useful as precursor for the production of medicinal nucleoside substances. High-throughput screening of adenosine overproducers is important for industrial microorganism breeding. An enzymatic assay of adenosine was developed by combined adenosine deaminase (ADA) with indophenol method. The ADA catalyzes the cleavage of adenosine to inosine and NH3, the latter can be accurately determined by indophenol method. The assay system was optimized to deliver a good performance and could tolerate the addition of inorganic salts and many nutrition components to the assay mixtures. Adenosine could be accurately determined by this assay using 96-well microplates. Spike and recovery tests showed that this assay can accurately and reproducibly determine increases in adenosine in fermentation broth without any pretreatment to remove proteins and potentially interfering low-molecular-weight molecules. This assay was also applied to high-throughput screening for high adenosine-producing strains. The high selectivity and accuracy of the ADA assay provides rapid and high-throughput analysis of adenosine in large numbers of samples. PMID:25580842

Quantitative analysis of the interaction between the envelope protein domains and the core protein of human hepatitis B virus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Kyoung-Jae; Lim, Chun-Woo; Yoon, Moon-Young; Ahn, Byung-Yoon; Yu, Yeon Gyu

2004-01-01

Interaction between preformed nucleocapsids and viral envelope proteins is critical for the assembly of virus particles in infected cells. The pre-S1 and pre-S2 and cytosolic regions of the human hepatitis B virus envelope protein had been implicated in the interaction with the core protein of nucleocapsids. The binding affinities of specific subdomains of the envelope protein to the core protein were quantitatively measured by both ELISA and BIAcore assay. While a marginal binding was detected with the pre-S1 or pre-S2, the core protein showed high affinities to pre-S with apparent dissociation constants (K D app ) of 7.3 ± 0.9 and 8.2 ± 0.4 μM by ELISA and BIAcore assay, respectively. The circular dichroism analysis suggested that conformational change occurs in pre-S through interaction with core protein. These results substantiate the importance of specific envelope domains in virion assembly, and demonstrate that the interaction between viral proteins can be quantitatively measured in vitro

A pigeon crop sac radioreceptor assay for prolactin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Forsyth, I.A.; Buntin, J.D.; Nicoll, C.S.

1978-01-01

Ovine prolactin, labelled with 125 I by either lactoperoxidase or a mild chloramine T method, was bound to receptors from the pigeon crop sac mucosa cells of prolactin-injected pigeons. Binding was demonstrated in a crude homogenate of mucosal cells removed from the crop by scraping and in a subcellular fraction in which 5'- nucleotidase activity was enhanced two- to three-fold. The binding was specific, dependent on time, temperature and the concentration of receptors and had a dissociation constant of 7 x 10 -10 mol/l. The binding capacity of the crop tissue was 71 fmol/mg membrane protein. Nine purified preparations of prolactin from four species were assayed by local pigeon crop sac bioassay and by radioreceptor assay. The two methods were highly correlated (r = 0.934). The regression equation was radioreceptor assay = 1.22 bioassay - 0.18 indicating a 1:1 correspondence between the two methods for prolactin purified from sheep, rat, horse and pig anterior pituitary glands. (author)

Protein instability and immunogenicity: roadblocks to clinical application of injectable protein delivery systems for sustained release.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiskoot, Wim; Randolph, Theodore W; Volkin, David B; Middaugh, C Russell; Schöneich, Christian; Winter, Gerhard; Friess, Wolfgang; Crommelin, Daan J A; Carpenter, John F

2012-03-01

Protein instability and immunogenicity are two main roadblocks to the clinical success of novel protein drug delivery systems. In this commentary, we discuss the need for more extensive analytical characterization in relation to concerns about protein instability in injectable drug delivery systems for sustained release. We then will briefly address immunogenicity concerns and outline current best practices for using state-of-the-art analytical assays to monitor protein stability for both conventional and novel therapeutic protein dosage forms. Next, we provide a summary of the stresses on proteins arising during preparation of drug delivery systems and subsequent in vivo release. We note the challenges and difficulties in achieving the absolute requirement of quantitatively assessing the degradation of protein molecules in a drug delivery system. We describe the potential roles for academic research in further improving protein stability and developing new analytical technologies to detect protein degradation byproducts in novel drug delivery systems. Finally, we provide recommendations for the appropriate approaches to formulation design and assay development to ensure that stable, minimally immunogenic formulations of therapeutic proteins are created. These approaches should help to increase the probability that novel drug delivery systems for sustained protein release will become more readily available as effective therapeutic agents to treat and benefit patients. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Optimization of a colorimetric assay for glycosylated human serum albumin

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bohney, J.P.; Feldhoff, R.C.

1986-05-01

The thiobarbituric acid (TBA) assay has been used for several years to quantitate the amount of glucose which has been non-enzymatically linked to hemoglobin and other proteins. The ketoamine-protein adduct is converted to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) by mild hydrolysis with oxalic acid. Reaction of HMF with TBA yields a colored product which has an absorbance maximum at 443 nm. Several modifications of the original procedure has been published, but none permit the unambiguous quantitation of glycosylated human serum albumin (glc-HSA). Problems relate to reagent preparation and stability, the time and temperature of hydrolysis, the choice of standards, and background color corrections. The authors have found that maximum color yield occurs after hydrolysis in an autoclave for 2 h. This increases the sensitivity 3-fold and cuts the assay time in half relative to hydrolysis for 4.5 h at 100/sup 0/C. A NaBH/sub 4/ reduction of a parallel protein sample must be performed to correct for variable background color associated with different sample sources and amounts. HMF can be used as a standard, however, corrections must be made for HMF degradation. Fructose is a better standard, but HMF formation from fructose is faster than formation from glc-HSA. This may result in an underestimate of percent glycosylation. The best standard appears to be glc-HSA prepared with (/sup 3/H)glucose. It appears that with proper controls and standards the TBA assay can be used to determine actual rather than relative percent glycosylation.

Methods for efficient high-throughput screening of protein expression in recombinant Pichia pastoris strains.

Science.gov (United States)

Camattari, Andrea; Weinhandl, Katrin; Gudiminchi, Rama K

2014-01-01

The methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris is becoming one of the favorite industrial workhorses for protein expression. Due to the widespread use of integration vectors, which generates significant clonal variability, screening methods allowing assaying hundreds of individual clones are of particular importance. Here we describe methods to detect and analyze protein expression, developed in a 96-well format for high-throughput screening of recombinant P. pastoris strains. The chapter covers essentially three common scenarios: (1) an enzymatic assay for proteins expressed in the cell cytoplasm, requiring cell lysis; (2) a whole-cell assay for a fungal cytochrome P450; and (3) a nonenzymatic assay for detection and quantification of tagged protein secreted into the supernatant.

Alkaline Comet Assay for Assessing DNA Damage in Individual Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Pu, Xinzhu; Wang, Zemin; Klaunig, James E

2015-08-06

Single-cell gel electrophoresis, commonly called a comet assay, is a simple and sensitive method for assessing DNA damage at the single-cell level. It is an important technique in genetic toxicological studies. The comet assay performed under alkaline conditions (pH >13) is considered the optimal version for identifying agents with genotoxic activity. The alkaline comet assay is capable of detecting DNA double-strand breaks, single-strand breaks, alkali-labile sites, DNA-DNA/DNA-protein cross-linking, and incomplete excision repair sites. The inclusion of digestion of lesion-specific DNA repair enzymes in the procedure allows the detection of various DNA base alterations, such as oxidative base damage. This unit describes alkaline comet assay procedures for assessing DNA strand breaks and oxidative base alterations. These methods can be applied in a variety of cells from in vitro and in vivo experiments, as well as human studies. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Identification of Cyclin-dependent Kinase 1 Specific Phosphorylation Sites by an In Vitro Kinase Assay.

Science.gov (United States)

Cui, Heying; Loftus, Kyle M; Noell, Crystal R; Solmaz, Sozanne R

2018-05-03

Cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (Cdk1) is a master controller for the cell cycle in all eukaryotes and phosphorylates an estimated 8 - 13% of the proteome; however, the number of identified targets for Cdk1, particularly in human cells is still low. The identification of Cdk1-specific phosphorylation sites is important, as they provide mechanistic insights into how Cdk1 controls the cell cycle. Cell cycle regulation is critical for faithful chromosome segregation, and defects in this complicated process lead to chromosomal aberrations and cancer. Here, we describe an in vitro kinase assay that is used to identify Cdk1-specific phosphorylation sites. In this assay, a purified protein is phosphorylated in vitro by commercially available human Cdk1/cyclin B. Successful phosphorylation is confirmed by SDS-PAGE, and phosphorylation sites are subsequently identified by mass spectrometry. We also describe purification protocols that yield highly pure and homogeneous protein preparations suitable for the kinase assay, and a binding assay for the functional verification of the identified phosphorylation sites, which probes the interaction between a classical nuclear localization signal (cNLS) and its nuclear transport receptor karyopherin α. To aid with experimental design, we review approaches for the prediction of Cdk1-specific phosphorylation sites from protein sequences. Together these protocols present a very powerful approach that yields Cdk1-specific phosphorylation sites and enables mechanistic studies into how Cdk1 controls the cell cycle. Since this method relies on purified proteins, it can be applied to any model organism and yields reliable results, especially when combined with cell functional studies.

Development of microLIPS (Luciferase Immunoprecipitation Systems): a novel microfluidic assay for rapid serum antibody detection

Science.gov (United States)

Chandrangsu, Matt; Burbelo, Peter D.; Iadarola, Michael J.; Smith, Paul D.; Morgan, Nicole Y.

2012-06-01

There is considerable interest in the development of rapid, point-of-care antibody detection for the diagnosis of infectious and auto-immune diseases. In this paper, we present work on the development of a self-contained microfluidic format for the Luciferase Immunoprecipitation Systems (LIPS) assay. Whereas the majority of immunoassays for antigen-specific antibodies employ either bacteria- or yeast-expressed proteins and require the use of secondary antibodies, the LIPS technique uses a fusion protein comprised of a Renilla luciferase reporter and the antigen of interest produced via mammalian cell culture, ensuring the addition of mammalian post-translational modifications. Patient serum is mixed with the fusion protein and passed over immobilized Protein A/G; after washing, the only remaining luciferase-tagged antigens are those retained by specific antibodies. These can be quantitatively measured using chemiluminescence upon the introduction of coelenterazine. The assay has been successfully employed for a wide variety of diseases in a microwell format. We report on a recent demonstration of rapid HSV-2 diagnosis with the LIPS assay in a microfluidic format, using one microliter of serum and obtaining results in under ten minutes. We will also discuss recent progress on two fronts, both aimed at the deployment of this technology in the field: first, simplifying assay operation through the automation of flow control using power-free means; and second, efforts to increase signal levels, primarily through strategies to increase antibody binding capacity, in order to move towards portable battery powered electronics.

COMPARATIVE STUDY ON MILK CASEIN ASSAY METHODS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

RODICA CĂPRIłĂ

2008-05-01

Full Text Available Casein, the main milk protein was determined by different assay methods: the gravimetric method, the method based on the neutralization of the NaOH excess used for the casein precipitate solving and the method based on the titration of the acetic acid used for the casein precipitation. The last method is the simplest one, with the fewer steps, and also with the lowest error degree. The results of the experiment revealed that the percentage of casein from the whole milk protein represents between 72.6–81.3% in experiment 1, between 73.6–81.3% in experiment 2 and between 74.3–81% in experiment 3.

Detecting Immune System Response Proteins in a 500 Year-old Inca Mummy

Science.gov (United States)

Corthals, A.; Davalos, L.; Martin, D.W.; Rieger, R.; Chen, E.I.; Koller, A.

2011-01-01

Disease detection in ancient human samples currently relies on genomic-based assays, which are error prone due to contamination and cannot distinguish between active and latent pathogenic infection. On the other hand, protein-based assays such as global protein profiling offer complementary alternatives for the pathological diagnosis of archeological specimen. The discovery of three Inca mummies in 1998, perfectly preserved in the permafrost of the high Andes, allowed us to analyze mummy samples by protein-based and genomic-based assay. A buccal swab from one of the 500 year old mummy was analyzed by shotgun proteomics to detect the protein profile. Among the identified proteins, we found a signature of proteins indicating an immune response to a bacterial infection at the time of the mummy's death. Based on the external visible symptoms and the gamut of immune response proteins obtained from the mouth swab, we suspected that the pulmonary infection was caused by Mycobacterium. PCR assay followed by direct sequencing of the PCR products confirmed the presence of Mycobacterium sp. in the mouth swab. Until now, immunoassays have been the only way to detect an active immune response and infer infection in historical samples, but these were plagued by low specificity and sensitivity. However, we demonstrate here the feasibility of incorporating global protein profiling in the diagnosis of infection from archeological samples. Protein signatures obtained from these samples could be extremely useful in determining the status of infection while genomic-based assays can be used to detect the identity of the pathogen.

An improved method for the assay of platelet pyruvate dehydrogenase

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schofield, P.J.; Griffiths, L.R.; Rogers, S.H.

1980-01-01

An improved method for the assay of human platelet pyruvate dehydrogenase is described. By generating the substrate [1- 14 C]pyruvate in situ from [1- 14 C]lactate plus L-lactate dehydrogenase, the rate of spontaneous decarboxylation is dramatically reduced, allowing far greater sensitivity in the assay of low activities of pyruvate dehydrogenase. In addition, no special precautions are required for the storage and use of [1- 14 C]lactate, in contrast to those for [1- 14 C]pyruvate. These factors allow a 5-10-fold increase in sensitivity compared with current methods. The pyruvate dehydrogenase activity of normal subjects as determined by the [1- 14 C]lactate system was 215+-55 pmol min -1 mg -1 protein (n=18). The advantages of this assay system are discussed. (Auth.)

LINEARIZATION OF THE BRADFORD PROTEIN ASSAY TO APPLICATION IN COW MILK PROTEINS QUANTIFICATION BY UV-Vis SPECTROPHOTOMETRY METHOD

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alessa Siqueira de Oliveira dos Santos

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Reliable methods for determination and quantification of total protein in food are essential information to ensure quality and safety of food trade. The objective of this study was to evaluate the linearity of calibration curves obtained from different proteins (blood serum albumin-BSA, α-LA, β-LG, caseins (CN: αs, β and κ-CAS with the reagent of Bradford. Comercial UHT skimmed bovine milk was analyzed for the determination of total protein using the Bradford method by reading at 595 nm. The determination of the concentrations of total milk protein was achieved by linear regression. The Bradford method showed a high sensitivity for the determination of total proteins in bovine milk dilution 1:25 to values closer to those obtained by the Kjeldahl method. The results showed that the calibration curve of standard proteins β-CN and BSA obtained better linearity with less variation in the absorbance measurements for the determination of total protein of milk.

The role of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II and calcineurin in TNF-α-induced myocardial hypertrophy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Gui-Jun; Wang, Hong-Xin; Yao, Yu-Sheng; Guo, Lian-Yi; Liu, Pei

2012-01-01

We investigated whether Ca 2+ /calmodulin-dependent kinase II (CaMKII) and calcineurin (CaN) are involved in myocardial hypertrophy induced by tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α). The cardiomyocytes of neonatal Wistar rats (1-2 days old) were cultured and stimulated by TNF-α (100 µg/L), and Ca 2+ signal transduction was blocked by several antagonists, including BAPTA (4 µM), KN-93 (0.2 µM) and cyclosporin A (CsA, 0.2 µM). Protein content, protein synthesis, cardiomyocyte volumes, [Ca 2+ ] i transients, CaMKIIδ B and CaN were evaluated by the Lowry method, [ 3 H]-leucine incorporation, a computerized image analysis system, a Till imaging system, and Western blot analysis, respectively. TNF-α induced a significant increase in protein content in a dose-dependent manner from 10 µg/L (53.56 µg protein/well) to 100 µg/L (72.18 µg protein/well), and in a time-dependent manner from 12 h (37.42 µg protein/well) to 72 h (42.81 µg protein/well). TNF-α (100 µg/L) significantly increased the amplitude of spontaneous [Ca 2+ ] i transients, the total protein content, cell size, and [ 3 H]-leucine incorporation in cultured cardiomyocytes, which was abolished by 4 µM BAPTA, an intracellular Ca 2+ chelator. The increases in protein content, cell size and [ 3 H]-leucine incorporation were abolished by 0.2 µM KN-93 or 0.2 µM CsA. TNF-α increased the expression of CaMKIIδ B by 35.21% and that of CaN by 22.22% compared to control. These effects were abolished by 4 µM BAPTA, which itself had no effect. These results suggest that TNF-α induces increases in [Ca 2+ ] i , CaMKIIδ B and CaN and promotes cardiac hypertrophy. Therefore, we hypothesize that the Ca 2+ /CaMKII- and CaN-dependent signaling pathways are involved in myocardial hypertrophy induced by TNF-α

Human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) and alphafeto protein (AFP) in sudanese pregnant women using immunoradiometric assay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdalla, O. M.; Khalid, M. M.; Hassan, A.; Ali, N. I.; Khalid, A. SH.; Abdelhadi, H. A.; Khair, L. A. M.; Almahi, W. A.; Gaafar, A.; Abdalla, H.; Basheer, H.

2004-12-01

In this study 672 pregnant Sudanese women were involved in order to determine the reference values of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) and alpha feto protein (AFP). Blood samples were collected from different maternity centers in Khartoum and Omdurman maternity. Sensitive immunoradiometric assay (IRMA), method was used for measuring HCG and AFP in maternal serum. The data collected reveals that, the behavior of both AFP and HCG resemble that of the international one, where the peak concentrations of HCG are reached at 7-9 weeks of pregnancy then decrease, then staying relatively constant during the second trimester and increasing slightly towards term. The maternal serum concentration of AFP increases during pregnancy, reaching its peak during the last trimester. The concentration of AFP and HCG in maternal serum with relative couples was also compared to that of ir relative couples. Relative couples showed significant increase in maternal AFP level in the first and third trimesters (p=0.001and 0.000) respectively. The HCG concentration in both groups was not significantly different throughout the pregnancy (p>0.15). It is recommended that each laboratory establishes its own normal values. Since sudanese obstetrician depends previously on values from abroad, this study may help them to handle their patients depending on our own reference values.(Author)

Human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) and alphafeto protein (AFP) in Sudanese pregnant women using immunoradiometric assay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdalla, O. M.; Khalid, M. M.; Hassan, A.; Ali, N. I.; Khalid, A. SH.; Abdelhadi, H. A.; Khair, L. A. M.; Almahi, W. A.; Gaafar, A.; Abdalla, H.; Basheer, H.

2004-01-01

In this study 672 pregnant Sudanese women were involved in order to determine the reference values of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) and alpha feto protein (AFP). Blood samples were collected from different maternity centers in Khartoum and Omdurman maternity. Sensitive immunoradiometric assay (IRMA), method was used for measuring HCG and AFP in maternal serum. The data collected reveals that, the behavior of both AFP and HCG resemble that of the international one, where the peak concentrations of HCG are reached at 7-9 weeks of pregnancy then decrease, then staying relatively constant during the second trimester and increasing slightly towards term. The maternal serum concentration of AFP increases during pregnancy, reaching its peak during the last trimester. The concentration of AFP and HCG in maternal serum with relative couples was also compared to that of ir relative couples. Relative couples showed significant increase in maternal AFP level in the first and third trimesters (p= 0.001and 0.000) respectively. The HCG concentration in both groups was not significantly different throughout the pregnancy (p> 0.15). It is recommended that each laboratory establishes its own normal values. Since Sudanese obstetrician depends previously on values from abroad, this study may help them to handle their patients depending on our own reference values. (Authors)

Pig-MAP, porcine acute phase proteins and standardisation of assays in Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Alava, M.A.; Gonzalez-Ramon, N.; Heegaard, Peter M. H.

1997-01-01

The pattern of plasma proteins changes greatly following infection, inflammation or tissue injury. The concentration of some proteins referred to as acute phase proteins (APPs) significantly increases within hours or days after the onset of these processes. In contrast, the concentration of other...... during the inflammation. In addition to CRP and Hp, a serum alpha(2)-globulin was observed to be the major acute phase (MAP) protein in pigs. Pig-MAP is a new mammalian plasma protein, which is the pig counterpart of a recently cloned human serum protein denominated PK-120 or MRP. Pig-MAP shows promise...... for the presence of infectious, inflammatory and pathological lesions in animals. The ability to monitor the APP concentration in serum of pigs will improve the quality and safety of the meat produced as well as provide important diagnostic information for animal health and welfare. The serum concentration of APP...

A highly scalable peptide-based assay system for proteomics.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Igor A Kozlov

Full Text Available We report a scalable and cost-effective technology for generating and screening high-complexity customizable peptide sets. The peptides are made as peptide-cDNA fusions by in vitro transcription/translation from pools of DNA templates generated by microarray-based synthesis. This approach enables large custom sets of peptides to be designed in silico, manufactured cost-effectively in parallel, and assayed efficiently in a multiplexed fashion. The utility of our peptide-cDNA fusion pools was demonstrated in two activity-based assays designed to discover protease and kinase substrates. In the protease assay, cleaved peptide substrates were separated from uncleaved and identified by digital sequencing of their cognate cDNAs. We screened the 3,011 amino acid HCV proteome for susceptibility to cleavage by the HCV NS3/4A protease and identified all 3 known trans cleavage sites with high specificity. In the kinase assay, peptide substrates phosphorylated by tyrosine kinases were captured and identified by sequencing of their cDNAs. We screened a pool of 3,243 peptides against Abl kinase and showed that phosphorylation events detected were specific and consistent with the known substrate preferences of Abl kinase. Our approach is scalable and adaptable to other protein-based assays.

Assay to detect lipid peroxidation upon exposure to nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Potter, Timothy M; Neun, Barry W; Stern, Stephan T

2011-01-01

This chapter describes a method for the analysis of human hepatocarcinoma cells (HEP G2) for lipid peroxidation products, such as malondialdehyde (MDA), following treatment with nanoparticle formulations. Oxidative stress has been identified as a likely mechanism of nanoparticle toxicity, and cell-based in vitro systems for evaluation of nanoparticle-induced oxidative stress are widely considered to be an important component of biocompatibility screens. The products of lipid peroxidation, lipid hydroperoxides, and aldehydes, such as MDA, can be measured via a thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) assay. In this assay, which can be performed in cell culture or in cell lysate, MDA combines with thiobarbituric acid (TBA) to form a fluorescent adduct that can be detected at an excitation wavelength of 530 nm and an emission wavelength of 550 nm. The results are then expressed as MDA equivalents, normalized to total cellular protein (determined by Bradford assay).

Probing intracellular motor protein activity using an inducible cargo trafficking assay

NARCIS (Netherlands)

L.C. Kapitein (Lukas); M.A. Schlager (Max); W.A. van der Zwan (Wouter); P. Wulf (Phebe); N. Keijzer (Nanda); C.C. Hoogenraad (Casper)

2010-01-01

textabstractAlthough purified cytoskeletal motor proteins have been studied extensively with the use of in vitro approaches, a generic approach to selectively probe actin and microtubule-based motor protein activity inside living cells is lacking. To examine specific motor activity inside living

Next-Generation Sequencing for Binary Protein-Protein Interactions

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Bernhard eSuter

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The yeast two-hybrid (Y2H system exploits host cell genetics in order to display binary protein-protein interactions (PPIs via defined and selectable phenotypes. Numerous improvements have been made to this method, adapting the screening principle for diverse applications, including drug discovery and the scale-up for proteome wide interaction screens in human and other organisms. Here we discuss a systematic workflow and analysis scheme for screening data generated by Y2H and related assays that includes high-throughput selection procedures, readout of comprehensive results via next-generation sequencing (NGS, and the interpretation of interaction data via quantitative statistics. The novel assays and tools will serve the broader scientific community to harness the power of NGS technology to address PPI networks in health and disease. We discuss examples of how this next-generation platform can be applied to address specific questions in diverse fields of biology and medicine.

An improved 96-well turbidity assay for T4 lysozyme activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Toro, Tasha B; Nguyen, Thao P; Watt, Terry J

2015-01-01

T4 lysozyme (T4L) is an important model system for investigating the relationship between protein structure and function. Despite being extensively studied, a reliable, quantitative activity assay for T4L has not been developed. Here, we present an improved T4L turbidity assay as well as an affinity-based T4L expression and purification protocol. This assay is designed for 96-well format and utilizes conditions amenable for both T4L and other lysozymes. This protocol enables easy, efficient, and quantitative characterization of T4L variants and allows comparison between different lysozymes. Our method: •Is applicable for all lysozymes, with enhanced sensitivity for T4 lysozyme compared to other 96-well plate turbidity assays;•Utilizes standardized conditions for comparing T4 lysozyme variants and other lysozymes; and•Incorporates a simplified expression and purification protocol for T4 lysozyme.

Combined fluorimetric caspase 3/7 assay and bradford protein determination for assessment of polycation-mediated cytotoxicity.

Science.gov (United States)

Larsen, Anna K; Hall, Arnaldur; Lundsgart, Henrik; Moghimi, S Moein

2013-01-01

Cationic polyplexes and lipoplexes are widely used as artificial systems for nucleic acid delivery into the cells, but they can also induce cell death. Mechanistic understanding of cell toxicity and biological side effects of these cationic entities is essential for optimization strategies and design of safe and efficient nucleic acid delivery systems. Numerous methods are presently available to detect and delineate cytotoxicity and cell death-mediated signals in cell cultures. Activation of caspases is part of the classical apoptosis program and increased caspase activity is therefore a well-established hallmark of programmed cell death. Additional methods to monitor cell death-related signals must, however, also be carried out to fully define the type of cell toxicity in play. These may include methods that detect plasma membrane damage, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, phosphatidylserine exposure, and cell morphological changes (e.g., membrane blebbing, nuclear changes, cytoplasmic swelling, cell rounding). Here we describe a 96-well format protocol for detection of capsase-3/7 activity in cell lysates, based on a fluorescent caspase-3 assay, combined with a method to simultaneously determine relative protein contents in the individual wells.

Categorizing Biases in High-Confidence High-Throughput Protein-Protein Interaction Data Sets*

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Xueping; Ivanic, Joseph; Memišević, Vesna; Wallqvist, Anders; Reifman, Jaques

2011-01-01

We characterized and evaluated the functional attributes of three yeast high-confidence protein-protein interaction data sets derived from affinity purification/mass spectrometry, protein-fragment complementation assay, and yeast two-hybrid experiments. The interacting proteins retrieved from these data sets formed distinct, partially overlapping sets with different protein-protein interaction characteristics. These differences were primarily a function of the deployed experimental technologies used to recover these interactions. This affected the total coverage of interactions and was especially evident in the recovery of interactions among different functional classes of proteins. We found that the interaction data obtained by the yeast two-hybrid method was the least biased toward any particular functional characterization. In contrast, interacting proteins in the affinity purification/mass spectrometry and protein-fragment complementation assay data sets were over- and under-represented among distinct and different functional categories. We delineated how these differences affected protein complex organization in the network of interactions, in particular for strongly interacting complexes (e.g. RNA and protein synthesis) versus weak and transient interacting complexes (e.g. protein transport). We quantified methodological differences in detecting protein interactions from larger protein complexes, in the correlation of protein abundance among interacting proteins, and in their connectivity of essential proteins. In the latter case, we showed that minimizing inherent methodology biases removed many of the ambiguous conclusions about protein essentiality and protein connectivity. We used these findings to rationalize how biological insights obtained by analyzing data sets originating from different sources sometimes do not agree or may even contradict each other. An important corollary of this work was that discrepancies in biological insights did not

Nanodisc-Tm: Rapid functional assessment of nanodisc reconstituted membrane proteins by CPM assay.

Science.gov (United States)

Ashok, Yashwanth; Jaakola, Veli-Pekka

2016-01-01

Membrane proteins are generally unstable in detergents. Therefore, biochemical and biophysical studies of membrane proteins in lipidic environments provides a near native-like environment suitable for membrane proteins. However, manipulation of proteins embedded in lipid bilayer has remained difficult. Methods such as nanodiscs and lipid cubic phase have been developed for easy manipulation of membrane proteins and have yielded significant insights into membrane proteins. Traditionally functional reconstitution of receptors in nanodiscs has been studied with radioligands. We present a simple and faster method for studying the functionality of reconstituted membrane proteins for routine characterization of protein batches after initial optimization of suitable conditions using radioligands. The benefits of the method are •Faster and generic method to assess functional reconstitution of membrane proteins.•Adaptable in high throughput format (≥96 well format).•Stability measurement in near-native lipid environment and lipid dependent melting temperatures.

Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay Using a Virus Type-Specific Peptide Based on a Subdomain of Envelope Protein Erns for Serologic Diagnosis of Pestivirus Infections in Swine

Science.gov (United States)

Langedijk, J. P. M.; Middel, W. G. J.; Meloen, R. H.; Kramps, J. A.; de Smit, J. A.

2001-01-01

Peptides deduced from the C-terminal end (residues 191 to 227) of pestivirus envelope protein Erns were used to develop enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) to measure specifically antibodies against different types of pestiviruses. The choice of the peptide was based on the modular structure of the Erns protein, and the peptide was selected for its probable independent folding and good exposure, which would make it a good candidate for an antigenic peptide to be used in a diagnostic test. A solid-phase peptide ELISA which was cross-reactive for several types of pestivirus antibodies and which can be used for the general detection of pestivirus antibodies was developed. To identify type-specific pestivirus antibodies, a liquid-phase peptide ELISA, with a labeled, specific classical swine fever virus (CSFV) peptide and an unlabeled bovine viral diarrhea virus peptide to block cross-reactivity, was developed. Specificity and sensitivity of the liquid-phase peptide ELISA for CSFV were 98 and 100%, respectively. Because the peptide is a fragment of the Erns protein, it can be used to differentiate between infected and vaccinated animals when a vaccine based on the E2 protein, which is another pestivirus envelope protein, is used. PMID:11230402

Functional coupling between adenosine A1 receptors and G-proteins in rat and postmortem human brain membranes determined with conventional guanosine-5'-O-(3-[35S]thio)triphosphate ([35S]GTPγS) binding or [35S]GTPγS/immunoprecipitation assay.

Science.gov (United States)

Odagaki, Yuji; Kinoshita, Masakazu; Ota, Toshio; Meana, J Javier; Callado, Luis F; Matsuoka, Isao; García-Sevilla, Jesús A

2018-06-01

Adenosine signaling plays a complex role in multiple physiological processes in the brain, and its dysfunction has been implicated in pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric diseases such as schizophrenia and affective disorders. In the present study, the coupling between adenosine A 1 receptor and G-protein was assessed by means of two [ 35 S]GTPγS binding assays, i.e., conventional filtration method and [ 35 S]GTPγS binding/immunoprecipitation in rat and human brain membranes. The latter method provides information about adenosine A 1 receptor-mediated Gα i-3 activation in rat as well as human brain membranes. On the other hand, adenosine-stimulated [ 35 S]GTPγS binding determined with conventional assay derives from functional activation of Gα i/o proteins (not restricted only to Gα i-3 ) coupled to adenosine A 1 receptors. The determination of adenosine concentrations in the samples used in the present study indicates the possibility that the assay mixture under our experimental conditions contains residual endogenous adenosine at nanomolar concentrations, which was also suggested by the results on the effects of adenosine receptor antagonists on basal [ 35 S]GTPγS binding level. The effects of adenosine deaminase (ADA) on basal binding also support the presence of adenosine. Nevertheless, the varied patterns of ADA discouraged us from adding ADA into assay medium routinely. The concentration-dependent increases elicited by adenosine were determined in 40 subjects without any neuropsychiatric disorders. The increases in %E max values determined by conventional assay according to aging and postmortem delay should be taken into account in future studies focusing on the effects of psychiatric disorders on adenosine A 1 receptor/G-protein interaction in postmortem human brain tissue.

Cytoplasmic Actin: Purification and Single Molecule Assembly Assays

Science.gov (United States)

Hansen, Scott D.; Zuchero, J. Bradley; Mullins, R. Dyche

2014-01-01

The actin cytoskeleton is essential to all eukaryotic cells. In addition to playing important structural roles, assembly of actin into filaments powers diverse cellular processes, including cell motility, cytokinesis, and endocytosis. Actin polymerization is tightly regulated by its numerous cofactors, which control spatial and temporal assembly of actin as well as the physical properties of these filaments. Development of an in vitro model of actin polymerization from purified components has allowed for great advances in determining the effects of these proteins on the actin cytoskeleton. Here we describe how to use the pyrene actin assembly assay to determine the effect of a protein on the kinetics of actin assembly, either directly or as mediated by proteins such as nucleation or capping factors. Secondly, we show how fluorescently labeled phalloidin can be used to visualize the filaments that are created in vitro to give insight into how proteins regulate actin filament structure. Finally, we describe a method for visualizing dynamic assembly and disassembly of single actin filaments and fluorescently labeled actin binding proteins using total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy. PMID:23868587

A versatile electrowetting-based digital microfluidic platform for quantitative homogeneous and heterogeneous bio-assays

Science.gov (United States)

Vergauwe, Nicolas; Witters, Daan; Ceyssens, Frederik; Vermeir, Steven; Verbruggen, Bert; Puers, Robert; Lammertyn, Jeroen

2011-05-01

Electrowetting-on-dielectric (EWOD) lab-on-a-chip systems have already proven their potential within a broad range of bio-assays. Nevertheless, research on the analytical performance of those systems is limited, yet crucial for a further breakthrough in the diagnostic field. Therefore, this paper presents the intrinsic possibilities of an EWOD lab-on-a-chip as a versatile platform for homogeneous and heterogeneous bio-assays with high analytical performance. Both droplet dispensing and splitting cause variations in droplet size, thereby directly influencing the assay's performance. The extent to which they influence the performance is assessed by a theoretical sensitivity analysis, which allows the definition of a basic framework for the reduction of droplet size variability. Taking advantage of the optimized droplet manipulations, both homogeneous and heterogeneous bio-assays are implemented in the EWOD lab-on-a-chip to demonstrate the analytical capabilities and versatility of the device. A fully on-chip enzymatic assay is realized with high analytical performance. It demonstrates the promising capabilities of an EWOD lab-on-a-chip in food-related and medical applications, such as nutritional and blood analyses. Further, a magnetic bio-assay for IgE detection using superparamagnetic nanoparticles is presented whereby the nanoparticles are used as solid carriers during the bio-assay. Crucial elements are the precise manipulation of the superparamagnetic nanoparticles with respect to dispensing and separation. Although the principle of using nano-carriers is demonstrated for protein detection, it can be easily extended to a broader range of bio-related applications like DNA sensing. In heterogeneous bio-assays the chip surface is actively involved during the execution of the bio-assay. Through immobilization of specific biological compounds like DNA, proteins and cells a reactive chip surface is realized, which enhances the bio-assay performance. To demonstrate

Tus-Ter-lock immuno-PCR assays for the sensitive detection of tropomyosin-specific IgE antibodies.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnston, Elecia B; Kamath, Sandip D; Lopata, Andreas L; Schaeffer, Patrick M

2014-02-01

The increasing prevalence of food allergies requires development of specific and sensitive tests capable of identifying the allergen responsible for the disease. The development of serologic tests that can detect specific IgE antibodies to allergenic proteins would, therefore, be highly received. Here we present two new quantitative immuno-PCR assays for the sensitive detection of antibodies specific to the shrimp allergen tropomyosin. Both assays are based on the self-assembling Tus-Ter-lock protein-DNA conjugation system. Significantly elevated levels of tropomyosin-specific IgE were detected in sera from patients allergic to shrimp. This is the first time an allergenic protein has been fused with Tus to enable specific IgE antibody detection in human sera by quantitative immuno-PCR.

Use of Novel Recombinant Antigens in the Interferon Gamma Assay for Detection of Mycobacterium Avium Subsp. Paratuberculosis Infection in Cattle

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mikkelsen, Heidi; Aagaard, Claus; Nielsen, Søren Saxmose

2012-01-01

of the study were to evaluate immunogenicity and specificity of 14 novel recombinant antigens for use in the IFN-γ assay and to assess the consistency of IFN-γ responses. The antigens used were 4 ESAT-6 family members, 4 latency proteins, 4 secreted proteins including Ag85B, 3 other antigens and PPDj......Early stage Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) infection can be detected by measuring antigen specific cell mediated immune responses by the interferon gamma (IFN-γ) assay. Available IFN-γ assay use purified protein derivate of Johnin (PPDj) leading to low specificity. The objectives...... of the infected and non-infected herds were significantly (Passay using PPDj did not correlate with the results using the novel antigens since 5 of the 17 animals that were positive to PPDj were...

IgG immune responses to different proteins of Helicobacter Pylori as defined by immunoblot assay

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raeiszadeh M

2000-09-01

Full Text Available Helicobacter pylori (H.pylori is an etiologic factor for chronic gastritis and peptic ulcers. Serological testing of H.pylori infection is common in Iran, as other parts of the world. There are geographical variations in the humoral immune response to various H. pylori strains in different parts of the worl. We studied the immunogenic proteins of H.pylori by means of an Immunoblot assay with antigens of H.pylori strains isolated in Iran. Sera of 64 patients suffering from dyspepsia were analyzed to determine antibodlies which were good marker of infection and the antibody patterns associated with peptic ulcer.54 out of 64 dyspeptic patients were infected by H. pylori based on positive culture or positive results of both rapid urease test and direct examination. 14 out of fity-four had peptic ulcers and the rest were catagoriied as patients with non-ulcer dyspepsia. Some of them had multiple erosions in the gut or deodenum. Tweny –two major bands were identified by immunoblot. Of these, IgG antibodies against 10 protients, and they produced immunoreative bands at 14, 16, 22, 26, 32 , 32, 44, 87, 92, 120 Kda. Antibody patterns were not identical in the patients. The presence of at least one band at 14, 16, 22, 26, 32, 35Kda was the best marker of infection(sensitivity, 90% and specificity, 80% Major serological cross reactions were found at moderate molecular weight bands (50, 52, 54, 60, 66 KDa. The presence of at least one band at 14, 16, 22, 26, 32, 35Kda was the best marker of infection (sensitivity, 90% and specificity, 80%. Major serological crossreactions were found at moderate molerate molecular weight bands (50, 52, 54, 60, 66 KDa. The presence of antibodies to 120 Kda protein (Cag A and 87 Kda Protein (Vac A were not associated with the presence of peptic ulcers. These were in contradiction to results obtained across Europe and U.S but in agreement with Asian studies. However the presence of at least one band at either 32 or 35 Kda was

Identification, expression profiling and fluorescence-based binding assays of a chemosensory protein gene from the Western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhi-Ke Zhang

Full Text Available Using RT-PCR and RACE-PCR strategies, we cloned and identified a new chemosensory protein (FoccCSP from the Western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis, a species for which no chemosensory protein (CSP has yet been identified. The FoccCSP gene contains a 387 bp open-reading frame encoding a putative protein of 128 amino acids with a molecular weight of 14.51 kDa and an isoelectric point of 5.41. The deduced amino acid sequence contains a putative signal peptide of 19 amino acid residues at the N-terminus, as well as the typical four-cysteine signature found in other insect CSPs. As FoccCSP is from a different order of insect than other known CSPs, the GenBank FoccCSP homolog showed only 31-50% sequence identity with them. A neighbor-joining tree was constructed and revealed that FoccCSP is in a group with CSPs from Homopteran insects (e.g., AgosCSP4, AgosCSP10, ApisCSP, and NlugCSP9, suggesting that these genes likely developed from a common ancestral gene. The FoccCSP gene expression profile of different tissues and development stages was measured by quantitative real-time PCR. The results of this analysis revealed this gene is predominantly expressed in the antennae and also highly expressed in the first instar nymph, suggesting a function for FoccCSP in olfactory reception and in particular life activities during the first instar nymph stage. We expressed recombinant FoccCSP protein in a prokaryotic expression system and purified FoccCSP protein by affinity chromatography using a Ni-NTA-Sepharose column. Using N-phenyl-1-naphthylamine (1-NPN as a fluorescent probe in fluorescence-based competitive binding assay, we determined the binding affinities of 19 volatile substances for FoccCSP protein. This analysis revealed that anisic aldehyde, geraniol and methyl salicylate have high binding affinities for FoccCSP, with KD values of 10.50, 15.35 and 35.24 μM, respectively. Thus, our study indicates that FoccCSP may play an important role in

Assessment of a recombinant androgen receptor binding assay: initial steps towards validation.

Science.gov (United States)

Freyberger, Alexius; Weimer, Marc; Tran, Hoai-Son; Ahr, Hans-Jürgen

2010-08-01

Despite more than a decade of research in the field of endocrine active compounds with affinity for the androgen receptor (AR), still no validated recombinant AR binding assay is available, although recombinant AR can be obtained from several sources. With funding from the European Union (EU)-sponsored 6th framework project, ReProTect, we developed a model protocol for such an assay based on a simple AR binding assay recently developed at our institution. Important features of the protocol were the use of a rat recombinant fusion protein to thioredoxin containing both the hinge region and ligand binding domain (LBD) of the rat AR (which is identical to the human AR-LBD) and performance in a 96-well plate format. Besides two reference compounds [dihydrotestosterone (DHT), androstenedione] ten test compounds with different affinities for the AR [levonorgestrel, progesterone, prochloraz, 17alpha-methyltestosterone, flutamide, norethynodrel, o,p'-DDT, dibutylphthalate, vinclozolin, linuron] were used to explore the performance of the assay. At least three independent experiments per compound were performed. The AR binding properties of reference and test compounds were well detected, in terms of the relative ranking of binding affinities, there was good agreement with published data obtained from experiments using recombinant AR preparations. Irrespective of the chemical nature of the compound, individual IC(50)-values for a given compound varied by not more than a factor of 2.6. Our data demonstrate that the assay reliably ranked compounds with strong, weak, and no/marginal affinity for the AR with high accuracy. It avoids the manipulation and use of animals, as a recombinant protein is used and thus contributes to the 3R concept. On the whole, this assay is a promising candidate for further validation. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Development of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for glutathione S-transferase (GST-S) protein in the intertidal copepod Tigriopus japonicus and its application for environmental monitoring.

Science.gov (United States)

Rhee, Jae-Sung; Kim, Bo-Mi; Jeong, Chang-Bum; Leung, Kenneth Mei Yee; Park, Gyung Soo; Lee, Jae-Seong

2013-11-01

To utilize the GST-S protein as a useful biomarker for environmental contamination, we developed a polyclonal antibody-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in the intertidal copepod Tigriopus japonicus. Two polyclonal antibodies, TJ-GST-S1 and TJ-GST-S2, were raised against two TJ-GST-S synthetic peptides. Also a recombinant TJ-GST-S protein was purified as a standard for ELISA development. Each polyclonal antibody was tested by Western blot analysis and indirect ELISA. Of two polyclonal antibodies, TJ-GST-S2 ELISA was further employed due to its wide range of detection and the limit of specificity compared to those of TJ-GST-S1 ELISA system. After exposure to 4 metals (Ag, As, Cd, and Cu) to T. japonicus, the amount of TJ-GST-S protein was significantly elevated in a concentration-dependent manner. Also, TJ-GST-S protein was upregulated at relative high concentrations of B[α]P, PCB, and TBT. In this paper, we suggest that T. japonicas ELISA for TJ-GST-S2 is useful as a potential indicator system for marine contaminants. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A High-Content Assay for Biosensor Validation and for Examining Stimuli that Affect Biosensor Activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Slattery, Scott D; Hahn, Klaus M

2014-12-01

Biosensors are valuable tools used to monitor many different protein behaviors in vivo. Demand for new biosensors is high, but their development and characterization can be difficult. During biosensor design, it is necessary to evaluate the effects of different biosensor structures on specificity, brightness, and fluorescence responses. By co-expressing the biosensor with upstream proteins that either stimulate or inhibit the activity reported by the biosensor, one can determine the difference between the biosensor's maximally activated and inactivated state, and examine response to specific proteins. We describe here a method for biosensor validation in a 96-well plate format using an automated microscope. This protocol produces dose-response curves, enables efficient examination of many parameters, and unlike cell suspension assays, allows visual inspection (e.g., for cell health and biosensor or regulator localization). Optimization of single-chain and dual-chain Rho GTPase biosensors is addressed, but the assay is applicable to any biosensor that can be expressed or otherwise loaded in adherent cells. The assay can also be used for purposes other than biosensor validation, using a well-characterized biosensor as a readout for effects of upstream molecules. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Mass Spectrometry-based Assay for High Throughput and High Sensitivity Biomarker Verification

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guo, Xuejiang; Tang, Keqi

2017-06-14

Searching for disease specific biomarkers has become a major undertaking in the biomedical research field as the effective diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of many complex human diseases are largely determined by the availability and the quality of the biomarkers. A successful biomarker as an indicator to a specific biological or pathological process is usually selected from a large group of candidates by a strict verification and validation process. To be clinically useful, the validated biomarkers must be detectable and quantifiable by the selected testing techniques in their related tissues or body fluids. Due to its easy accessibility, protein biomarkers would ideally be identified in blood plasma or serum. However, most disease related protein biomarkers in blood exist at very low concentrations (<1ng/mL) and are “masked” by many none significant species at orders of magnitude higher concentrations. The extreme requirements of measurement sensitivity, dynamic range and specificity make the method development extremely challenging. The current clinical protein biomarker measurement primarily relies on antibody based immunoassays, such as ELISA. Although the technique is sensitive and highly specific, the development of high quality protein antibody is both expensive and time consuming. The limited capability of assay multiplexing also makes the measurement an extremely low throughput one rendering it impractical when hundreds to thousands potential biomarkers need to be quantitatively measured across multiple samples. Mass spectrometry (MS)-based assays have recently shown to be a viable alternative for high throughput and quantitative candidate protein biomarker verification. Among them, the triple quadrupole MS based assay is the most promising one. When it is coupled with liquid chromatography (LC) separation and electrospray ionization (ESI) source, a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer operating in a special selected reaction monitoring (SRM) mode

A High-Throughput Assay for Rho Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors Based on the Transcreener GDP Assay.

Science.gov (United States)

Reichman, Melvin; Schabdach, Amanda; Kumar, Meera; Zielinski, Tom; Donover, Preston S; Laury-Kleintop, Lisa D; Lowery, Robert G

2015-12-01

Ras homologous (Rho) family GTPases act as molecular switches controlling cell growth, movement, and gene expression by cycling between inactive guanosine diphosphate (GDP)- and active guanosine triphosphate (GTP)-bound conformations. Guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) positively regulate Rho GTPases by accelerating GDP dissociation to allow formation of the active, GTP-bound complex. Rho proteins are directly involved in cancer pathways, especially cell migration and invasion, and inhibiting GEFs holds potential as a therapeutic strategy to diminish Rho-dependent oncogenesis. Methods for measuring GEF activity suitable for high-throughput screening (HTS) are limited. We developed a simple, generic biochemical assay method for measuring GEF activity based on the fact that GDP dissociation is generally the rate-limiting step in the Rho GTPase catalytic cycle, and thus addition of a GEF causes an increase in steady-state GTPase activity. We used the Transcreener GDP Assay, which relies on selective immunodetection of GDP, to measure the GEF-dependent stimulation of steady-state GTP hydrolysis by small GTPases using Dbs (Dbl's big sister) as a GEF for Cdc42, RhoA, and RhoB. The assay is well suited for HTS, with a homogenous format and far red fluorescence polarization (FP) readout, and it should be broadly applicable to diverse Rho GEF/GTPase pairs. © 2015 Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening.

Characterization of equine vitamin D-binding protein, development of an assay, and assessment of plasma concentrations of the protein in healthy horses and horses with gastrointestinal disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Pihl, Tina H; Jacobsen, Stine; Olsen, Dorthe T; Højrup, Peter; Grosche, Astrid; Freeman, David E; Andersen, Pia H; Houen, Gunnar

2017-06-01

OBJECTIVE To purify and characterize equine vitamin D-binding protein (VDBP) from equine serum and to evaluate plasma concentrations of VDBP in healthy horses and horses with gastrointestinal injury or disease. ANIMALS 13 healthy laboratory animals (8 mice and 5 rabbits), 61 healthy horses, 12 horses with experimentally induced intestinal ischemia and reperfusion (IR), and 59 horses with acute gastrointestinal diseases. PROCEDURES VDBP was purified from serum of 2 healthy horses, and recombinant equine VDBP was obtained through a commercial service. Equine VDBP was characterized by mass spectrometry. Monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies were raised against equine VDBP, and a rocket immunoelectrophoresis assay for equine VDBP was established. Plasma samples from 61 healthy horses were used to establish working VDBP reference values for study purposes. Plasma VDBP concentrations were assessed at predetermined time points in horses with IR and in horses with naturally occurring gastrointestinal diseases. RESULTS The working reference range for plasma VDBP concentration in healthy horses was 531 to 1,382 mg/L. Plasma VDBP concentrations were significantly decreased after 1 hour of ischemia in horses with IR, compared with values prior to induction of ischemia, and were significantly lower in horses with naturally occurring gastrointestinal diseases with a colic duration of < 12 hours than in healthy horses. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Plasma VDBP concentrations were significantly decreased in horses with acute gastrointestinal injury or disease. Further studies and the development of a clinically relevant assay are needed to establish the reliability of VDBP as a diagnostic and prognostic marker in horses.

Protein Science by DNA Sequencing: How Advances in Molecular Biology Are Accelerating Biochemistry.

Science.gov (United States)

Higgins, Sean A; Savage, David F

2018-01-09

A fundamental goal of protein biochemistry is to determine the sequence-function relationship, but the vastness of sequence space makes comprehensive evaluation of this landscape difficult. However, advances in DNA synthesis and sequencing now allow researchers to assess the functional impact of every single mutation in many proteins, but challenges remain in library construction and the development of general assays applicable to a diverse range of protein functions. This Perspective briefly outlines the technical innovations in DNA manipulation that allow massively parallel protein biochemistry and then summarizes the methods currently available for library construction and the functional assays of protein variants. Areas in need of future innovation are highlighted with a particular focus on assay development and the use of computational analysis with machine learning to effectively traverse the sequence-function landscape. Finally, applications in the fundamentals of protein biochemistry, disease prediction, and protein engineering are presented.

The Development of Protein Microarrays and Their Applications in DNA-Protein and Protein-Protein Interaction Analyses of Arabidopsis Transcription Factors

Science.gov (United States)

Gong, Wei; He, Kun; Covington, Mike; Dinesh-Kumar, S. P.; Snyder, Michael; Harmer, Stacey L.; Zhu, Yu-Xian; Deng, Xing Wang

2009-01-01

We used our collection of Arabidopsis transcription factor (TF) ORFeome clones to construct protein microarrays containing as many as 802 TF proteins. These protein microarrays were used for both protein-DNA and protein-protein interaction analyses. For protein-DNA interaction studies, we examined AP2/ERF family TFs and their cognate cis-elements. By careful comparison of the DNA-binding specificity of 13 TFs on the protein microarray with previous non-microarray data, we showed that protein microarrays provide an efficient and high throughput tool for genome-wide analysis of TF-DNA interactions. This microarray protein-DNA interaction analysis allowed us to derive a comprehensive view of DNA-binding profiles of AP2/ERF family proteins in Arabidopsis. It also revealed four TFs that bound the EE (evening element) and had the expected phased gene expression under clock-regulation, thus providing a basis for further functional analysis of their roles in clock regulation of gene expression. We also developed procedures for detecting protein interactions using this TF protein microarray and discovered four novel partners that interact with HY5, which can be validated by yeast two-hybrid assays. Thus, plant TF protein microarrays offer an attractive high-throughput alternative to traditional techniques for TF functional characterization on a global scale. PMID:19802365

A fluorescence-based rapid screening assay for cytotoxic compounds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Montoya, Jessica; Varela-Ramirez, Armando; Estrada, Abril; Martinez, Luis E.; Garza, Kristine; Aguilera, Renato J.

2004-01-01

A simple fluorescence-based assay was developed for the rapid screening of potential cytotoxic compounds generated by combinatorial chemistry. The assay is based on detection of nuclear green fluorescent protein (GFP) staining of a human cervical cancer cell line (HeLa) carrying an integrated histone H2B-GFP fusion gene. Addition of a cytotoxic compound to the HeLa-GFP cells results in the eventual degradation of DNA and loss of the GFP nuclear fluorescence. Using this assay, we screened 11 distinct quinone derivatives and found that several of these compounds were cytotoxic. These compounds are structurally related to plumbagin an apoptosis-inducing naphthoquinone isolated from Black Walnut. In order to determine the mechanism by which cell death was induced, we performed additional experiments with the most cytotoxic quinones. These compounds were found to induce morphological changes (blebbing and nuclear condensation) consistent with induction of apoptosis. Additional tests revealed that the cytotoxic compounds induce both necrotic and apoptotic modes of death

Effects of extract of leaves of Newbouldia laevis on the activities of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

SAM

2014-05-28

May 28, 2014 ... Promoting the physiologic functions of these enzymes and restoring homeostatic .... sample for the FBG determination was obtained from the tail vein of the rats and those ... in liver extract was measured by Lowry method (Lowry et al., 1951). ... ammonium molybdate (1%) and 1 mL of Na-arsenite/Na-citrate.

The occurrence of gibberellin-binding protein(s) in pea

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Z.H.

1988-01-01

In vitro gibberellin (GA) binding properties of a cytosol fraction from epicotyls of dwarf pea (Pisum sativum L. cv. Progress No. 9) and tall pea (Pisum sativum L. cv. Alaska) were investigated using ({sup 3}H)GA{sub 4} in a DEAE filter paper assay at 0-3 C. The binding obtained is saturable, reversible, and temperature labile in dwarf pea, and has a half-life of dissociation of 5-6 min. By varying the concentration of ({sup 3}H)GA{sub 4} in the incubation medium the Kd was estimated to be 120-140 nM in dwarf pea and 70 nM in tall pea. The number of binding sites (n) was estimated to be 0.66 and 0.43 pmole mg{sup {minus}1} soluble protein in dwarf pea and in tall pea, respectively. In competition binding assays, biologically active GAs, such as GA{sub 3} and GA{sub 4} could reduce the level of ({sup 3}H)GA{sub 4} binding much more than the biologically inactive GA{sub 4} methyl ester and epi-GA{sub 4}. Changes in gibberellin-binding protein(s) were studied during seed germination. While the Kd of the binding protein(s) for ({sup 3}H)GA{sub 4} remained the same, there was a marked increase in the number of binding sites from 24 h soaked seed to 8-day old seedlings. Also, the Kd and the number of binding sites in the GA-responsive apical part and in the nonresponsive basal part in the epicotyl were similar. The effect of light on gibberellin-binding protein in dwarf pea was also studied. The GA-binding protein in dwarf pea was partially purified by gel filtration and ion exchange chromatography.

Evidence for the interaction of the regulatory protein Ki-1/57 with p53 and its interacting proteins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nery, Flavia C.; Rui, Edmilson; Kuniyoshi, Tais M.; Kobarg, Joerg

2006-01-01

Ki-1/57 is a cytoplasmic and nuclear phospho-protein of 57 kDa and interacts with the adaptor protein RACK1, the transcription factor MEF2C, and the chromatin remodeling factor CHD3, suggesting that it might be involved in the regulation of transcription. Here, we describe yeast two-hybrid studies that identified a total of 11 proteins interacting with Ki-1/57, all of which interact or are functionally associated with p53 or other members of the p53 family of proteins. We further found that Ki-1/57 is able to interact with p53 itself in the yeast two-hybrid system when the interaction was tested directly. This interaction could be confirmed by pull down assays with purified proteins in vitro and by reciprocal co-immunoprecipitation assays from the human Hodgkin analogous lymphoma cell line L540. Furthermore, we found that the phosphorylation of p53 by PKC abolishes its interaction with Ki-1/57 in vitro

Development of a rapid in vitro protein refolding assay which discriminates between peptide-bound and peptide-free forms of recombinant porcine major histocompatibility class I complex (SLA-I)