微流控技术应用于蛋白质结晶的研究*

随着微电子微机械等技术的不断进步,微流控(microfluidics)技术成为目前迅速发展的前沿领域之一,是化学科学和生命科学分析研究的重要技术平台。微流控技术高通量、低消耗和低成本的特点使其在蛋白质结晶条件筛选和优化方面展示了良好的应用前景。本文对应用于蛋白质结晶的各种微流控芯片技术的原理和方法进行了综述,并对目前几种商业化和文献报道的典型蛋白质结晶微流控系统进行了介绍和比较。     

微流控液滴技术及其在生物医学分析中的应用进展

微流控芯片微滴技术作为一种基于微流控芯片的操控微小体积液体的新技术,以分散的微滴单元作为微反应器,它大大强化了微流控芯片的高灵敏度、低消耗、高通量和自动化等优点,受到日益广泛的重视,并在物理学、化学和生物学等领域中显示出巨大的应用潜力。文章叙述了微流控微滴领域的最新进展,对新的微滴生成技术及操控技术进行介绍,最后阐述了微滴技术在生物医学分析中的最新研究进展。     

基于固体核磁共振方法的蛋白质组装体三维结构解析

蛋白质组装体广泛存在于生物体内,具有相关生物学功能或与人类的重要疾病密切相关。蛋白质组装体分子量大,通常难以溶解和结晶,限制了常用的结构研究手段如X射线晶体学和液体NMR等在其高分辨三维结构解析中的应用。固体核磁共振技术(ssNMR)在难溶、非结晶样品的三维结构解析中具有独特的优势,尤其随着固体NMR硬件包括高场磁体和高性能的探头、固体NMR多维脉冲实验技术和样品制备技术特别是同位素标记技术的快速发展,固体NMR已经成为了蛋白组装体三维结构解析的重要手段。在样品制备方法方面,强调了样品制备条件的优化对得到构象均一样品的重要性,以及丰富的同位素标记方法的使用对固体NMR谱图分辨率提高的重要作用。同时多种脉冲序列如质子驱动自旋扩散技术(PDSD),偶极辅助旋转共振技术(DARR),质子辅助重偶技术(PAR)或转移回波双共振技术(TEDOR)等的建立和发展为结构约束条件收集提供了基本的技术方法。此外,固体NMR与其它实验技术如扫描透射电镜(STEM),冷冻电镜(Cryo-EM)等和理论模拟方法的联用能显著地提高固体NMR的能力,从而能解析分子量更大、结构更复杂的蛋白质组装体的三维结构。本文以Aβ纤维和T3SS针状体的三维结构解析为例介绍固体NMR在蛋白质组装体结构研究的最新实验方法,重点介绍最新的距离约束条件获取的实验方法进展,以及固体NMR与其它实验和理论模拟研究手段的联用在蛋白质组装体结构解析上的最新进展,期望有助于读者对固体NMR技术在蛋白质组装体的三维结构解析方面的研究进展有所了解。     

双偏振干涉技术(DPI):生物分子相互作用研究的新工具

双偏振干涉(dual polarization interferometry,DPI)技术是近年来发展起来的一种免标记、实时、高灵敏和高分辨率的表面分析技术.它能够精确测量分子相互作用界面层的密度、厚度和质量的绝对值,可实时获取分子相互作用过程的动力学和结构信息.本文简单介绍了DPI的测量原理、仪器组成并对其与相关检测技术的对比进行了简要的概述;着重介绍了近10年来DPI技术在生物分子相互作用研究方面的应用进展,主要包括蛋白质之间以及与其他分子的相互作用,DNA与各种分子之间的相互作用,生物膜与其他分子的相互作用,蛋白质的吸脱附、聚集和结晶过程监测等;并对DPI技术未来的发展进行了展望.随着技术的不断发展,DPI将会在生物分析、纳米材料表征、能源相关表/界面研究等方面得到广泛应用.     

基于微流控技术的蛋白质结晶及其筛选方法的研究进展简

微流控技术以其高通量、低消耗和集成化等优点成为蛋白质结晶微型化研究的重要手段. 本文综述了基于微流控技术的蛋白质结晶技术和方法,主要包括微泵微阀、液滴(Droplet)、滑动芯片(SlipChip)以及液滴实验室(DropLab)等技术. 此外,还针对当前膜蛋白在结构生物学研究中的重要地位,综述了应用于膜蛋白结晶的微流控技术的研究进展.     

基于微流控技术的蛋白质结晶及其筛选方法的研究进展

微流控技术以其高通量、 低消耗和集成化等优点成为蛋白质结晶微型化研究的重要手段. 本文综述了基于微流控技术的蛋白质结晶技术和方法, 主要包括微泵微阀、 液滴(Droplet)、 滑动芯片(SlipChip)以及液滴实验室(DropLab)等技术. 此外, 还针对当前膜蛋白在结构生物学研究中的重要地位, 综述了应用于膜蛋白结晶的微流控技术的研究进展.     

黏弹性流体在微粒被动操控技术中的应用

因能实现微米尺度粒子的精确操控,微流控技术已被广泛运用于医学、制药、生物和化学等领域,其中无需外场作用的被动操控技术由于其简单性和自主性更是成为研究热点。与其他被动操控技术相比,黏弹性聚焦技术更易实现微粒的三维聚焦且能操控微粒的尺度跨度大、流体流量范围广。因此,本文综述了黏弹性流体在微粒被动操控应用中的最新研究进展。首先,介绍了微粒在不同结构流道内的黏弹性流体中进行迁移的受力机理,进一步详细阐述了黏弹性聚焦、黏弹性分选、黏弹性混合以及其他黏弹性微粒操控应用研究进展,最后对研究黏弹性流体流动特性和在其内微粒迁移运动规律的数值模拟方法进行了介绍,并在分析现有问题的基础上对黏弹性微流控技术未来的发展作出了展望。     

高通量蛋白质结晶及其在药物设计中的应用

针对靶标蛋白质的小分子药物研究中,蛋白质的三维结构起到了非常重要的作用.最近高通量蛋白质结晶的快速发展为蛋白质结构的快速确定和药物先导的发现提供了许多新的机会.本文综述了高通量蛋白质结晶及其在新药设计中应用的最新进展。     

微流控床边检验系统的流体操控方法研究进展

综述了近年来面向床边检验应用的微流控分析仪器的研究进展.针对仪器微型化过程中所面临的流体操控自动化的发展瓶颈,以流体操控方式对当前床边检验分析系统进行了分类.评述了适用于现场床边检验应用的各类流体操控方式的优缺点及适用范围,并展望了微流控床边检验分析系统的发展方向和前景.     

可更新表面分析技术进展

概述了流动注射及顺序注射可更新表面分析技术及仪器的进展。介绍了该技术原理、仪器系统、流通池等方面的新发展以及在传感器、免疫分析、生物配位作用检测、酶反应检测、细胞功能检测等领域的应用。参考文献32篇。     

Automated high-throughput nanoliter-scale protein crystallization screening

A highly efficient method is developed for automated high-throughput screening of nanoliter-scale protein crystallization. The system integrates liquid dispensing, crystallization and detection. The automated liquid dispensing system handles nanoliters of protein and various combinations of precipitants in parallel to access diverse regions of the phase diagram. A new detection scheme, native fluorescence, with complementary visible-light detection is employed for monitoring the progress of crystallization. This detection mode can distinguish protein crystals from inorganic crystals in a nondestructive manner. A gas-permeable membrane covering the microwells simplifies evaporation rate control and probes extended conditions in the phase diagram. The system was successfully demonstrated for the screening of lysozyme crystallization under 81 different conditions.     

高通量蛋白质组学分析研究进展

基于质谱的蛋白质组学技术已经日趋成熟,可以对细胞和组织中的成千上万种蛋白质进行全面的定性和定量分析,逐步实现“深度覆盖”。随着生物医学日益增长的大队列蛋白质组学分析需求,如何在保持较为理想的覆盖深度下实现短时间、快速的“高通量”蛋白质组学分析已成为当前亟需解决的关键问题之一。常规的蛋白质组学分析流程通常包括样品前处理、色谱分离、质谱检测和数据分析。该文从以上4个方面展开介绍近10年以来高通量蛋白质组学分析技术取得的一系列研究进展,主要包括:(1)基于高通量、自动化移液工作站的蛋白质组样品前处理方法;(2)基于微升流速液相色谱与质谱联用的高通量蛋白质组检测方法;(3)利用灵敏度高、扫描速度快的质谱仪实现短色谱梯度分离下蛋白质组深度覆盖的分析方法;(4)基于人工智能、深度神经网络、机器学习等的蛋白质组学大数据分析方法。此外,对高通量蛋白质组学面临的挑战及其发展进行展望。总而言之,预期在不久的将来高通量蛋白质组学技术将会逐步“落地转化”,成为大队列蛋白质组学分析的利器。     

Rapid, multiplexed microfluidic phage display

The development of a method for high-throughput, automated proteomic screening could impact areas ranging from fundamental molecular interactions to the discovery of novel disease markers and therapeutic targets. Surface display techniques allow for efficient handling of large molecular libraries in small volumes. In particular, phage display has emerged as a powerful technology for selecting peptides and proteins with enhanced, target-specific binding affinities. Yet, the process becomes cumbersome and time-consuming when multiple targets are involved. Here we demonstrate for the first time a microfluidic chip capable of identifying high affinity phage-displayed peptides for multiple targets in just a single round and without the need for bacterial infection. The chip is shown to be able to yield well-established control consensus sequences while simultaneously identifying new sequences for clinically important targets. Indeed, the confined parameters of the device allow not only for highly controlled assay conditions but also introduce a significant time-reduction to the phage display process. We anticipate that this easily-fabricated, disposable device has the potential to impact areas ranging from fundamental studies of protein, peptide, and molecular interactions, to applications such as fully automated proteomic screening.     

An improved high-throughput liquid chromatographic/tandem mass spectrometric method for terbinafine quantification in human plasma, using automated liquid-liquid extraction based on 96-well format plates

A fully automated high-throughput liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was developed for terbinafine quantification in human plasma. The plasma samples were treated by liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) in 2.2 mL 96-deepwell plates. Terbinafine and the internal standard (IS) N-methyl-1-naphthalenemethylamine were extracted from human plasma by LLE, using a mixture of methyl t-butyl ether (MTBE)-hexane (70:30, v/v) as the organic solvent. All liquid transfer steps, including preparation of calibration standards and quality control samples, as well as the addition of the IS, were performed automatically by using robotic liquid handling workstations. After vortexing, centrifugation and freezing, the supernatant organic solvent was evaporated and reconstituted in a small volume of a reconstitution solution. Sample analysis was performed by reversed-phase LC-MS/MS, with positive ion electrospray ionization, using multiple reaction monitoring (MRM). The method had a very short sample preparation time and a chromatographic run time of 2.2 min. It was proved to have excellent sensitivity, specificity, accuracy as well as inter- and intraday precision for the quantification of terbinafine in human plasma. The calibration curve was linear for the range of concentrations 5.0-2000.0 ng/mL. The proposed method was applied to the rapid and reliable determination of terbinafine in a bioequivalence study after per os administration of 250 mg tablet formulations of terbinafine.     

Shotgun electroelution: a proteomic tool for simultaneous sample elution from whole SDS-polyacrylamide gel slabs

A high-throughput device has been constructed which allows parallel electroelution of separated SDS-protein bands directly from intact unsectioned polyacrylamide gel slabs as well as single electroelution of certain protein spots into a 384-well standard flat-bottom multiwell plate. The prototype provides complete, quick elution for proteomics from 1-D or from 2-D gels without gel sectioning. Since the elution chamber matrix requires no assembly, sample handling can be easily carried out by existing robotic workstations. The current design is a good candidate for automation of spot elution since there are no moving liquid containing components in the apparatus. Eight SDS-proteins were eluted in test runs and an average 70% sample recovery was achieved by re-electrophoresis of the electro-eluates.     

Screening and determination of drugs in human saliva utilizing microextraction by packed sorbent and liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry

This study presents a new method for collecting and handling saliva samples using an automated analytical microsyringe and microextraction by packed syringe (MEPS). The screening and determination of lidocaine in human saliva samples utilizing MEPS and liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC‐MS/MS) were carried out. An exact volume of saliva could be collected. The MEPS C₈‐cartridge could be used for 50 extractions before it was discarded. The extraction recovery was about 60%. The pharmacokinetic curve of lidocaine in saliva using MEPS‐LC‐MS/MS is reported. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A thousand points of light: the application of fluorescence detection technologies to two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and proteomics

As proteomics evolves into a high-throughput technology for the study of global protein regulation, new demands are continually being placed upon protein visualization and quantitation methods. Chief among these are increased detection sensitivity, broad linear dynamic range and compatibility with modern methods of microchemical analyses. The limitations of conventional protein staining techniques are increasingly being encountered as high sensitivity electrophoresis methods are interfaced with automated gel stainers, image analysis workstations, robotic spot excision instruments, protein digestion work stations, and mass spectrometers. Three approaches to fluorescence detection of proteins in two-dimensional (2-D) gels are currently practiced: covalent derivatization of proteins with fluorophores, intercalation of fluorophores into the sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) micelle, and direct electrostatic interaction with proteins by a Coomassie Brilliant Blue-type mechanism. This review discusses problems encountered in the analysis of proteins visualized with conventional stains and addresses advances in fluorescence protein detection, including immunoblotting, as well as the use of charge-coupled device (CCD) camera-based and laser-scanner-based image acquisition devices in proteomics.     

Bioluminescence and chemiluminescence in drug screening

Drug screening, that is, the evaluation of the biological activity of candidate drug molecules, is a key step in the drug discovery and development process. In recent years, high-throughput screening assays have become indispensable for early stage drug discovery because of the developments in synthesis technologies, such as combinatorial chemistry and automated synthesis, and the discovery of an increasing number of new pharmacological targets.Bioluminescence and chemiluminescence represent suitable detection techniques for high-throughput screening because they allow rapid and sensitive detection of the analytes and can be applied to small-volume samples. In this paper we report on recent applications of bioluminescence and chemiluminescence in drug screening, both for in vitro and in vivo assays. Particular attention is devoted to the latest and most innovative bioluminescence and chemiluminescence-based technologies for drug screening, such as assays based on genetically modified cells, bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET)-based assays, and in vivo imaging assays using transgenic animals or bioluminescent markers. The possible relevance of bioluminescence and chemiluminescence techniques in the future developments of high-throughput screening technologies is also discussed.