A quantitative western blot technique using TMB: Comparison with the conventional technique

Numerous molecular biological experiments performed throughout the world require the detection or quantification of a protein of interest. Western blotting is one of the most popular techniques used for this purpose and offers quantitative information with the aid of specialized software. However, its dependence on the picture that is captured, and the background and the absence of a common protocol prevent the technique from being completely quantitative. To overcome these obstacles, we present a simple and reliable assay that is similar to the regular technique, with the exception of the last stage of band visualization and quantification. We propose that small pieces of the blot that include the protein of interest can be cut and dipped in a small volume of 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine solution, giving a colorimetric signal with linear dependence on the quantity of the protein. The reaction is stopped with H₂SO₄, and the signal is measured in a plate reader. This modification shows high linearity without additional costs and can be applied for both purified proteins and proteins found in a lysate. The results obtained with our proposed technique were compared with those obtained by the conventional method and proved to be more reliable.     

A novel method that improves sensitivity of protein detection in PAGE and Western blot

We have developed a simple and inexpensive method that improves sensitivity of protein and antigen detection in standard PAGE procedures. Our technique uses a sample microloader device with a funnel‐like structure, filled with a 4% stacking gel. When attach to the top of a polyacrylamide slab gel, the proteins in a sample are concentrated by electrophoresis into a small volume as they emerge from the device's narrow outlet. Our microloader has several advantages over previous devices, including simple assembly, high versatility, and absence of cross‐contamination between lanes. Addition of this device to a slab gel results in a fivefold increase in the sensitivity of antigen detection in a Western blot. As a result, less protein is required for loading and signal detection. Our protocol is a straightforward modification of a standard experimental technique, and is especially useful when only limited sample quantities are available.     

Standard loading controls are not reliable for Western blot quantification across brain development or in pathological conditions

A frequently utilized method of data quantification in Western blot analysis is comparison of the protein of interest with a house keeping gene or control protein. Commonly used proteins include β‐actin, glyceraldehyde 3 phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), and α‐tubulin. Various reliability issues have been raised when using this technique for data analysis—particularly when investigating protein expression changes during development and in disease states. In this study, we have demonstrated that β‐actin, GAPDH, and α‐tubulin are not appropriate controls in the study of development and hypoxic‐ischemic induced damage in the piglet brain. We have also shown that using an in‐house pooled standard, loaded on all blots is a reliable method for controlling interassay variability and data normalization in protein expression analysis.     

Design,Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Pyrrolo[2,1-c] [1,4]benzodiazepine-3,11-dione Derivatives as Novel Neuroprotective Agents

Aseries of pyrrolo[2,1-c] [1,4]benzodiazepine-3,11-dione derivatives was designed and synthesized, and their neuroprotective activity against SH-SY5Y cell injury induced by N-methyl-D-aspartic acid(NMDA) was evaluated. All the compounds showed significant neuroprotective effects, especially B16, which showed excellent performance and better activity than the positive control ifenprodil(B16:56.2%±0.6%; ifenprodil:41.0%±2.7%). Further investigation indicated that B16 could attenuate the Ca²⁺ influx induced by NMDA in SH-SY5Y cells and Western blotting also showed that B16 could attenuate the NR2B upregulation in SH-SY5Y cells induced by NMDA. The molecular docking results showed that compound B16 fitted in the binding pocket of NR2B-NMDAR well and could interact with binding sites of compounds 1 and 2 simultaneously. The ADME/Tox prediction results suggested that compound B16 had good blood-brain barrier(BBB) permeability and the zero alert of Pan Assay Interference Structures(PAINS) indicated that B16 could not elicit false-positive activities. These results strongly suggest that B16 is a promising and effective candidate neuroprotective compound, and that NR2B-NMDAR is a potential target of B16.     

固定化金属离子亲和发光二氧化硅纳米粒子的制备及其用于磷酸化蛋白免疫印迹标记

发展了一种能够识别磷酸化蛋白的固定化金属离子亲和发光二氧化硅纳米粒子用于免疫印迹(Western Blot)磷酸化蛋白的标记。首先通过反相微乳液Stöber方法合成了掺杂异硫氰酸荧光素硅烷化衍生物的发光二氧化硅(FITC@SiO₂)球形纳米粒子,粒子平均粒径为60 nm。然后通过共聚反应在FITC@SiO₂纳米粒子表面生成一层聚合物用于保护纳米粒子,并引入N,N-(双羧甲基)-L-赖氨酸功能基团用于螯合金属离子,从而实现固定化金属离子亲和作用。以α-酪蛋白作为实验模型,用高效液相色谱-质谱研究了螯合不同金属离子的发光纳米粒子对磷酸化蛋白的识别作用。结果表明,螯合了Ti⁴⁺金属离子的发光二氧化硅FITC@SiO₂纳米粒子对α-酪蛋白酶解液中的磷酸化肽段的富集作用最强。利用这种发光二氧化硅FITC@SiO₂纳米粒子对磷酸化肽段的特异性识别性能,可用于Western Blot实验中标记磷酸化蛋白的条带。结果显示,α-酪蛋白的电泳条带可以被亲和发光二氧化硅FITC@SiO₂纳米粒子标记,而作为对照的牛血清白蛋白则没有被标记。     

Characterization of a biopharmaceutical protein and evaluation of its purification process using automated capillary Western blot

This paper describes the application of an automated size‐based capillary Western blot system (Sally instrument) from ProteinSimple, Inc., for biopharmaceutical fusion‐Fc protein characterization and evaluation of its purification process. The fusion‐Fc protein column purification from an excess of single chain Fc polypeptide and removal of an enzyme coexpressed for protein maturation have been demonstrated using an automated capillary Western system. The clearance of a selected host cell protein (HCP) present in cell culture of fusion‐Fc protein was also quantitatively monitored throughout the protein purification process. Additionally, the low levels of fusion‐Fc product‐related impurities detected by traditional slab gel Western blot were confirmed by the automated capillary Western system. Compared to the manual approach, the automated capillary Western blot provides the advantages of ease of operation, higher sample throughput, greater linearity range, and higher precision for protein quantitation.     

MODELING THE EFFECTS OF PREDATOR EXCLOSURES ON A WESTERN SNOWY PLOVER POPULATION

Abstract In Humboldt County, California, nest exclosures were used between 2001 and 2006 to reduce the predation of eggs aiding in the recovery of a threatened population segment of western snowy plovers (Charadrius nivosus). Due to a sudden increase in adult mortality in 2006, field biologists abandoned the use of nest exclosures. This paper describes a discrete‐time stochastic model designed to compare two different management strategies (with and without exclosures) to predict the change in the plover population. The model uses beta distributions to model demographic parameters, and whenever possible, these distributions were fit to survey data of these populations. The model shows nest exclosures to be effective in increasing chick fledging rates. However, the model also shows that an increase in adult mortality potentially caused by the nest exclosures would counteract this increase in fledging rates. The model predicts that there will be a net negative effect on the population if these exclosures reduce adult survival to 90% of its unexclosed rate. The model also demonstrates that the population is dependent on immigration.     

吉林省西部典型盐渍化土壤偏振反射高光谱特征与模型研究

近年来,吉林省西部盐渍化土壤面积不断扩大,土壤质量退化日趋加剧,不但对该区域的土地资源造成了严重的破坏,而且对农业生产和生态环境构成巨大的威胁。该研究将遥感信息中的偏振信息和高光谱信息相结合,通过对吉林省西部盐渍化土壤光谱特征的获取,选择合适的波段,建立普适模型,并进行科学验证。研究表明,盐渍化土壤的偏振高光谱信息与其理化属性参数具有一定的相关关系,并具有规律性,这对盐渍化土壤表面反射机理研究、盐渍化土壤目标与背景的识别、分类,土壤偏振传感器的研制、偏振光遥感信息的利用以及定量遥感的发展均具有重大理论意义。     

扬子克拉通西部砂矿型刻面状金刚石多晶的显微红外光谱研究及意义

扬子克拉通西部刻面状金刚石多晶的微区显微红外光谱研究结果表明,多晶以IaAB型为主,其中的氮含量变化较大,介于25.70～358.35 μg·g-1之间,且同一多晶的不同晶粒中的氮含量有明显差异。金刚石中的“A氮心→B氮心”聚集转变不完全,且B%集中在40%左右,未见C氮心;多晶不是在金刚石的成核阶段所形成的,而是在各个金刚石晶粒形成后在地幔储藏期间聚集在一起的。其形成环境较华北克拉通东部的山东蒙阴刻面状金刚石多晶更为复杂;多晶极可能形成于地幔深部160～180 km的范围内,达到扬子克拉通的核部深度,接近于岩石圈底部,为地幔深源成因;多晶中的sp2杂化C—H键的存在有利于片晶氮的形成,其浓度一般要高于sp3杂化C—H键的浓度。     

Spatial variability of 2H and 18O composition of meteoric freshwater lakes in Scotland

Coastal regions, and in particular islands where precipitation from clouds formed out at sea occurs for the first time, are prime candidates for regions where ²H and ¹⁸O composition of precipitation will deviate significantly from the global mean geographic and physiographic trends of vapour-transport patterns. The results reported here are the outcome of a study that aimed to test this hypothesis by ‘isotopographically’ mapping the characteristic δ²H and δ¹⁸O signatures of Scottish freshwaters. The resulting isotope abundance landscapes or ‘isoscapes’ will underpin studies aiming to authenticate origin of Scottish produce but may also offer a baseline against which environmental changes could be assessed. Between April 2011 and May 2012 freshwater samples were collected from 127 different freshwater lochs and reservoirs across Scotland, and analysis results were compared to precipitation data provided by the British Geological Survey. Here we present the results of the ²H and ¹⁸O analyses of these water samples as well as the first detailed Scotland freshwater isoscapes with a grid resolution of about 5 × 5 km (0.05 degrees).