Acetylcholinesterase immobilized on modified magnetic beads as a tool for screening a compound library

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) from Electrophorus electricus was immobilized on the surface of amino-modified magnetic beads (AChE-MB), and its activity evaluated by the quantification of acetylcholine hydrolysis. A reference mixture composed of AChE binders (galanthamine and a probe coumarin, K _i = 0.031 ± 0.010 μM) and non-binders (ketamine and propranolol) was used to probe the fishing assay. The performance of the bioconjugation assay was demonstrated with a library of 12 reference coumarins from which two ligands were directly identified by LC-MS/MS in a single assay, demonstrating the usefulness of this approach.

A bioconjugate-screening assay with AChE-modified magnetic beads was developed to direct identification of AChE binders, in mixtures, by LC-MS/MS. A reference mixture of twelve coumarins was used and, the two ligands were identified.

     

新型亲水聚合物修饰硅胶颗粒固定化酶的制备及在蛋白质组鉴定中的应用

采用原子转移自由基聚合法制备了亲水聚合物修饰的硅胶颗粒作为一种新型固定化酶载体,在实现胰蛋白酶高密度固定的同时,显著降低了载体材料非特异性吸附导致的样品损失。因此,该固定化酶材料兼具高酶解效率和高回收率的特性。以标准蛋白质牛血清白蛋白(BSA)为样本,使用该固定化酶1 min即可完成酶解,鉴定到肽段对BSA的氨基酸序列覆盖率可达90%以上。该固定化酶材料成功应用于酵母菌全蛋白质复杂样本的酶解,从3 min酶解产物中鉴定到666个蛋白质,超过同样条件下溶液酶解12 h的鉴定结果。     

Fluorogenic assays for activated protein C using aptamer modified magnetic beads

We describe a fluorogenic assay for activated protein C (APC) by using magnetic beads modified with DNA aptamers, taking advantage of strong binding affinity of aptamer, facile magnetic separation, and signal amplification via an enzymatic reaction. APC is specifically captured from a sample by the DNA aptamers on magnetic beads, and the concentrated APC then catalyzes the conversion of a fluorogenic substrate of APC to a fluorescent product. Detection of APC is achieved by measuring the generated product. This method is simple, sensitive, and specific. APC can be detected at 0.4 pM concentration level in a sample volume of 250 μL, corresponding to 0.1 femtomole of APC, when 2-h enzymatic reaction is employed. The proteins thrombin, trypsin, proteinase K, chymotrypsin, and elastase do not interfere.

Use of magnetic beads with immobilized monoclonal antibodies for isolation of highly pure plasma membranes

In plasma membrane proteome research, contamination of the isolated plasma membrane fraction with proteins from other organelles is still a problem. Even if highly specific isolation methods are used, such as density gradient centrifugation combined with selective extraction, contaminating proteins cannot be completely removed. To solve this problem, a protocol for the isolation of highly pure plasma membrane fractions from rat liver and two different hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines was developed. Magnetic beads with immobilized mAb's against highly expressed membrane proteins were used for specific binding of membrane vesicles and their separation from other organelles. Isolated plasma membranes were further selectively solubilized with different reagents and analyzed by use of different methods, such as Western blotting, 1- and 2-DE, and MS. Purification and further selective solubilization was validated by use of mAb's against the marker integral plasma membrane protein carcinoembryonic antigen cell adhesion molecule 1, and identification of isolated proteins by MS. The method presented here minimizes contamination with other organelles and enables further identification of membrane proteins.     

Liposome chromatography: liposomes immobilized in gel beads as a stationary phase for aqueous column chromatography

Liposomes have been used as a stationary phase for column chromatography with an aqueous mobile phase. They were immobilized in the pores of carrier gel beads by two methods: (A) hydrophobic ligands were coupled to the matrix of gel beads, which then were packed into a column and liposomes were applied and became associated with the ligands by hydrophobic interaction; and (B) phospholipids and detergent were dialysed in the presence of gel beads; many of the liposomes that formed in the pores of the beads were sterically immobilized by the gel matrix. Proteoliposomes containing red cell glucose transport protein in the lipid bilayers were immobilized in a column by method A. This column retained D-glucose longer than L-glucose. In contrast to L-glucose, D-glucose was transported into and out of the immobilized liposomes, causing an increased retention. Liposomes with (stearylamine)+ or (phosphatidylserine)- in their lipid bilayers were immobilized by method B and the gel beads were packed into a column. A protein of opposite charge was applied in excess. Under suitable conditions, the protein molecules became close-packed on the liposome surfaces. Ion-exchange chromatographic experiments with proteins showed that these sterically immobilized liposomes were also stable enough to be used as a stationary phase. The loss of lipids was 5-23% in the first run at high protein load and with sodium chloride gradient elution but was lower in subsequent runs. It is proposed that water-soluble molecules can be separated and their interactions with liposome surfaces studied by chromatography on immobilized liposomes in detergent-free aqueous solution. Membrane proteins can be inserted and ligands can be anchored in the lipid bilayers for chromatographic purposes.     

应用随机寡核苷酸文库修饰磁性颗粒提高血浆蛋白质的鉴定覆盖度

基于随机寡核苷酸与蛋白质之间的离子、亲和、疏水、氢键等相互作用力及多种空间结构作用,发展了一种基于随机寡核苷酸文库作为配基的新型血浆样品处理方法。采用寡核苷酸文库修饰的磁性颗粒(MNP@ssDNA)材料,在生理缓冲体系条件下捕获血浆样品中的蛋白质。比较了两种洗脱体系的洗脱效果,并利用nano-RPLC-ESIMS/MS对获得的蛋白质酶解液组分进行分析。结果表明,MNP@ssDNA材料处理后的血浆蛋白质鉴定数量提升了约29.5%,两种洗脱体系呈现良好的互补性(26.7%)。血浆中前10种高丰度蛋白质的谱图占有率从处理前的31.82%降低到21.31%(洗脱体系1)和26.20%(洗脱体系2)。在鉴定到的蛋白质中,丰度最低的蛋白质在血浆中的质量浓度约为0.29 ng/mL,该蛋白质仅在MNP@ssDNA材料处理后被鉴定到。结果证明MNP@ssDNA策略不仅能有效降低血浆中高丰度蛋白质的丰度,也为低丰度蛋白质的深度挖掘提供了新的思路。     

Silver nanoparticles and magnetic beads with electrochemical measurement as a platform for immunosensing devices

The simplicity and analytical utility of silver nanoparticles used as immunolabels with screen-printed measurement electrodes is illustrated by demonstrating an appropriate analytical signal for myoglobin (a protein marker for muscle damage) across a range of concentrations of physiological interest for distinguishing potential myocardial infarctions from normal background levels in serum. Silver nanoparticles were used as labels on one of a pair of anti-myoglobin clones while the other clone was covalently attached to magnetic beads. The two clones were selected so as to bind to different sites on the target protein and allow the formation of complexes containing both magnetic beads and silver nanoparticles. The magnetic beads enabled protein captured from test samples to be separated from other components, while the silver nanoparticles enabled the protein to be quantified. An oxidising potential, applied to screen-printed carbon electrodes, was used to dissolve silver without the need for an external oxidising agent. Silver ions released in the process were subsequently accumulated at the measurement electrodes by applying a suitable reducing potential and, finally, analytical signals were obtained by integrating the charges passed when accumulated silver was stripped from the electrodes by applying a potential ramp. The magnitudes of the measured charges were indicative of the concentrations of myoglobin in each of the test solutions.     

The design, synthesis and screening of a muscarinic acetylcholine receptor targeted compound library

Potent new agonists of the insect muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (mAChR) have been discovered by synthesizing and screening a library of 225 oxime ether amines. Library evaluation was facilitated by the development of a high throughput test enabling the rapid determination of muscarinic agonist activity. The most interesting compounds were the thiadiazole 17 and the isoxazole 24 which were potent muscarinic agonists (EC50 13 and 21 nM, respectively) and showed lead levels of insecticidal activity.     

Pt(II) complexes immobilized on polymer‐modified magnetic carbon nanotubes as a new platinum drug delivery system

We combine nanotechnology and chemical synthesis to create a novel multifunctional platinum drug delivery vehicle based on magnetic carbon nanotubes (multiwall carbon nanotubes/Fe₃O₄@poly(citric acid)/cis‐[(Pt(1,7‐phenanthroline)(DMSO)Cl₂)]‐b‐poly(ethylene glycol) (MCNTs/FO@PC/Pt(II)‐b‐PEG)) for targeted cancer therapy. MCNTs/FO@PC/Pt(II)‐b‐PEG was conveniently prepared by conjugating cis‐[Pt(1,7‐phenanthroline)(DMSO)Cl₂] complex to MCNTs/FO@PC‐b‐PEG via strong hydrogen‐bonding interactions. In comparison with free cisplatin and Pt(II) complex, MCNTs/FO@PC/Pt(II)‐b‐PEG shows higher solubility in aqueous solution and higher cytotoxicity towards human cervical cancer HeLa cells and human breast cancer MDA‐MB‐231 cells. In vitro release experiments revealed that the platinum drug‐loaded delivery system is relatively stable under physiological conditions (pH = 7.4 and 37 °C) but susceptible to acidic environments (pH = 5.6 and 37 °C) which would trigger the release of loaded drugs. Fluorescence microscopy studies revealed that this magnetic nanohybrid system possesses marked cell‐specific targeting in vitro in the presence of an external magnetic field. The results indicated that the prepared superparamagnetic MCNTs/FO@PC/Pt(II)‐b‐PEG nanohybrid system is a promising candidate for inhibiting the proliferation of cancer cells.     

A fluorescent sandwich assay for thrombin using aptamer modified magnetic beads and quantum dots

We report on a simple, rapid and efficient extraction procedure, referred to as ultrasound-assisted cold-induced aggregation (USA-CIAME), for the extraction of phenol from aqueous samples. In this method, very small amounts of the ionic liquid 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate (the extractant) are dissolved in a sample solution containing phenol and ultrasonicated for 1?min. The solution is cooled in an ice bath upon which a cloudy solution forms. Following centrifugation, the extractant phase settles at the bottom of a conical-bottom centrifuge tube. Phenol is photometrically determined after its chromogenic reaction with 4-aminoantipyrine in the presences of hexacyanoferrate at pH 10.0. Compared to the conventional cold-induced aggregation microextraction (CIAME) and dispersive liquid liquid microextraction (DLLME), the optimized approach displays the highest extraction efficiency at room temperature, and the shortest extraction time (5?min). Key parameters affecting the performance were evaluated and optimized. Under optimum conditions, the limit of detection of phenol is 0.86?μg?L^?1, and the enrichment factor is 75. The calibration graph as linear over the range from 3 to 150?μg?L^?1, and the relative standard deviation is 2.65% (n?=?5). The method was successfully applied to the determination of phenol in water samples.

2-Fluoro-ATP as a versatile tool for 19F NMR-based activity screening

19F NMR-based methods have found utility in activity-based screening assays. However, because enzymes catalyze a diverse set of reactions, a large variety of fluorinated substrates would need to be identified to target each one separately. We have developed a more streamlined approach that is applicable to many enzymes that utilize ATP as a substrate. In this method, a fluorine-containing ATP analogue, 2-fluoro-ATP, is used to monitor the reaction. Applications are described for nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide synthetase and 3-phosphoinositide dependent kinase-1. Fragment screening results for the latter indicate that this technique can identify compounds that inhibit as well as activate reactions. The present results, together with previous biochemical studies from other laboratories, have shown that 2-fluoro-ATP can serve as a substrate for nine enzymes that are representative of three of the six enzyme subclasses, namely the transferases, hydrolases, and ligases. This suggests that 2-fluoro-ATP is suitable as a universal tool for screening ATP-requiring enzymes. Importantly, 2-fluoro-ATP has been determined to be a valid substrate for a variety of kinases, including both small molecule and protein kinases, suggesting that it may be useful for investigating the large number of pharmaceutically relevant kinases.     

Ion exchange as a simple and effective tool for screening possible cation conductors

Although kinetics of the low-temperature cation exchange in mixed oxide materials (aluminates, gallates, titanates, niobates, tantalates, antimonates, phosphates etc.) cannot provide quantitative information on self-diffusion and ionic conductivity in the starting material due to the mixed cation effect, it is the most direct and simple qualitative indication of the cation mobility in the solid state. It does not need using ceramics and single crystals and thus represents a useful tool for rapid selection of prospective cation conductors for subsequent detailed studies of dense samples with electrical methods. Examples of solid electrolytes discovered owing to their ion-exchange properties are reviewed, and rational principles of the ion-exchange testing are discussed. Laws of ion-exchange equilibria are based on ionic size compliance and the principle of hard and soft acids and bases. The former is most important for alkali/alkali exchange and the latter for exchanging cations of similar size but having different electronic structures: those of the rare-gas type and those having 18- or 18 + 2-electron shells, like Na⁺ and Ag⁺ or K⁺ and Tl⁺. Ion-exchange testing is especially useful for structures with non-intersecting conduction paths. It is shown that the resistivity of crystals with non-parallel and non-intersecting conduction paths cannot be described by the classical tensor formalism. Significant differences between isotope exchange, chemical ion exchange and ion conduction, quasi-one-dimensional and true one-dimensional conductors and single- and multiple-barrelled non-intersecting channels are disclosed and discussed.     

Double emulsion droplets as microreactors for synthesis of magnetic macroporous polymer beads

An easy method is presented to fabricate monodisperse magnetic macroporous polymer beads（MMPBs）. Waterin-oil high internal phase emulsion（HIPE） is prepared by emulsifying aqueous iron ions solution in an oil phase containing monomers. The HIPE is introduced into a simple microfluidic device to fabricate monodisperse（water-in-oil）-in-water double emulsion droplets. The droplets serve as microreactors to synthesize Fe3O4 nanoparticles and are on-line polymerized to form MMPBs. The prepared MMPBs display uniform size, interconnected porous structure, superparamagnetic behavior and uniform distribution of Fe3O4 in polymer matrix. The MMPBs are characterized by scanning electron microscopy（SEM）, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy（FTIR）, X-ray diffraction（XRD）, transmission electron microscopy（TEM）, vibrating sample magnetometry（VSM）. We believe that this method is a universal technique in preparing macroporous nanocomposite beads.     

Enzyme inhibitor screening by electrospray mass spectrometry with immobilized enzyme on magnetic silica microspheres

In this study, a novel technique for screening inhibitors by electrospray mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) with immobilized enzyme on magnetic microspheres has been demonstrated. First, the model enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE) is immobilized onto the 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane (GLYMO)-modified magnetic silica microspheres. AChE activity was monitored by biochemical assay that is based on mixing of AChE immobilized microspheres and model substrate acetylcholine, separating and detecting the product through ESI-MS. Stability of the enzyme-immobilized microspheres was investigated. No apparent loss of enzyme activity was observed after fivefold reuse of AChE-immobilized microspheres. The enzyme-immobilized bioassay was used to effectively identify AChE inhibitors among two standard samples, huperzine A and huperzine B, and their source herbal Huperzia serrata, all of which were spiked into the substrate. The inhibition was determined by measuring a decrease of product formation using ESI-MS.     

The magnetic isotope effect as a tool for apoptosis modulation in leukemic cells

Lymphocytes from healthy donors and leukemic cells of patients with acute B-lymphoblastic leukemia (BALL-1) and acute myeloid leukemia were exposed to nanoparticles bearing magnetic (Zn-67) and nonmagnetic (total isotope pool) nuclei of zinc. The values of the corresponding magnetic isotope effects determined as the ratio of LD₅₀ magnitudes of preparations with magnetic and nonmagnetic zinc isotopes were 0, 3.5, and 1.5. Morphological studies using confocal and fluorescence microscopy showed apoptotic death of cells with the preparations; as well, there was an increase in the cell aggregation and better aggregation of nanoparticles in the case of ⁶⁷Zn-NP, which resulted in a decrease of cytotoxicity. However the magnetic isotope effect was observed even in the case of aggregation.     

Raman spectrometry as a screening tool for solvent-extracted azo dyes from polyester-based textile fibres

Some types of textile fibres are considered to be the cause of allergic reactions and other adverse health effects on humans. The main compounds behind these health problems usually contain azo groups in their chemical structure, which are widely employed as azo dyes in the manufacture of textile and clothing products. In this respect, availability of simple analytical procedures for identifying azo groups in textiles is of concern, not only for toxicological studies, but also for clinical and forensic investigations. In this work, conventional Raman spectrometry was assessed as an analytical tool for identification of the azo function in the extracts of fibres obtained after applying a liquid-solvent extraction procedure to the polyester-based textile products. A medium-polarity solvent of ethanol-diethyl ether (1:1 mixture) was shown to be the most effective extraction medium. Two laser lines at 514.5 nm and 785 nm were compared, with the longer wavelength preferred as additional peaks were identified in the Raman spectrum, which had better signal-to-background and signal-to-noise ratios owing to decreased fluorescence in contrast to excitation at 514.5 nm. The method reported is a convenient procedure that can be applied in many instances when rapid screening of fibre dyes is required.     

Similarity search profiles as a diagnostic tool for the analysis of virtual screening calculations

An analysis method termed similarity search profiling has been developed to evaluate fingerprint-based virtual screening calculations. The analysis is based on systematic similarity search calculations using multiple template compounds over the entire value range of a similarity coefficient. In graphical representations, numbers of correctly identified hits and other detected database compounds are separately monitored. The resulting profiles make it possible to determine whether a virtual screening trial can in principle succeed for a given compound class, search tool, similarity metric, and selection criterion. As a test case, we have analyzed virtual screening calculations using a recently designed fingerprint on 23 different biological activity classes in a compound source database containing approximately 1.3 million molecules. Based on our predefined selection criteria, we found that virtual screening analysis was successful for 19 of 23 compound classes. Profile analysis also makes it possible to determine compound class-specific similarity threshold values for similarity searching.     

Stability of hydrophobic lipase derivatives immobilized on organic polymer beads

Lipase fromCandida rugosa was immobilized by attaching various hydrophobic groups to the enzyme molecule and adsorbing these hydrophobic lipase derivatives on several organic polymer beads. The immobilized enzymes were more thermostable in organic solvents compared to the native and modified Upases. Thermostability was highest with ΧAD2 beads, followed by ΧAD7 and RCOOH. Initially modifying the enzyme with hydrophobic modifiers did not have any effect on the enzyme thermostability. The best conditions for storing these enzyme preparations were at very low temperature in the lyophilized form and in a solution containing the reaction substrate. Interestingly, PEG-lipase immobilized on ΧAD7 beads showed increased operational stability when used in a stirred-tank reactor. The operational stability was further increased by a mild glutaraldehyde treatment of the enzyme preparation.