Enzyme‐Mediated,Site‐Specific Protein Coupling Strategies for Surface‐Based Binding Assays

Covalent surface immobilization of proteins for binding assays is typically performed non‐specifically via lysine residues. However, receptors that either have lysines near their binding pockets, or whose presence at the sensor surface is electrostatically disfavoured, can be hard to probe. To overcome these limitations and to improve the homogeneity of surface functionalization, we adapted and optimized three different enzymatic coupling strategies (4′‐phosphopantetheinyl transferase, sortase A, and asparaginyl endopeptidase) for biolayer interferometry surface modification. All of these enzymes can be used to site‐specifically and covalently ligate proteins of interest via short recognition sequences. The enzymes function under mild conditions and thus immobilization does not affect the receptors’ functionality. We successfully employed this enzymatic surface functionalization approach to study the binding kinetics of two different receptor–ligand pairs.     

On the phase transition of superconducting cuprates in zero and non-zero magnetic fields

We present the results of measurements of the magnetizationM(T) and the specific heatC _p (T) of YBa₂Cu₃O_6.9 and Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O₈ in the vicinity of their respective critical temperature and in magnetic fields between 0 and 5 T. From these data we calculate the temperature- and magnetic field derivatives ofM andC _p . Both these measured and calculated quantities are used for testing theoretical predictions concerning the universality class of the transitions and to verify the influence of fluctuations accompanying the transitions.     

The structure of28Si above 10 MeV excitation energy I: gamma-decay modes and radiative widths of levels

The systematics of-decay modes and radiative widths of highly excited states in²⁸Si has been extended by taking-ray spectra on 60 resonances of the²⁷Al(p,) reaction in the range 1097 keVE _p 4492 keV (12643 keVE _x 15915 keV) and on the²⁴Mg(,) resonances atE =3355, 3431, 4003 keV (E _x =12860, 12925, 13 415 keV). The-decay modes of levels in the sub-resonance region (E _x =10–12.5 MeV) were studied with both the²⁷ A1(p, ) reaction and the²⁷ A1(d, n) reaction at E_d=4,5,6 MeV. Information on radiative widths of levels was obtained by measuring the resonance strengthsS =(2I+1) _p / for 52 resonances of the²⁷Al(p, ) reaction with an emphasis on prospective T=1 states.