Development of a surface plasmon resonance sensor for coupling to capillary electrophoresis allowing affinity assessment of protein mixture components

Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) currently is the major platform to study protein–protein interactions, but it lacks the selectivity to distinguish between binding components within one sample. Capillary electrophoresis (CE) can provide efficient separation of intact proteins under near-physiological conditions. We have hyphenated CE with SPR to achieve affinity assessment of mixture components. A microfluidic flow cell allowing straightforward coupling of CE and SPR was developed. Initial testing with non-interacting dyes showed good performance using a flow-cell channel volume of 100 nL until the detection point. Appropriate closing of the CE electric circuit was achieved using the SPR gold-sensor as grounding electrode. Division of the (bio)sensor into an electrode part (providing grounding) and a detection part (bearing the affinity surface) was crucial to avoid disturbance of the SPR signal by the CE voltage. This approach permitted CE separation and binding assessment for separation voltages up to 30 kV. Human serum albumin (HSA) or aprotinin were immobilized on carboxymethyldextran hydrogel-coated gold sensors and target proteins (anti-HSA, and trypsin and α-chymotrypsin, respectively) were analyzed. Efficient CE separation of the intact protein analytes was accomplished under native conditions by employing neutral and positively-charged capillary coatings. Selective binding of separated proteins to the target surface could be monitored by SPR down to 2 ng of injected protein. Regeneration of the biosensor surface was achieved by an on-line rising, allowing repeatable CE-SPR analyses of proteins with RSDs below 1% and 5% for migration time and signal intensity, respectively

Label-Free Analysis with Multiple Parameters Separates G Protein-Coupled Receptor Signaling Pathways

Real-time label-free techniques are used to profile G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling pathways in living cells. However, interpreting the label-free signal responses is challenging, and previously reported methods do not reliably separate pathways from each other. In this study, a continuous angular-scanning surface plasmon resonance (SPR) technique is utilized for measuring label-free GPCR signal profiles. We show how the continuous angular-scanning ability, measuring up to nine real-time label-free parameters simultaneously, results in more information-rich label-free signal profiles for different GPCR pathways, providing a more accurate pathway separation. For this, we measured real-time full-angular SPR response curves for Gs, Gq, and Gi signaling pathways in living cells. By selecting two of the most prominent label-free parameters: the full SPR curve angular and intensity shifts, we present how this analysis approach can separate each of the three signaling pathways in a straightforward single-step analysis setup, without concurrent use of signal inhibitors or other response modulating compounds

Development of a microfluidic confocal fluorescence detection system for the hyphenation of nano-LC to on-line biochemical assays

One way to profile complex mixtures for receptor affinity is to couple liquid chromatography (LC) on-line to biochemical detection (BCD). A drawback of this hyphenated screening approach is the relatively high consumption of sample, receptor protein and (fluorescently labeled) tracer ligand. Here, we worked toward minimization of sample and reagent consumption, by coupling nano-LC on-line to a light-emitting diode (LED) based capillary confocal fluorescence detection system capable of on-line BCD with low-flow rates. In this fluorescence detection system, a capillary with an extended light path (bubble cell) was used as a detection cell in order to enhance sensitivity. The technology was applied to a fluorescent enhancement bioassay for the acetylcholine binding protein, a structural analog of the extracellular ligand-binding domain of neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. In the miniaturized setup, the sensitive and low void volume LED-induced confocal fluorescence detection system operated in flow injection analysis mode allowing the measurement of IC(50) values, which were comparable with those measured by a conventional plate reader bioassay. The current setup uses 50 nL as injection volume with a carrier flow rate of 400 nL/min. Finally, coupling of the detection system to gradient reversed-phase nano-LC allowed analysis of mixtures in order to identify the bioactive compounds present by injecting 10 nL of each mixture

Design and evaluation of a multiplexed angular-scanning surface plasmon resonance system employing line-laser optics and CCD detection in combination with multi-ligand sensor chips

An angle-scanning Kretschmann configuration SPR instrument allowing multiplexed analysis is presented. Laser light was guided through optics that converted the collimated light into a line-shaped beam, which was directed to a prism, illuminating the gold sensor surface over a 1 × 10 mm area. The reflected light was led to a CCD detector providing simultaneous readout of individual analysis spots along the laser line at a selected angle (fixed-angle detection) or in scanning-angle mode (width of 35°). Full SPR curve could be measured every 3.6 s for each illuminated spot on the sensor surface. Two in-house manufactured flow cell designs were used for evaluating multiplexed angular-scanning SPR. The first comprised six parallel channels with the laser line perpendicular to the flow direction in order to allow interrogation of the sensor surface in the six channels. Refractive index changes by varying solution composition, and adsorption of different concentrations of albumin to the sensor surface could be correctly monitored simultaneously in each of the channels. In the second flow-cell design the laser line was coinciding with the flow path, allowing recording of SPR curves along a 10-mm length of the sensor surface. Adsorption of layers of positively and negatively charged polyelectrolytes could be consistently measured for sixteen selected positions along the channel. As a proof of principle, several target proteins were immobilized on different positions along the sensor and the binding of various antibodies with these proteins was monitored simultaneously, showing excellent selectivity and reproducibility for probing antibody-protein interactions in a multiplexed fashion

Angular scanning and variable wavelength surface plasmon resonance allowing free sensor surface selection for optimum material- and bio-sensing

A variable-wavelength Kretschmann configuration surface plasmon resonance (SPR) apparatus with angle scanning is presented. The setup provides the possibility of selecting the optimum wavelength with respect to the properties of the metal layer of the sensorchip, sample matrix, and biomolecular interaction of interest. Monitoring SPR curves over a wide angular range (39°) permits simultaneous determination of the total internal reflection angle (TIR), the resonance angle, and the intensity and width of the SPR dip, which are essential parameters for measuring binding events and achieving optimum sensitivity. The new apparatus was evaluated by recording full SPR curves at different wavelengths ranging from 600 to 890 nm using sensor surfaces of silver, gold and gold with deposited silicon oxide, aluminum oxide, titanium oxide and indium tin oxide which were exposed to air and an aqueous solution of sodium chloride. Clear wavelength dependencies of sensor-material resonance angles and SPR-dip widths were demonstrated. In order to investigate the capability of the system to probe molecular binding to different sensor surfaces, the layer-by-layer adsorption of charged polyelectrolytes was monitored in angular scanning mode at 600, 670, 785, and 890 nm. Although at longer wavelengths lower angular shifts were observed as result of layer deposition, the sharper dip, wider detection window and better signal-to-noise ratios at these wavelengths can be beneficial for binding studies. The applicability for biosensing was tested by immobilizing human serum albumin (HSA) on an aluminum-oxide-coated gold sensor using a new procedure and measuring the binding of anti-HSA antibodies at the optimal wavelength (890 nm) in angular-scanning and fixed-angle mode. The HSA biosensor showed negligible non-specific interaction and yielded almost ten times better sensitivity than obtained with a conventional gold-dextran-based sensor operated at 670/785 nm. Analysis of anti-HSA samples pre-incubated with different concentrations of HSA allowed measurement of the IC50 value. The reported data demonstrate the usefulness of the presented variable-wavelength angle-scanning SPR instrument, permitting continuous recording of full SPR curves in time at any selected wavelength in the 600–890 nm range using a sensor material of choice

Compound Identification Using Liquid Chromatography and High-Resolution Noncontact Fraction Collection with a Solenoid Valve

We describe the development of a high-resolution, noncontact fraction collector for liquid chromatography (LC) separations, allowing high-resolution fractionation in high-density well plates. The device is based on a low-dead-volume solenoid valve operated at 1–30 Hz for accurate collection of fractions of equal volume. The solenoid valve was implemented in a modified autosampler resulting in the so-called FractioMate fractionator. The influence of the solenoid supply voltage on solvent release was determined and the effect of the frequency, flow rate, and mobile phase composition was studied. For this purpose, droplet release was visually assessed for a wide range of frequencies and flow rates, followed by quantitative evaluation of a selection of promising settings for highly accurate, repeatable, and stable fraction collection. The potential of the new fraction collector for LC-based bioactivity screening was demonstrated by fractionating the LC eluent of a mixture of estrogenic and androgenic compounds, and a surface water sample (blank and spiked with bioactives) combining mass spectrometric detection and two reporter gene assays for bioactivity detection of the fractions. Additionally, a mixture of two compounds was repeatedly LC separated and fractionated to assess the feasibility of the system for analyte isolation followed by nuclear magnetic resonance analysis