Protein Microarray On-Demand: A Novel Protein Microarray System

We describe a novel, simple and low-cost protein microarray strategy wherein the microarrays are generated by printing expression ready plasmid DNAs onto slides that can be converted into protein arrays on-demand. The printed expression plasmids serve dual purposes as they not only direct the synthesis of the protein of interest; they also serve to capture the newly synthesized proteins through a high affinity DNA-protein interaction. To accomplish this we have exploited the high-affinity binding (∼3–7×10 −13 M) of E. coli Tus protein to Ter, a 20 bp DNA sequence involved in the regulation of E. coli DNA replication. In our system, each protein of interest is synthesized as a Tus fusion protein and each expression construct directing the protein synthesis contains embedded Ter DNA sequence. The embedded Ter sequence functions as a capture reagent for the newly synthesized Tus fusion protein. This “all DNA” microarray can be converted to a protein microarray on-demand without need for any additional capture reagent.

Rapid and simultaneous detection of human hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus antibodies based on a protein chip assay using nano-gold immunological amplification and silver staining method

BACKGROUND: Viral hepatitis due to hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus are major public health problems all over the world. Traditional detection methods including polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based assays and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) are expensive and time-consuming. In our assay, a protein chip assay using Nano-gold Immunological Amplification and Silver Staining (NIASS) method was applied to detect HBV and HCV antibodies rapidly and simultaneously. METHODS: Chemically modified glass slides were used as solid supports (named chip), on which several antigens, including HBsAg, HBeAg, HBcAg and HCVAg (a mixture of NS3, NS5 and core antigens) were immobilized respectively. Colloidal nano-gold labelled staphylococcal protein A (SPA) was used as an indicator and immunogold silver staining enhancement technique was applied to amplify the detection signals, producing black image on array spots, which were visible with naked eyes. To determine the detection limit of the protein chip assay, a set of model arrays in which human IgG was spotted were structured and the model arrays were incubated with different concentrations of anti-IgG. A total of 305 serum samples previously characterized with commercial ELISA were divided into 4 groups and tested in this assay. RESULTS: We prepared mono-dispersed, spherical nano-gold particles with an average diameter of 15 ± 2 nm. Colloidal nano-gold-SPA particles observed by TEM were well-distributed, maintaining uniform and stable. The optimum silver enhancement time ranged from 8 to 12 minutes. In our assay, the protein chips could detect serum antibodies against HBsAg, HBeAg, HBcAg and HCVAg with the absence of the cross reaction. In the model arrays, the anti-IgG as low as 3 ng/ml could be detected. The data for comparing the protein chip assay with ELISA indicated that no distinct difference (P > 0.05) existed between the results determined by our assay and ELISA respectively. CONCLUSION: Results showed that our assay can be applied with serology for the detection of HBV and HCV antibodies rapidly and simultaneously in clinical detection

Comparison of Peptide Array Substrate Phosphorylation of c-Raf and Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase Kinase Kinase 8

Kinases are pivotal regulators of cellular physiology. The human genome contains more than 500 putative kinases, which exert their action via the phosphorylation of specific substrates. The determinants of this specificity are still only partly understood and as a consequence it is difficult to predict kinase substrate preferences from the primary structure, hampering the understanding of kinase function in physiology and prompting the development of technologies that allow easy assessment of kinase substrate consensus sequences. Hence, we decided to explore the usefulness of phosphorylation of peptide arrays comprising of 1176 different peptide substrates with recombinant kinases for determining kinase substrate preferences, based on the contribution of individual amino acids to total array phosphorylation. Employing this technology, we were able to determine the consensus peptide sequences for substrates of both c-Raf and Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase Kinase Kinase 8, two highly homologous kinases with distinct signalling roles in cellular physiology. The results show that although consensus sequences for these two kinases identified through our analysis share important chemical similarities, there is still some sequence specificity that could explain the different biological action of the two enzymes. Thus peptide arrays are a useful instrument for deducing substrate consensus sequences and highly homologous kinases can differ in their requirement for phosphorylation events

Une nouvelle plateforme d’an alyse moléculaire pour le diagnostic médical basée sur la nanolithographie douce et la biodétection optique sans marquage

International audienceIn this article, we show that by biopatterning probe molecules at the nanoscale using soft lithography, protein biochips can be produced at a significantly lower cost for their use as a systematic method of molecular analysis for medical diagnosis purposes. The combination of multiplexed nanoscale microcontact printing and label-free optical detection using the principle of light diffraction is implemented for generating engineered glass slides for analysis, and a dedicated diffractive scanner for reading the multiplexed results of an assay.Une nouvelle plateforme d'analyse molé culaire pour le diagnostic mé dical basé e sur la nanolithographie douce et la biodé tection optique sans marquage Ré sumé : Dans ce travail nous montrons que la structuration à l'é chelle nanomé trique de biomolé-cules sondes par lithographie douce permet de fabriquer des puces à proté ines à un coû t de production suffisamment ré duit pour entrevoir leur utilisation dans le domaine de l'analyse molé culaire mé dicale. La combinaison d'un procé dé d'impression molé culaire et d'une dé tection optique sans marquage fondé e sur le principe de la diffraction de la lumiè re est mise en oeuvre afin de produire des supports d'analyse en verre comportant des motifs nanomé tri-ques et un scanner de diffraction qui permet la lecture d'un test biolo-gique multiplexé. Abstract: In this article, we show that by biopatterning probe molecules at the nanoscale using soft lithography, protein biochips can be produced at a significantly lower cost for their use as a systematic method of molecular analysis for medical diagnosis purposes. The combination of multiplexed nano-scale microcontact printing and label-free optical detection using the principle of light diffraction is implemented for generating engineered glass slides for analysis, and a dedicated diffractive scanner for reading the multiplexed results of an assay