Glycol Moieties Research Articles

Difference of Carboxybetaine and Oligo(ethylene glycol) Moieties in Altering Hydrophobic Interactions: A Molecular Simulation Study

Polycarboxybetaine and poly(ethylene glycol) materials resist nonspecific protein adsorption but differ in influencing biological functions such as enzymatic activity. To investigate this difference, we studied the influence of carboxybetaine and oligo(ethylene glycol) moieties on hydrophobic interactions using molecular simulations. We employed a model system composed of two non-polar plates and studied the potential of mean force of plate-plate association in carboxybetaine, (ethylene glycol)4, and (ethylene glycol)2 solutions using well-tempered metadynamics simulations. Water, trimethylamine N-oxide, and urea solutions were used as reference systems. We analyzed the variation of the potential of mean force in various solutions to study how carboxybetaine and oligo(ethylene glycol) moieties influence the hydrophobic interactions. To study the origin of their influence, we analyzed the normalized distributions of moieties and water molecules using molecular dynamics simulations. The simulation results showed that oligo(ethylene glycol) moieties repel water molecules away from the non-polar plates and weaken the hydrophobic interactions. Carboxybetaine moieties do not repel water molecules away from the plates and therefore do not influence the hydrophobic interactions.

Polyethylene Glycol-Mediated Kinetic Study of Nitrodecarboxylation of α,β-Unsaturated Acids by Blau's Fe(III) Bipy Complex

A kinetic and mechanistic study of nitro decarboxylation of α,β-unsaturated acids (USA) has been taken up by Blau's yellow complex [Fe(III) nitrate–Bipy] in polyethylene glycol (PEG)–acetonitrile media. Kinetics of the reactions indicated a rate law: rate = ab[Fe (III)][Bipy][USA]/(1 + b [Bipy]), that represents the Michaelis–Menten type mechanism. Reaction rates are significantly influenced by the structural variation and concentration of PEG. The mechanism of PEG-mediated reaction was explained through the formation of more active [PEG bound Fe(III) nitrate–Bipy species] than [Fe (III) nitrate–Bipy] itself. Formation of [PEG bound Fe(III) nitrate–Bipy species] could be due to the interaction of polyoxyethylene glycolate moiety with [Fe (III) nitrate–Bipy species] in the lines of nonionic micellar interactions.

Single-molecule inhibition of human kinesin by adociasulfate-13 and -14 from the spongeCladocroce aculeata

Two merotriterpenoid hydroquinone sulfates designated adociasulfate-13 (1) and adociasulfate-14 (2) were purified from Cladocroce aculeata (Chalinidae) along with adociasulfate-8. All three compounds were found to inhibit microtubule-stimulated ATPase activity of kinesin at 15 µM by blocking both the binding of microtubules and the processive motion of kinesin along microtubules. These findings directly show that substitution of the 5'-sulfate in 1 for a glycolic acid moiety in 2 maintains kinesin inhibition. Nomarski imaging and bead diffusion assays in the presence of adociasulfates showed no signs of either free-floating or bead-bound adociasulfate aggregates. Single-molecule biophysical experiments also suggest that inhibition of kinesin activity does not involve adociasulfate aggregation. Furthermore, both mitotic and nonmitotic kinesins are inhibited by adociasulfates to a significantly different extent. We also report evidence that microtubule binding of nonkinesin microtubule binding domains may be affected by adociasulfates.

Organocatalysis of nucleophilic substitution reactions by the combined effects of two promoters fused in a molecule: oligoethylene glycol substituted imidazolium salts

Oligoethylene glycol substituted imidazolium salts were synthesized as promoters for a range of SN2 reactions, and their efficiency was examined. These tailor-made organic promoters enhanced the nucleophilicity of alkali metal salts significantly through the combined effects of two promoters (oligoethylene glycols and imidazolium salts) in a single molecule. The effects of the oligoethylene glycol side chain length, ionic liquid anions, nucleophiles, and substrates were investigated systematically. [hexaEGmim][OMs] and [dihexaEGim][OMs] showed the highest efficiency for SN2 reactions using alkali metal salts. The role of the terminal hydroxyl groups of the oligoethylene glycol moiety was assessed by examining the relative SN2 yields of chlorination and bromination. The results showed that the hydrogen bonding strength of the hydroxyl groups with the nucleophile is very important. The mechanism for the excellent promotion of SN2 reactions by oligoEGILs was examined by quantum chemical calculations. The results showed that the oxygen atoms in the oligoethylene glycol portion and the ionic liquid anion act on the counter cation K+ or Na+ as a Lewis base, to enhance the reactivity of the metal salts significantly.

PEGylation and zwitterionization: pros and cons in the renal clearance and tumor targeting of near-IR-emitting gold nanoparticles.

PEGylation is the most common and successful surface-chemistry strategy for reducing nonspecific accumulation and prolonging blood circulation of inorganic nanoparticles (NPs), so that the NPs can effectively target tumors through well-known “enhanced permeability and retention (EPR)” effect.[1] These strengths fundamentally arise from the fact that poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) moiety on the particle surface creates steric hindrance for the serum protein (opsonin) adsorption and slows down the NP uptake by the reticuloendothelial system (RES) organs (liver, spleen etc.).[2] However, the majority of PEGylated NPs still end up in RES organs after the circulation,[3] resulting in low targeting specificity (defined as the amount of NPs in tumor vs that in liver).[4] For instance, even though PEGylated AuNPs with a 2 nm core size can circulate in the body at a high concentration, they were found to severely accumulate in the liver (78 %ID/g) and spleen (15.2 %ID/g) at 24 h post-injection (p.i.).[5] Such long-term severe accumulation in RES potentially induces health hazards, hampering their clinical translation. Therefore, developing PEGylated inorganic NPs that not only can retain strong EPR effect but also can be eliminated from the urinary system like clinically used small molecular contrast agents[6] is highly desired but remains a big challenge.

Design and Fabrication of Biosensing Interface for Waveguide-Mode Sensor

In order to develop a biosensing system with waveguide-mode sensor, fabrication of a biosensing interface on the silica surface of the sensing chip was carried out using triethoxysilane derivatives with anti-leptin antibody. Triethoxysilane derivatives bearing succinimide ester and oligoethylene glycol moieties were synthesized to immobilize the antibody and to suppress nonspecific adsorption of proteins, respectively. The chip modified with triethoxysilane derivatives bearing oligoethylene glycol moiety suppressed nonspecific adsorption of proteins derived from human serum effectively by rinse with PBS containing surfactant (0.05% Tween 20). On the other hand, it was confirmed that antibody was immobilized on the chip by immersion into antibody solution to show response of antigen-antibody reaction, where the chip was modified with triethoxysilane derivatives bearing succinimide ester moiety. When the interface was fabricated with antibody and a mixture of triethoxysilane derivatives bearing succinimide ester and oligoethylene glycol moieties, the response of antigen-antibody reaction depended on composition of the mixture and enhanced with the increase of ratio for triethoxysilane derivatives bearing succinimide ester moiety reflecting the antibody concentration immobilized on the chip. While introduction of excess triethoxysilane derivatives bearing succinimide ester moiety induced nonspecific adsorption of proteins derived from human serum, the immobilized antibody on the chip kept its activity after 1-month storage in a refrigerator. Taking into consideration those factors, the biosensing interface was fabricated using triethoxysilane derivatives with anti-leptin antibody to examine performance of the waveguide-mode sensor. It was found that the detection limits for human leptin were 50 ng/mL in PBS and 100 ng/mL in human serum. The results demonstrate that the waveguide-mode sensor powered by the biosensing interface fabricated with those triethoxysilane derivatives and antibody has potential to detect several tens of nanograms per milliliter of biomarkers in human serum with an unlabeled detection method.

Preparation and Characterization of Decyl-Terminated Silicon Nanoparticles Encapsulated in Lipid Nanocapsules

In this Article, we report on the encapsulation of decyl-modified silicon nanoparticles (decyl-SiNPs) into ∼80 nm lipid nanocapsules (LNCs). The decyl-SiNPs were produced by thermal hydrosilylation of hydride-terminated SiNPs (H-SiNPs) liberated from porous silicon. Various techniques, including Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-vis absorption, dynamic light scattering (DLS), and photoluminescence (PL), were used to characterize their size, shape, colloidal, and optical properties. The results indicate that these nanocapsules feature controllable size, good dispersity, high loading rate of SiNPs, colloidal stability in various media, and bright PL. The PL of decyl-SiNPs loaded LNCs was stable upon heating to 80 °C, but was sensitive to basic solutions due to proton-gated emission of the SiNPs arranged at the LNCs interface between the oil phase and the hydrophilic polyethylene glycol moieties of the surfactant. These luminescent nanocapsules are therefore promising candidates as cellular probes for fluorescence imaging. In addition, it was found that TEM imaging of small-sized decyl-SiNPs could be greatly improved by preliminary negative staining of TEM grids with phosphotungstic acid.

Human Ribonuclease with a Pendant Poly(Ethylene Glycol) Inhibits Tumor Growth in Mice

Human pancreatic ribonuclease (RNase 1) is a small secretory protein that catalyzes the cleavage of RNA. This highly cationic enzyme can enter human cells spontaneously but is removed rapidly from circulation by glomerular filtration. Here, this shortcoming is addressed by attaching a poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) moiety to RNase 1. The pendant has no effect on ribonucleolytic activity but does increase persistence in circulation. The RNase 1-CPEG conjugates inhibit the growth of tumors in a xenograft mouse model of human lung cancer. Both retention in circulation and tumor growth inhibition correlate with the size of the pendant PEG. A weekly dose of the 60-kDa conjugate at 1 μmol/kg inhibited nearly all tumor growth without affecting body weight. Its molecular efficacy is ~5000-fold greater than that of erlotinib, which is a small molecule in clinical use for the treatment of lung cancer. These data demonstrate that the addition of a PEG moiety can enhance the in vivo efficacy of human proteins that act within cells and highlight a simple means of converting an endogenous human enzyme into a cytotoxin with potential clinical utility.

Remote Functionalization of C60 with Enantiomerically Pure cyclo-[2]-Malonate Tethers Bearing C12 and C14 Spacers: Synthetic Access to Bisadducts of C60 with the Inherently Chiral trans-3 Addition Pattern

In this Article, we describe the synthesis of two optically pure diols bearing a 1,2-diol moiety masked as an isopropylidene acetal group and long alkyl chains comprised of 12 and 14 carbon atoms, respectively. The synthetic methodology that was developed offers a general way for the synthesis of optically pure diols with long alkyl chains. Diols (-)-4 and (-)-9 were subjected to a condensation reaction with malonyl dichloride to afford two cyclo-[2]-malonate tethers that were separated by column chromatography in optically pure form. The bismalonates (-)-4b and (-)-9b proved to be excellent tethers for the regioselective Bingel functionalization of C60, furnishing in a regioselective manner the corresponding (f,s)C and (f,s)A trans-3 bisadducts with low diastereoselectivity but in very good to excellent total yields. In both cases, the formed trans-3 bisadducts were isolated in pure form by simple column chromatography and were fully characterized. The successful acetal deprotection of the synthesized trans-3 bisadducts afforded quantitatively the corresponding polyalcohols, which represent novel chiral fullerene compounds equipped with glycol moieties.

Polynitroxylated-Pegylated Hemoglobin Attenuates Fluid Requirements and Brain Edema in Combined Traumatic Brain Injury Plus Hemorrhagic Shock in Mice

Polynitroxylated-pegylated hemoglobin (PNPH), a bovine hemoglobin decorated with nitroxide and polyethylene glycol moieties, showed neuroprotection vs. lactated Ringer's (LR) in experimental traumatic brain injury plus hemorrhagic shock (TBI+HS). Resuscitation with PNPH will reduce intracranial pressure (ICP) and brain edema and improve cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) vs. LR in experimental TBI+HS. C57/BL6 mice (n=20) underwent controlled cortical impact followed by severe HS to mean arterial pressure (MAP) of 25 to 27 mm Hg for 35 minutes. Mice (n=10/group) were then resuscitated with a 20 mL/kg bolus of 4% PNPH or LR followed by 10 mL/kg boluses targeting MAP>70 mm Hg for 90 minutes. Shed blood was then reinfused. Intracranial pressure was monitored. Mice were killed and %brain water (%BW) was measured (wet/dry weight). Mice resuscitated with PNPH vs. LR required less fluid (26.0±0.0 vs. 167.0±10.7 mL/kg, P<0.001) and had a higher MAP (79.4±0.40 vs. 59.7±0.83 mm Hg, P<0.001). The PNPH-treated mice required only 20 mL/kg while LR-resuscitated mice required multiple boluses. The PNPH-treated mice had a lower peak ICP (14.5±0.97 vs. 19.7±1.12 mm Hg, P=0.002), higher CPP during resuscitation (69.2±0.46 vs. 45.5±0.68 mm Hg, P<0.001), and lower %BW vs. LR (80.3±0.12 vs. 80.9±0.12%, P=0.003). After TBI+HS, resuscitation with PNPH lowers fluid requirements, improves ICP and CPP, and reduces brain edema vs. LR, supporting its development.

AB0285 First real life experience with certolizumab pegol in rheumathoid arthritis (ra) in latinamerica

BackgroundCertolizumab pegol (CZP) is a novel TNF inhibitor, consisting of a humanized Fab’ fragment fused to a 40-kd polyethylene glycol moiety with proved efficacy and safety in multiple RA clinical...

The Immunogenicity of Polyethylene Glycol: Facts and Fiction

An increasing number of pegylated therapeutic proteins and drug targeting compounds are being introduced in the clinic. Pegylation is intended to increase circulation time and to reduce an immunogenic response. Recently however a number of publications have appeared claiming that the polyethylene glycol (PEG) moiety of these products in itself may be immunogenic and that the induced anti-PEG antibodies are linked to enhanced blood clearance and reduced efficacy of the products. A critical review of the literature shows that most, if not all assays for anti-PEG antibodies are flawed and lack specificity. Also the biological effects induced by anti-PEG antibodies lack the characteristics of a bona fide antibody reaction. Standardization of the anti-PEG assays and the development of reference sera are urgently needed.

Chemical Modification of Polymer Brushes via Nitroxide Photoclick Trapping

The preparation of polymer brushes (PBs) bearing α-hydroxyalkylphenylketone (2-hydroxy-2-methyl-1-phenylpropan-1-one) moieties as photoreactive polymer backbone substituents is presented. Photoreactive polymer brushes with defined thicknesses (up to 60 nm) and high grafting densities are readily prepared by surface initiated nitroxide mediated radical polymerization (SINMP). The photoactive moieties can be transformed via Norrish-type I photoreaction to surface-bound acyl radicals. Photolysis in the presence of a persistent nitroxide leads to chemically modified PBs bearing acylalkoxyamine moieties as side chains resulting from trapping of the photogenerated acyl radicals with nitroxides. Application of functionalized nitroxides to the photochemical PB postmodification provides functionalized PBs bearing cyano, polyethylene glycol (PEG), perfluoroalkyl, and biotin moieties. As shown for one case, photochemical postfunctionalization of the PB through a mask using a biotin-conjugated nitroxide as the trapping reagent leads to the corresponding site-selective chemically modified PB, which is successfully used for site-specific streptavidin immobilization. Surface analysis of PBs was performed by contact angle (CA) measurements, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), attenuated total reflection (ATR), fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and fluorescence microscopy.

Protein Resistance of Surfaces Modified with Oligo(Ethylene Glycol) Aryl Diazonium Derivatives

Anti-fouling surfaces are of great importance for reducing background interference in biosensor signals. Oligo(ethylene glycol) (OEG) moieties are commonly used to confer protein resistance on gold, silicon and carbon surfaces. Herein, we report the modification of surfaces using electrochemical deposition of OEG aryl diazonium salts. Using electrochemical and contact angle measurements, the ligand packing density is found to be loose, which supports the findings of the fluorescent protein labelling that aryl diazonium OEGs confer resistance to nonspecific adsorption of proteins albeit lower than alkane thiol-terminated OEGs. In addition to protein resistance, aryl diazonium attachment chemistry results in stable modification. In common with OEG species on gold electrodes, OEGs with distal hydroxyl moieties do confer superior protein resistance to those with a distal methoxy group. This is especially the case for longer derivatives where superior coiling of the OEG chains is possible.

Trimming of damaged 3′ overhangs of DNA double-strand breaks by the Metnase and Artemis endonucleases

Both Metnase and Artemis possess endonuclease activities that trim 3′ overhangs of duplex DNA. To assess the potential of these enzymes for facilitating resolution of damaged ends during double-strand break rejoining, substrates bearing a variety of normal and structurally modified 3′ overhangs were constructed, and treated either with Metnase or with Artemis plus DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK). Unlike Artemis, which trims long overhangs to 4–5 bases, cleavage by Metnase was more evenly distributed over the length of the overhang, but with significant sequence dependence. In many substrates, Metnase also induced marked cleavage in the double-stranded region within a few bases of the overhang. Like Artemis, Metnase efficiently trimmed overhangs terminated in 3′-phosphoglycolates (PGs), and in some cases the presence of 3′-PG stimulated cleavage and altered its specificity. The nonplanar base thymine glycol in a 3′ overhang severely inhibited cleavage by Metnase in the vicinity of the modified base, while Artemis was less affected. Nevertheless, thymine glycol moieties could be removed by Metnase- or Artemis-mediated cleavage at sites farther from the terminus than the lesion itself. In in vitro end-joining systems based on human cell extracts, addition of Artemis, but not Metnase, effected robust trimming of an unligatable 3′-PG overhang, resulting in a dramatic stimulation of ligase IV- and XLF-dependent end joining. Thus, while both Metnase and Artemis are biochemically capable of resolving a variety of damaged DNA ends for the repair of complex double-strand breaks, Artemis appears to act more efficiently in the context of other nonhomologous end joining proteins.

BioSpotlight

BioTechniquesVol. 54, No. 4 BioSpotlightOpen AccessBioSpotlightPatrick Lo & Nathan BlowPatrick LoSearch for more papers by this author & Nathan BlowSearch for more papers by this authorPublished Online:3 Apr 2018https://doi.org/10.2144/000114004AboutSectionsPDF/EPUB ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack Citations ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail Playing tag with proteinsNon-chromatographic methods for protein purification are attractive in light of the expense and time required for chromatography. Perhaps the most promising of these approaches has been the use of protein or peptide stimulus-responsive tags that allow the rapid and reversible precipitation of target proteins from complex solutions. After isolation of the fusion protein, the tag can be removed by inducing a coupled self-cleaving intein domain or through treatment with a site-specific protease. A number of these tags, however, require heat or high salt treatment to induce their precipitation, which can be potentially deleterious for some target proteins. In this month's issue of BioTechniques, S. Banta and colleagues at Columbia University (New York, NY) describe a gentler approach using a synthetic peptide tag they developed that can be reversibly precipitated in response to calcium. The new tag came about as a serendipitous discovery during the authors’ research into repeat scaffolds for stimulus-responsive protein engineering applications. The calcium-responsive repeat-in-toxin (RTX) domain is found in various bacterial proteins secreted through the type I system and consists of repeats of a nine-amino-acid sequence. After designing a consensus RTX repeat sequence, the authors found that constructs containing multiple repeats of the consensus unit fused to the C-terminus of maltose-binding protein (MBP) caused its precipitation in the presence of calcium. Precipitation was most efficient for constructs with 13 or 17 consensus repeats and was easily reversed upon the addition of EGTA. Of several cations tested, only calcium could induce precipitation when the 17-repeat tag was fused to various target proteins. High yields of all the fusion proteins were obtained, and the functionality of the fused target proteins was also retained. To increase the utility of this tag, an enterokinase cleavage site was engineered between the tag and the target protein. Cleavage of the isolated fusion protein with enterokinase, followed by calcium-induced precipitation of the tag, left the purified target protein in solution. This new calcium-precipitable tag should prove to be a welcome and valuable new method for the rapid and selective purification of recombinant proteins.See “A designed, phase-changing RTX-based peptide for efficient bioseparations”Biochemistry's 15-minute workoutAffinity isolation of protein complexes can be greatly enhanced by speed–the faster the time between isolation and a downstream assay, the better the chance everything is completely recovered in a native state. One widely used affinity isolation system is based on the interaction between S. aureus Protein-A (SpA) and immunoglobulin G (IgG). Here, a bait protein is tagged with SpA and interacting partners are isolated using either competitive elution or cleavage. When it comes to cleavage, the reaction may not be uniform and also tends to be rather slow. On the other hand, while competitive elution is more uniform, it also requires several hours of incubation. In this issue of BioTechniques, John LaCava and his colleagues from Rockefeller University (New York, NY) describe the design of an improved reagent for the competitive elution of SpA tagged native complexes that works within 15 minutes under very mild conditions. Previously, the authors described a modified peptide generated from the Fc fragment of IgG called Bio-Ox that requires a 2-hour or longer incubation for competitive elution. They reasoned that by increasing the solubility of this peptide, it might be possible to reduce the elution time. The original Bio-Ox peptide was modified at the N terminus to achieve increased solubility, so LaCava and his team tested alternative substitutions at that same N-terminal portion of the peptide, identifying an additional polyethylene glycol (PEG) moiety of four unit lengths that was most effective in increasing solubility. Comparisons between Bio-Ox and the newly generated peptide PEGylOx showed that PEGylOx could effectively release 60%-85% of two test protein complexes within 15 minutes while Bio-Ox was unable to release either of these complexes within that time period. The authors also demonstrated that, similar to the original Bio-Ox, PEGylOx could be removed from a sample using a simple spin column with a 40kDa molecular weight cutoff for downstream assays. This newly improved peptide should prove highly advantageous to the large number of researchers taking advantage of SpA-tags in their affinity isolation workflows.PEGylOx structure and effectiveness as an elution reagentSee “Improved native isolation of endogenous protein-A tagged protein complexes”FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Vol. 54, No. 4 Follow us on social media for the latest updates Metrics History Published online 3 April 2018 Published in print April 2013 Information© 2013 Author(s)PDF download

Structural insights into the functional role of the Hcn sub-domain of the receptor-binding domain of the botulinum neurotoxin mosaic serotype C/D

Botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT), the causative agent of the deadly neuroparalytic disease botulism, is the most poisonous protein known for humans. Produced by different strains of the anaerobic bacterium Clostridium botulinum, BoNT effects cellular intoxication via a multistep mechanism executed by the three modules of the activated protein. Endocytosis, the first step of cellular intoxication, is triggered by the ~50 kDa, heavy-chain receptor-binding domain (HCR) that is specific for a ganglioside and a protein receptor on neuronal cell surfaces. This dual receptor recognition mechanism between BoNT and the host cell's membrane is well documented and occurs via specific intermolecular interactions with the C-terminal sub-domain, Hcc, of BoNT-HCR. The N-terminal sub-domain of BoNT-HCR, Hcn, comprises ~50% of BoNT-HCR and adopts a β-sheet jelly roll fold. While suspected in assisting cell surface recognition, no unambiguous function for the Hcn sub-domain in BoNT has been identified. To obtain insights into the potential function of the Hcn sub-domain in BoNT, the first crystal structure of a BoNT with an organic ligand bound to the Hcn sub-domain has been obtained. Here, we describe the crystal structure of BoNT/CD-HCR determined at 1.70 Å resolution with a tetraethylene glycol (PG4) moiety bound in a hydrophobic cleft between β-strands in the β-sheet jelly roll fold of the Hcn sub-domain. The PG4 moiety is completely engulfed in the cleft, making numerous hydrophilic (Y932, S959, W966, and D1042) and hydrophobic (S935, W977, L979, N1013, and I1066) contacts with the protein's side chain and backbone that may mimic in vivo interactions with the phospholipid membranes on neuronal cell surfaces. A sulfate ion was also observed bound to residues T1176, D1177, K1196, and R1243 in the Hcc sub-domain of BoNT/CD-HCR. In the crystal structure of a similar protein, BoNT/D-HCR, a sialic acid molecule was observed bound to the equivalent residues suggesting that residues T1176, D1177, K1196, and R1243 in BoNT/CD may play a role in ganglioside binding.

Selective Detection of Calcium Cations on Macromolecular Langmuir Monolayer and Langmuir-Schaefer Films

In this study, we report the interfacial Langmuir monolayer behavior and surface morphological features of a dendronic terthiophene linked via a tetraethylene glycol moiety (3T5O3T) and its complexation with calcium cations. Surface pressure-mean molecular area (pi-A) isotherms show distinct behavior due to the secondary interaction of cations with the ionophore units. Furthermore, two Langmuir-Schaefer (LS) films with and without calcium cations exhibited significantly different surface morphological features from atomic force microscopy (AFM) imaging. Quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) measurements reveal changes in frequency and resistance enabling selective sensing of calcium cations on the LS films. Thus, well-organized 3T5O3T LS films on the solid substrates are potential candidates for highly selective chemosensing.

Versatile and Nondestructive Photochemical Process for Biomolecule Immobilization

Covalent immobilization of unmodified biological materials as proteins has been performed through a one-step and soft method. This process is based on a polyazidophenylene layer derived from the electroreduction of the parent salt 4-azidobenzenediazonium tetrafluoborate on gold substrates. The wavelength used (365 nm) for the photochemical grafting of a large variety of molecules as biomolecules is a key point to this nondestructive immobilization method. This simple process is also versatile and could be used for covalently binding a wide range of molecules such as polyethylene glycol moieties, for example. To validate this approach for biochip or microarray fabrication, a surface plasmon resonance imaging (SPRi) platform for immobilization of various antibody families was created by grafting G-protein through this process. This SPRi antibodies platform was tested with several consecutive cycles of antigen injections/regeneration steps without loss of activity.

High-density immobilization of antibodies onto nanobead-coated cyclic olefin copolymer plastic surfaces for application as a sensitive immunoassay chip

Our research efforts have been devoted to development of nanobead multilayer-based sensitive immunoassays on cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) plastic surfaces. To facilitate nanobead attachment and impart antibiofouling properties to a COC substrate, we used an amphiphilic copolymer comprising benzyl, polyethylene glycol, and reactive ester moieties to coat the hydrophobic COC surface in an aqueous environment. Subsequently, NH2-modified polystyrene nanobeads were reacted with the polymer-coated COC surface and further assembled into multilayers that increased the overall surface area available for attaching capture antibodies. After treatment of the nanobead multilayers with an amine-reactive homobifunctional crosslinker, a model capture antibody (anti-rabbit IgG) was covalently immobilized onto the activated surface of nanobeads. Finally, a sandwich immunoassay was carried out using rabbit IgG as a target analyte and rhodamine-labeled anti-rabbit IgG as a probe. Compared with a nanobead-free, polymer-coated COC surface, the nanobead multilayer-based immunoassay exhibited ~4-fold higher fluorescence intensity. In addition, our nanobead-based assay system exhibited a wide dynamic range of detection (0.1 to 1,000ng/mL) and high specificity for rabbit IgG. Furthermore, much better detection sensitivity for rabbit IgG was attained in the nanobead multilayer-based immunoassay than with a conventional ELISA system (0.1ng/mL versus 10ng/mL), indicating the potential value of the proposed immunoassay system in plastic-based portable biochip applications.