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Pergamon Press
Talanta

Pergamon Press

0039-9140

Talanta/Journal TalantaSCIISTPEIAHCI
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    Enzyme inhibition coupled to molecularly imprinted polymers for acetazolamide determination in biological samples

    Elfadil, DouniaPalmieri, SaraDella Pelle, FlavioSergi, Manuel...
    7页
    查看更多>>摘要:Several methods involving molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) devoted to extracting and analyzing sulfonamides from different matrices are reported in literature; however, the unresolved analytical issue is obtaining intra-class selectivity between sulfonamides. Here is presented for the first time a method coupling MIPs and enzymatic inhibition assay for the sensitive and selective determination of acetazolamide (ACZ) in biological samples. The MIPs were synthesized by thermal initiated polymerization in acetone, using acrylamide as functional monomer, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as cross-linker and ACZ as template molecule. The developed MIPs/ enzymatic inhibition based rapid colorimetric method was applied for the determination of ACZ in biological samples. The MIPs were used as sorbent phase in dispersive solid-phase extraction (MIPs-dSPE), and the optimal working parameters were selected. Liquid chromatography-tandam mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis confirmed the MIPs ability to extract ACZ. Finally, to obtain a selective and sensitive method, the MIPs-dSPE was combined with an enzymatic inhibition colorimetric assay based on the carbonic anhydrase, an enzyme inhibited by specific sulfonamides. The developed combined method allowed the determination of ACZ in serum, blood and Diamox (a drug containing ACZ), with good recovery (85-96%). Furthermore, a significant correlation with LC-MS/MS analysis was achieved, with relative error <= 15%. In the proposed strategy, the double selectivity giving by MIPs and enzymatic inhibition allowed to obtain a method able to determine selectively ACZ in biological and pharmaceutical samples quantitatively.

    Selection and characterization of DNA aptamers for the rat major urinary protein 13 (MUP13) as selective biorecognition elements for sensitive detection of rat pests

    Lucarelli, ValentinaColbert, DamonLi, ShiweiCumming, Mathew...
    8页
    查看更多>>摘要:Among invasive mammalian predators, rats represent a major threat, endangering ecosystem functioning worldwide. After rat-control operations, detecting their continued presence or reinvasion requires more sensitive and lower cost detection technologies. Here, we develop a new sensing paradigm by using a specific rat urine biomarker (MUP13) to unambiguously signal the presence of rats. As the first step towards a new remote surveillance technology, aptamers were selected to MUP13 using the Flu-Mag SELEX method. Six aptamer candidates were initially screened by dot blot and two of them (Apt-2.5 and Apt-1.4) exhibited high affinity and specificity. Both aptamers were further characterized by bead-based assay to confirm affinity and selectivity. The lead aptamer candidates were then applied to fluorescence anisotropy (FA) and surface plasmon resonance (SPR)-based biosensor platforms, showing dissociation constants in the nanomolar range and high specificity towards their target. The SPR biosensor had limits of detection of 13.8 and 7.5 nM for Apt-2.5 and Apt-1.4, respectively, which are more than three orders of magnitude lower than the physiological concentrations found in rat urine. Selectivity of the aptamers, when comparing with other major urinary proteins, was excellent, indicating strong efficacy in specific detection of rats. In order to validate the aptamer Apt-2.5 for use with real world samples a FA-based assay was performed on a rat urine sample. The assay showed that the aptamer could detect recombinant MUP13 spiked in filtered urine and the natural MUP13 in unfiltered urine, as a first step into translation to real world application. These are the first known assays to detect and quantify a MUP biomarker of rats.

    A competitive assay for the detection of a 16-mer peptide from alpha 1 chain of human collagen XI

    Casero-Alvarez, AlfonsoMiranda-Castro, RebecaGarcia-Ocana, Marcosde los Toyos, Juan R....
    7页
    查看更多>>摘要:Characterization of extracellular matrix (ECM) is becoming more and more important to decipher cancer progression. Constant remodeling results in ECM components degradation or unusual ECM accumulation that releases short fragments to the body fluids. These fragments might be potential cancer biomarkers but to detect them specific receptors are needed. In response to this demand, we present the first electrochemical aptamerbased competitive assay for the minor collagen XI, dysregulated in several carcinomas. It was performed on magnetic beads using enzymatic labeling. First, we selected the most appropriate tag for the aptamer (biotin or 6carboxyfluorescein). The former yielded higher currents by chronoamperometry and it was used for the competitive assay. The collagen fragment, a 16mer peptide used as the target, was detected from 52 to 1000 nM with an RSD of about 5%. The LOD of the assay was estimated as 24 nM (44 ng/mL). The performance of the assay in serum diluted 1:2 was equivalent to the assay in PBS. The detection of alpha 1 chain of human collagen XI was also possible in cell lysates and confirmed by aptacytofluorescence, which is promising as a new tool to validate this fragment as a cancer biomarker.

    Determination of elemental bioavailability in soils and sediments by microwave induced plasma optical emission spectrometry (MIP-OES): Matrix effects and calibration strategies

    Grindlay, GuillermoGras, LuisFontas, ClaudiaSerrano, Raquel...
    10页
    查看更多>>摘要:In the past few years, microwave induced plasma optical emission spectrometry (MIP-OES) has generated great interest as an alternative technique to inductively coupled plasma-based techniques due to its lower operational cost. Since MIP-OES suffers from severe matrix effects due to easily ionizable elements (EIEs) (Na, Ca, etc.), it is unclear whether this technique could be employed for elemental bioavailability studies in soils and sediments since the main extractant solutions employed in such works may contain high levels of these elements. Thus, the aim of this work was to evaluate the feasibility of MIP-OES as a detector for such applications. To this end, the influence of different extractant solutions (0.25 mol L-1 MgCl2, 0.25 mol L-1 CaCl2, 0.10 mol L-1 acetic acid, 0.05 mol L-1 Na2EDTA, 0.25 mol L-1 NaNO3, 0.25 mol L-1 NaOAc/HOAc and 0.10 mol L-1 NH2OH center dot HCl) on the analyte emission of several elements (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Rh, Se, Sr and Zn) was investigated. Results were compared to those obtained using a reference solution made of 5% w w- 1 HNO3 solution. For saline extractant solutions, both the optimum nebulizer gas flow rate (Qg) and analyte emission were modified with regard to the reference solution. In general, the optimum Qg was reduced by between 0.1 and 0.2 L min- 1 for both ionic and atomic lines. Under optimum Qg conditions, analyte emission was supressed by saline solutions except for atomic lines with an upper electronic state below 4 eV, which were enhanced. The magnitude of matrix effects was strongly dependent on EIE ionization energy. The lower the ionization energy, the greater the matrix effects were registered. No measurable matrix effects were registered on both Qg and analyte emission within experimental uncertainties for NH2OH center dot HCl and acetic acid extractant solutions. Experimental data suggest that matrix effects were related to changes in plasma characteristics and the analyte excitation/ionization mechanism. To mitigate matrix effects and improve long-term MIP-OES performance, internal standardization using either Rh (343.489 nm and 369.236 nm) or OH molecular emission band (308.958 nm) was required. This calibration methodology was successfully applied to the study of the elemental bioavailability in soil samples from a vineyard affected by copper-based fungicides and sediment samples from an area affected by mining waste.

    Label-free and sensitive microRNA detection method based on the locked nucleic acid assisted fishing amplification strategy

    Li, Min-XiChen, YaoChen, Zeng-PingYu, Ru-Qin...
    7页
    查看更多>>摘要:Herein, a label free and sensitive miRNA detection method with enhanced practical applicability was developed based on the locked nucleic acid (LNA) assisted repeated fishing amplification strategy. The working mechanism of the proposed method is as follows: 1) a DNA probe (i.e, L-DNA) with LNA bases is immobilized onto the surface of a gold foil. The L-DNA hybridizes with the 3' terminus of the first strands of complementary deoxyribonucleic acid (cDNA) of the target miRNA in the test samples; 2) The protruding 5' terminus of the cDNA serves as a 'fishhook' to repeatedly fish the products of a hybridization chain reaction (HCR) out from a 'reaction tube'; 3) The HCR products can be unloaded from the gold foil into a 'product tube' through temperature-controlled dehybridization; 4) The concentration of the target miRNA is determined based on the fluorescence intensity generated by the addition of SYBR-Green I (SG) into the 'product tube'. The proposed platform was applied to the detection of miRNA-122 in cell lysate samples and obtained quantitative results with accuracy comparable to the quantitative reverse transcription PCR method (qRT-PCR). It is worth pointing out that the proposed platform achieved a limit of detection value of 2.9 fM for miRNA-122 by a simple but effective LNA-assisted repeated fishing amplification strategy instead of complicated enzyme-based amplification techniques. It is reasonable to expect that the proposed method provides a competitive alternative for designing practically applicable, cost-effective and label-free miRNA detection methods.

    Protein discrimination using erythrosin B-based GUMBOS in combination with UV-Vis spectroscopy and chemometrics

    Azevedo, Ana M. O.Sousa, ClaraChen, MiAyala, Caitlan E....
    11页
    查看更多>>摘要:GUMBOS (Group of Uniform Materials Based on Organic Salts) have recently emerged as interesting materials for protein analysis due to their unique features and high tunability. In this regard, four novel erythrosin B (EB)based GUMBOS were synthesized and their potential to discriminate among proteins with distinct properties (e. g., size, charge, and hydrophobicity) was assessed. These solid-phase materials were prepared using a single-step metathesis reaction between EB and various phosphonium and ammonium cations, namely tetrabutylphosphonium (P4444+), tributylhexadecylphosphonium (P44416+), tetrabutylammonium (N4444+), and benzyldimethylhexadecylammonium (BDHA+). Subsequently, the effect of pH (3.0, 4.5, and 6.0) and reaction time (5, 10, and 15 min) on the discriminatory power of synthesized GUMBOS was evaluated. Absorption spectra resulting from the interaction between EB-based GUMBOS and proteins were analyzed using partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLSDA). Unlike time, the pH value was determined to have influence over GUMBOS discrimination potential. Correct protein assignments varied from 86.5% to 100.0%, and the best discriminatory results were observed for [P4444]2[EB] and [N4444]2[EB] at pH 6.0. Additionally, these two GUMBOS allowed discrimination of protein mixtures containing different ratios of albumin and myoglobin, which appeared as individualized clusters in the PLSDA scores plots. Overall, this study showcases EB-based GUMBOS as simple synthetic targets to provide a label-free, cost-effective, rapid, and successful approach for discrimination of single proteins and their mixtures.