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Cai Y, Lv J, Li R, Huang X, Wang S, Bao Z, Zeng Q. Deqformer: high-definition and scalable deep learning probe design method. Brief Bioinform 2024; 25:bbae007. [PMID: 38305453 PMCID: PMC10835675 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbae007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Target enrichment sequencing techniques are gaining widespread use in the field of genomics, prized for their economic efficiency and swift processing times. However, their success depends on the performance of probes and the evenness of sequencing depth among each probe. To accurately predict probe coverage depth, a model called Deqformer is proposed in this study. Deqformer utilizes the oligonucleotides sequence of each probe, drawing inspiration from Watson-Crick base pairing and incorporating two BERT encoders to capture the underlying information from the forward and reverse probe strands, respectively. The encoded data are combined with a feed-forward network to make precise predictions of sequencing depth. The performance of Deqformer is evaluated on four different datasets: SNP panel with 38 200 probes, lncRNA panel with 2000 probes, synthetic panel with 5899 probes and HD-Marker panel for Yesso scallop with 11 000 probes. The SNP and synthetic panels achieve impressive factor 3 of accuracy (F3acc) of 96.24% and 99.66% in 5-fold cross-validation. F3acc rates of over 87.33% and 72.56% are obtained when training on the SNP panel and evaluating performance on the lncRNA and HD-Marker datasets, respectively. Our analysis reveals that Deqformer effectively captures hybridization patterns, making it robust for accurate predictions in various scenarios. Deqformer leads to a novel perspective for probe design pipeline, aiming to enhance efficiency and effectiveness in probe design tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yantong Cai
- MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding & Fang Zongxi Center for Marine Evo-Devo, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Jia Lv
- MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding & Fang Zongxi Center for Marine Evo-Devo, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Rui Li
- MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding & Fang Zongxi Center for Marine Evo-Devo, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Xiaowen Huang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding & Fang Zongxi Center for Marine Evo-Devo, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Shi Wang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding & Fang Zongxi Center for Marine Evo-Devo, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Laoshan Laboratory, Qingdao 266237, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineer Guangdong Laboratory, Guangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Aquatic Germplasm of Hainan Province, Sanya Oceanographic Institution, Ocean University of China, Sanya 572000, China
| | - Zhenmin Bao
- Southern Marine Science and Engineer Guangdong Laboratory, Guangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Aquatic Germplasm of Hainan Province, Sanya Oceanographic Institution, Ocean University of China, Sanya 572000, China
| | - Qifan Zeng
- MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding & Fang Zongxi Center for Marine Evo-Devo, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Laoshan Laboratory, Qingdao 266237, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineer Guangdong Laboratory, Guangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Aquatic Germplasm of Hainan Province, Sanya Oceanographic Institution, Ocean University of China, Sanya 572000, China
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Losch MS, Heintz JD, Edström E, Elmi-Terander A, Dankelman J, Hendriks BHW. Fiber-Optic Pedicle Probes to Advance Spine Surgery through Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy. Bioengineering (Basel) 2024; 11:61. [PMID: 38247938 PMCID: PMC10813258 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering11010061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/06/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy (DRS) can provide tissue feedback for pedicle screw placement in spine surgery, yet the integration of fiber optics into the tip of the pedicle probe, a device used to pierce through bone, is challenging, since the optical probing depth and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) are affected negatively compared to those of a blunt DRS probe. Through Monte Carlo simulations and optical phantom experiments, we show how differences in the shape of the instrument tip influence the acquired spectrum. Our findings demonstrate that a single bevel with an angle of 30∘ offers a solution to anticipate cortical breaches during pedicle screw placement. Compared to a blunt probe, the optical probing depth and SNR of a cone tip are reduced by 50%. The single bevel tip excels with 75% of the optical probing depth and a SNR remaining at approximately ⅔, facilitating the construction of a surgical instrument with integrated DRS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Merle S. Losch
- Department of Biomechanical Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Delft University of Technology, 2627 CD Delft, The Netherlands (J.D.)
| | - Justin D. Heintz
- Department of Biomechanical Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Delft University of Technology, 2627 CD Delft, The Netherlands (J.D.)
| | - Erik Edström
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
- Capio Spine Center, 115 26 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Adrian Elmi-Terander
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
- Capio Spine Center, 115 26 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jenny Dankelman
- Department of Biomechanical Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Delft University of Technology, 2627 CD Delft, The Netherlands (J.D.)
| | - Benno H. W. Hendriks
- Department of Biomechanical Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Delft University of Technology, 2627 CD Delft, The Netherlands (J.D.)
- Image Guided Therapy and Ultrasound Devices and System Department, Philips Research, Royal Philips NV, 5656 AE Eindhoven, The Netherlands
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Vrecl M, Contino M, Leopoldo M. Editorial: Molecular modulators of GPCRs signal transduction. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1252734. [PMID: 37534211 PMCID: PMC10392913 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1252734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Milka Vrecl
- Institute of Preclinical Sciences, Veterinary Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Marialessandra Contino
- Dipartimento di Farmacia – Scienze del Farmaco, Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Marcello Leopoldo
- Dipartimento di Farmacia – Scienze del Farmaco, Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
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Fonseca LHM, Carlsen MM, Fine PVA, Lohmann LG. A nuclear target sequence capture probe set for phylogeny reconstruction of the charismatic plant family Bignoniaceae. Front Genet 2023; 13:1085692. [PMID: 36699458 PMCID: PMC9869424 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.1085692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The plant family Bignoniaceae is a conspicuous and charismatic element of the tropical flora. The family has a complex taxonomic history, with substantial changes in the classification of the group during the past two centuries. Recent re-classifications at the tribal and generic levels have been largely possible by the availability of molecular phylogenies reconstructed using Sanger sequencing data. However, our complete understanding of the systematics, evolution, and biogeography of the family remains incomplete, especially due to the low resolution and support of different portions of the Bignoniaceae phylogeny. To overcome these limitations and increase the amount of molecular data available for phylogeny reconstruction within this plant family, we developed a bait kit targeting 762 nuclear genes, including 329 genes selected specifically for the Bignoniaceae; 348 genes obtained from the Angiosperms353 with baits designed specifically for the family; and, 85 low-copy genes of known function. On average, 77.4% of the reads mapped to the targets, and 755 genes were obtained per species. After removing genes with putative paralogs, 677 loci were used for phylogenetic analyses. On-target genes were compared and combined in the Exon-Only dataset, and on-target + off-target regions were combined in the Supercontig dataset. We tested the performance of the bait kit at different taxonomic levels, from family to species-level, using 38 specimens of 36 different species of Bignoniaceae, representing: 1) six (out of eight) tribal level-clades (e.g., Bignonieae, Oroxyleae, Tabebuia Alliance, Paleotropical Clade, Tecomeae, and Jacarandeae), only Tourrettieae and Catalpeae were not sampled; 2) all 20 genera of Bignonieae; 3) seven (out of nine) species of Dolichandra (e.g., D. chodatii, D. cynanchoides, D. dentata, D. hispida, D. quadrivalvis, D. uncata, and D. uniguis-cati), only D. steyermarkii and D. unguiculata were not sampled; and 4) three individuals of Dolichandra unguis-cati. Our data reconstructed a well-supported phylogeny of the Bignoniaceae at different taxonomic scales, opening new perspectives for a comprehensive phylogenetic framework for the family as a whole.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luiz Henrique M. Fonseca
- Departamento de Botânica, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil,Systematic and Evolutionary Botany Laboratory, Department of Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium,*Correspondence: Luiz Henrique M. Fonseca, ; Lúcia G. Lohmann,
| | | | - Paul V. A. Fine
- University and Jepson Herbaria, and Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Lúcia G. Lohmann
- Departamento de Botânica, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil,University and Jepson Herbaria, and Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States,*Correspondence: Luiz Henrique M. Fonseca, ; Lúcia G. Lohmann,
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Dickson ZW, Hackenberger D, Kuch M, Marzok A, Banerjee A, Rossi L, Klowak JA, Fox-Robichaud A, Mossmann K, Miller MS, Surette MG, Golding GB, Poinar H. Probe design for simultaneous, targeted capture of diverse metagenomic targets. Cell Rep Methods 2021; 1:100069. [PMID: 35474894 PMCID: PMC9017208 DOI: 10.1016/j.crmeth.2021.100069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Revised: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The compounding challenges of low signal, high background, and uncertain targets plague many metagenomic sequencing efforts. One solution has been DNA capture, wherein probes are designed to hybridize with target sequences, enriching them in relation to their background. However, balancing probe depth with breadth of capture is challenging for diverse targets. To find this balance, we have developed the HUBDesign pipeline, which makes use of sequence homology to design probes at multiple taxonomic levels. This creates an efficient probe set capable of simultaneously and specifically capturing known and related sequences. We validated HUBDesign by generating probe sets targeting the breadth of coronavirus diversity, as well as a suite of bacterial pathogens often underlying sepsis. In separate experiments demonstrating significant, simultaneous enrichment, we captured SARS-CoV-2 and HCoV-NL63 in a human RNA background and seven bacterial strains in human blood. HUBDesign (https://github.com/zacherydickson/HUBDesign) has broad applicability wherever there are multiple organisms of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachery W. Dickson
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Dirk Hackenberger
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
- Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Melanie Kuch
- McMaster aDNA Center, Department of Anthropology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L9, Canada
| | - Art Marzok
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
- Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
- McMaster Immunology Research Center, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Arinjay Banerjee
- Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
- McMaster Immunology Research Center, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization, Department of Veterinary Microbiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E3, Canada
| | - Laura Rossi
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
- Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
| | | | | | - Karen Mossmann
- Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
- McMaster Immunology Research Center, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
- Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Matthew S. Miller
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
- Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
- McMaster Immunology Research Center, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Michael G. Surette
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
- Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
- Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
| | | | - Hendrik Poinar
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
- Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
- McMaster aDNA Center, Department of Anthropology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L9, Canada
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6
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Liu G, Zhang T. Single Copy Oligonucleotide Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization Probe Design Platforms: Development, Application and Evaluation. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22137124. [PMID: 34281175 PMCID: PMC8268824 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22137124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Oligonucleotides fluorescence in situ hybridization (Oligo-FISH) is an emerging technology and is an important tool in research areas such as detection of chromosome variation, identification of allopolyploid, and deciphering of three-dimensional (3D) genome structures. Based on the demand for highly efficient oligo probes for oligo-FISH experiments, increasing numbers of tools have been developed for probe design in recent years. Obsolete oligonucleotide design tools have been adapted for oligo-FISH probe design because of their similar considerations. With the development of DNA sequencing and large-scale synthesis, novel tools have been designed to increase the specificity of designed oligo probes and enable genome-scale oligo probe design, which has greatly improved the application of single copy oligo-FISH. Despite this, few studies have introduced the development of the oligo-FISH probe design tools and their application in FISH experiments systematically. Besides, a comprehensive comparison and evaluation is lacking for the available tools. In this review, we provide an overview of the oligo-FISH probe design process, summarize the development and application of the available tools, evaluate several state-of-art tools, and eventually provide guidance for single copy oligo-FISH probe design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guanqing Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Molecular Breeding, Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, Agricultural College of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China;
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
| | - Tao Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Molecular Breeding, Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, Agricultural College of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China;
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
- Institutes of Agricultural Science and Technology Development, Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of the Ministry of Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
- Correspondence:
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Abstract
Photoacoustic (PA) probes have been developed very quickly and applied in broad areas in recent years. Most of them are constructed based on organic dyes with intrinsic near-infrared (NIR) absorption properties. To increase PA contrast and improve imaging resolution and the sensitivity of detection, various methods for the design of PA probes have been developed. This minireview mainly focuses on the development and design strategies of activatable small-molecule PA probes in four aspects: reaction-cleavage, metal ion chelation, photoswitch, and protonation-deprotonation. It highlights some key points of designing PA probes corresponding to their properties and applications. The challenges and perspectives for small-molecule PA probes are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shichao Wang
- Cancer Centre and Centre of Reproduction, Development and Aging, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau SAR, P.R. China
| | - Xuanjun Zhang
- Cancer Centre and Centre of Reproduction, Development and Aging, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau SAR, P.R. China
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Tholen M, Yim JJ, Groborz K, Yoo E, Martin BA, van den Berg NS, Drag M, Bogyo M. Design of Optical-Imaging Probes by Screening of Diverse Substrate Libraries Directly in Disease-Tissue Extracts. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2020; 59:19143-19152. [PMID: 32589815 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202006719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Revised: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Fluorescently quenched probes that are specifically activated in the cancer microenvironment have great potential application for diagnosis, early detection, and surgical guidance. These probes are often designed to target specific enzymes associated with diseases by direct optimization using single purified enzymes. However, this can result in painstaking chemistry efforts to produce a probe with suboptimal performance when applied in vivo. We describe here an alternate, unbiased activity-profiling approach in which whole tissue extracts are used to directly identify optimal peptide sequences for probe design. Screening of tumor extracts with a hybrid combinatorial substrate library (HyCoSuL) identified a combination of natural and non-natural amino-acid residues that was used to generate highly efficient tumor-specific probes. This new strategy simplifies and enhances the process of probe optimization without any a priori knowledge of enzyme targets and has the potential to be applied to diverse disease states using clinical or animal-model tissue samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Tholen
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Joshua J Yim
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.,Department of Chemical and System Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Katarzyna Groborz
- Department of Chemical Biology and Bioimaging, Faculty of Chemistry, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Euna Yoo
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.,Current address: Chemical Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, 20850, USA
| | - Brock A Martin
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Nynke S van den Berg
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, 900 Blake Wilbur Drive, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Marcin Drag
- Department of Chemical Biology and Bioimaging, Faculty of Chemistry, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Matthew Bogyo
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.,Department of Chemical and System Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.,Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
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9
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Bognár Z, Gyurcsányi RE. Aptamers against Immunoglobulins: Design, Selection and Bioanalytical Applications. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E5748. [PMID: 32796581 PMCID: PMC7461046 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21165748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Revised: 07/26/2020] [Accepted: 08/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Nucleic acid aptamers show clear promise as diagnostic reagents, as highly specific strands were reported against a large variety of biomarkers. They have appealing benefits in terms of reproducible generation by chemical synthesis, controlled modification with labels and functionalities providing versatile means for detection and oriented immobilization, as along with high biochemical and temperature resistance. Aptamers against immunoglobulin targets-IgA, IgM, IgG and IgE-have a clear niche for diagnostic applications, therefore numerous aptamers have been selected and used in combination with a variety of detection techniques. The aim of this review is to overview and evaluate aptamers selected for the recognition of antibodies, in terms of their design, analytical properties and diagnostic applications. Aptamer candidates showed convincing performance among others to identify stress and upper respiratory tract infection through SIgA detection, for cancer cell recognition using membrane bound IgM, to detect and treat hemolytic transfusion reactions, autoimmune diseases with IgG and detection of IgE for allergy diseases. However, in general, their use still lags significantly behind what their claimed benefits and the plethora of application opportunities would forecast.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Róbert E. Gyurcsányi
- BME “Lendület” Chemical Nanosensors Research Group, Department of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Szent Gellért tér 4, H-1111 Budapest, Hungary;
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10
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Abstract
Mass cytometry (MC) and imaging mass cytometry (IMCTM ) have emerged as important tools for the study of biological heterogeneity. We recently demonstrated the use of l-2-tellurienylalanine (TePhe), a mimic of phenylalanine (Phe), as an MC- and IMC-compatible protein synthesis reporter. In this work, the biochemical similarity of TePhe and its cognate analogue, Phe, are examined in the context of the RNase S complex. Isothermal titration calorimetry studies show that incorporation of TePhe preserves the interaction of S-peptide with S-protein, and the dissociation constants for the interaction of the Phe and TePhe peptides are within a factor of two. The resulting RNase S complex is catalytically active without significant alterations in the enzyme's kinetic parameters. Furthermore, circular dichroism spectroscopy does not reveal any changes to the secondary structure of TePhe-substituted RNase S. These findings provide strong evidence that TePhe functions as a Phe isostere in the context of a folded protein. It is anticipated that incorporation of TePhe into peptides or peptidomimetic scaffolds will enable facile generation of MC and IMCTM probes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nesrin Vurgun
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 St. George Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 3H6, Canada
| | - Mark Nitz
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 St. George Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 3H6, Canada
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11
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Depaix A, Kowalska J. NAD Analogs in Aid of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry. Molecules 2019; 24:molecules24224187. [PMID: 31752261 PMCID: PMC6891637 DOI: 10.3390/molecules24224187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2019] [Revised: 11/06/2019] [Accepted: 11/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) serves as an essential redox co-factor and mediator of multiple biological processes. Besides its well-established role in electron transfer reactions, NAD serves as a substrate for other biotransformations, which, at the molecular level, can be classified as protein post-translational modifications (protein deacylation, mono-, and polyADP-ribosylation) and formation of signaling molecules (e.g., cyclic ADP ribose). These biochemical reactions control many crucial biological processes, such as cellular signaling and recognition, DNA repair and epigenetic modifications, stress response, immune response, aging and senescence, and many others. However, the links between the biological effects and underlying molecular processes are often poorly understood. Moreover, NAD has recently been found to tag the 5′-ends of some cellular RNAs, but the function of these NAD-capped RNAs remains largely unrevealed. Synthetic NAD analogs are invaluable molecular tools to detect, monitor, structurally investigate, and modulate activity of NAD-related enzymes and biological processes in order to aid their deeper understanding. Here, we review the recent advances in the design and development of NAD analogs as probes for various cellular NAD-related enzymes, enzymatic inhibitors with anticancer or antimicrobial therapeutic potential, and other NAD-related chemical biology tools. We focus on research papers published within the last 10 years.
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12
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Gustafson GT, Alexander A, Sproul JS, Pflug JM, Maddison DR, Short AEZ. Ultraconserved element (UCE) probe set design: Base genome and initial design parameters critical for optimization. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:6933-6948. [PMID: 31312430 PMCID: PMC6617817 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2019] [Revised: 04/26/2019] [Accepted: 04/28/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Targeted capture and enrichment approaches have proven effective for phylogenetic study. Ultraconserved elements (UCEs) in particular have exhibited great utility for phylogenomic analyses, with the software package phyluce being among the most utilized pipelines for UCE phylogenomics, including probe design. Despite the success of UCEs, it is becoming increasing apparent that diverse lineages require probe sets tailored to focal taxa in order to improve locus recovery. However, factors affecting probe design and methods for optimizing probe sets to focal taxa remain underexplored. Here, we use newly available beetle (Coleoptera) genomic resources to investigate factors affecting UCE probe set design using phyluce. In particular, we explore the effects of stringency during initial design steps, as well as base genome choice on resulting probe sets and locus recovery. We found that both base genome choice and initial bait design stringency parameters greatly alter the number of resultant probes included in final probe sets and strongly affect the number of loci detected and recovered during in silico testing of these probe sets. In addition, we identify attributes of base genomes that correlated with high performance in probe design. Ultimately, we provide a recommended workflow for using phyluce to design an optimized UCE probe set that will work across a targeted lineage, and use our findings to develop a new, open‐source UCE probe set for beetles of the suborder Adephaga.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grey T Gustafson
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Kansas Lawrence Kansas.,Biodiversity Institute University of Kansas Lawrence Kansas
| | - Alana Alexander
- Biodiversity Institute University of Kansas Lawrence Kansas.,Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences University of Otago Dunedin New Zealand
| | - John S Sproul
- Department of Integrative Biology Oregon State University Corvallis Oregon.,Department of Biology University of Rochester Rochester New York
| | - James M Pflug
- Department of Integrative Biology Oregon State University Corvallis Oregon
| | - David R Maddison
- Department of Integrative Biology Oregon State University Corvallis Oregon
| | - Andrew E Z Short
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Kansas Lawrence Kansas.,Biodiversity Institute University of Kansas Lawrence Kansas
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13
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Dubiella C, Cui H, Groll M. Tunable Probes with Direct Fluorescence Signals for the Constitutive and Immunoproteasome. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2018; 55:13330-13334. [PMID: 27709817 DOI: 10.1002/anie.201605753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2016] [Revised: 07/20/2016] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Electrophiles are commonly used for the inhibition of proteases. Notably, inhibitors of the proteasome, a central determinant of cellular survival and a target of several FDA-approved drugs, are mainly characterized by the reactivity of their electrophilic head groups. We aimed to tune the inhibitory strength of peptidic sulfonate esters by varying the leaving groups. Indeed, proteasome inhibition correlated well with the pKa of the leaving group. The use of fluorophores as leaving groups enabled us to design probes that release a stoichiometric fluorescence signal upon reaction, thereby directly linking proteasome inactivation to the readout. This principle could be applicable to other sulfonyl fluoride based inhibitors and allows the design of sensitive probes for enzymatic studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Dubiella
- Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich (CIPSM), Department of Chemistry, Technische Universität München, Lichtenbergstrasse 4, 85748, Garching, Germany.
| | - Haissi Cui
- Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich (CIPSM), Department of Chemistry, Technische Universität München, Lichtenbergstrasse 4, 85748, Garching, Germany
| | - Michael Groll
- Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich (CIPSM), Department of Chemistry, Technische Universität München, Lichtenbergstrasse 4, 85748, Garching, Germany.
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14
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Brigadoi S, Salvagnin D, Fischetti M, Cooper RJ. Array Designer: automated optimized array design for functional near-infrared spectroscopy. Neurophotonics 2018; 5:035010. [PMID: 30238021 PMCID: PMC6135986 DOI: 10.1117/1.nph.5.3.035010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2018] [Accepted: 08/06/2018] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
The position of each source and detector "optode" on the scalp, and their relative separations, determines the sensitivity of each functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) channel to the underlying cortex. As a result, selecting appropriate scalp locations for the available sources and detectors is critical to every fNIRS experiment. At present, it is standard practice for the user to undertake this task manually; to select what they believe are the best locations on the scalp to place their optodes so as to sample a given cortical region-of-interest (ROI). This process is difficult, time-consuming, and highly subjective. Here, we propose a tool, Array Designer, that is able to automatically design optimized fNIRS arrays given a user-defined ROI and certain features of the available fNIRS device. Critically, the Array Designer methodology is generalizable and will be applicable to almost any subject population or fNIRS device. We describe and validate the algorithmic methodology that underpins Array Designer by running multiple simulations of array design problems in a realistic anatomical model. We believe that Array Designer has the potential to end the need for manual array design, and in doing so save researchers time, improve fNIRS data quality, and promote standardization across the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Brigadoi
- University College London, Biomedical Optics Research Laboratory, Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, London, United Kingdom
- University of Padova, Department of Developmental Psychology, Padova, Italy
| | - Domenico Salvagnin
- University of Padova, Department of Information Engineering, Padova, Italy
| | - Matteo Fischetti
- University of Padova, Department of Information Engineering, Padova, Italy
| | - Robert J. Cooper
- University College London, Biomedical Optics Research Laboratory, Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, London, United Kingdom
- NeoLAB, Rosie Hospital, The Evelyn Perinatal Imaging Centre, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Address all correspondence to: Robert J. Cooper, E-mail:
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15
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Aasted CM, Yücel MA, Cooper RJ, Dubb J, Tsuzuki D, Becerra L, Petkov MP, Borsook D, Dan I, Boas DA. Anatomical guidance for functional near-infrared spectroscopy: AtlasViewer tutorial. Neurophotonics 2015; 2:020801. [PMID: 26157991 PMCID: PMC4478785 DOI: 10.1117/1.nph.2.2.020801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 222] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2014] [Accepted: 04/02/2015] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is an optical imaging method that is used to noninvasively measure cerebral hemoglobin concentration changes induced by brain activation. Using structural guidance in fNIRS research enhances interpretation of results and facilitates making comparisons between studies. AtlasViewer is an open-source software package we have developed that incorporates multiple spatial registration tools to enable structural guidance in the interpretation of fNIRS studies. We introduce the reader to the layout of the AtlasViewer graphical user interface, the folder structure, and user files required in the creation of fNIRS probes containing sources and detectors registered to desired locations on the head, evaluating probe fabrication error and intersubject probe placement variability, and different procedures for estimating measurement sensitivity to different brain regions as well as image reconstruction performance. Further, we detail how AtlasViewer provides a generic head atlas for guiding interpretation of fNIRS results, but also permits users to provide subject-specific head anatomies to interpret their results. We anticipate that AtlasViewer will be a valuable tool in improving the anatomical interpretation of fNIRS studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher M. Aasted
- Center for Pain and the Brain, Harvard Medical School, 1 Autumn Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative, and Pain Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Meryem A. Yücel
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, 149 13th Street, Charlestown, Massachusetts 02129, United States
| | - Robert J. Cooper
- University College London, Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Jay Dubb
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, 149 13th Street, Charlestown, Massachusetts 02129, United States
| | - Daisuke Tsuzuki
- Chuo University, Faculty of Science and Engineering, 1-13-27 Kasuga, Bunkyo, Tokyo 112-8551, Japan
| | - Lino Becerra
- Center for Pain and the Brain, Harvard Medical School, 1 Autumn Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative, and Pain Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
- Department of Radiology, Boston Children’s Hospital, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, Massachusetts 02478, United States
| | - Mike P. Petkov
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative, and Pain Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - David Borsook
- Center for Pain and the Brain, Harvard Medical School, 1 Autumn Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative, and Pain Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
- Department of Radiology, Boston Children’s Hospital, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, Massachusetts 02478, United States
| | - Ippeita Dan
- Chuo University, Faculty of Science and Engineering, 1-13-27 Kasuga, Bunkyo, Tokyo 112-8551, Japan
| | - David A. Boas
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, 149 13th Street, Charlestown, Massachusetts 02129, United States
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16
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Korves TM, Piceno YM, Tom LM, DeSantis TZ, Jones BW, Andersen GL, Hwang GM. Bacterial communities in commercial aircraft high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters assessed by PhyloChip analysis. Indoor Air 2013; 23:50-61. [PMID: 22563927 PMCID: PMC7201892 DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0668.2012.00787.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2011] [Accepted: 04/29/2012] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Air travel can rapidly transport infectious diseases globally. To facilitate the design of biosensors for infectious organisms in commercial aircraft, we characterized bacterial diversity in aircraft air. Samples from 61 aircraft high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters were analyzed with a custom microarray of 16S rRNA gene sequences (PhyloChip), representing bacterial lineages. A total of 606 subfamilies from 41 phyla were detected. The most abundant bacterial subfamilies included bacteria associated with humans, especially skin, gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts, and with water and soil habitats. Operational taxonomic units that contain important human pathogens as well as their close, more benign relatives were detected. When compared to 43 samples of urban outdoor air, aircraft samples differed in composition, with higher relative abundance of Firmicutes and Gammaproteobacteria lineages in aircraft samples, and higher relative abundance of Actinobacteria and Betaproteobacteria lineages in outdoor air samples. In addition, aircraft and outdoor air samples differed in the incidence of taxa containing human pathogens. Overall, these results demonstrate that HEPA filter samples can be used to deeply characterize bacterial diversity in aircraft air and suggest that the presence of close relatives of certain pathogens must be taken into account in probe design for aircraft biosensors. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS A biosensor that could be deployed in commercial aircraft would be required to function at an extremely low false alarm rate, making an understanding of microbial background important. This study reveals a diverse bacterial background present on aircraft, including bacteria closely related to pathogens of public health concern. Furthermore, this aircraft background is different from outdoor air, suggesting different probes may be needed to detect airborne contaminants to achieve minimal false alarm rates. This study also indicates that aircraft HEPA filters could be used with other molecular techniques to further characterize background bacteria and in investigations in the wake of a disease outbreak.
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Affiliation(s)
- T. M. Korves
- Cognitive Tools and Data Management Department, The MITRE Corporation, Bedford, MA, USA
| | - Y. M. Piceno
- Ecology Department, Earth Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - L. M. Tom
- Ecology Department, Earth Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - T. Z. DeSantis
- Department of Bioinformatics, Second Genome, San Bruno, CA, USA
| | - B. W. Jones
- Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA
| | - G. L. Andersen
- Ecology Department, Earth Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - G. M. Hwang
- Office of the Chief Engineer, The MITRE Corporation, Woodlawn, MD, USA
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17
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Schlayer S, Pusch AK, Pielenz F, Beckert S, Peksa M, Horch C, Moschkowitz L, Einicke WD, Stallmach F. X-Nuclei NMR Self-Diffusion Studies in Mesoporous Silica Foam and Microporous MOF CuBTC. Materials (Basel) 2012; 5:617-33. [PMID: 28816999 DOI: 10.3390/ma5040617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2012] [Revised: 03/30/2012] [Accepted: 04/01/2012] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
A standard X-observe NMR probe was equipped with a z-gradient coil to enable high-sensitivity pulsed field gradient NMR diffusion studies of Li+ and Cs+ cations of aqueous salt solutions in a high-porosity mesocellular silica foam (MCF) and of CO2 adsorbed in metal-organic frameworks (MOF). The coil design and the necessary probe modifications, which yield pulsed field gradients of up to ±16.2Tm-1, are introduced. The system was calibrated at 2H resonance frequency and successfully applied for diffusion studies at 7Li, 23Na, 13C and 133Cs frequencies. Significant reductions of the diffusivities of the cations in LiClac and CsClac solution introduced into MCFs are observed. By comparison of the diffusion behavior with the bulk solutions, a tortuosity of the silica foam of 4.5±0.6 was derived. Single component self-diffusion of CO2 and CH4 (measured by 1H NMR) as well as self-diffusion of the individual components in CO2/CH4 mixtures was studied in the MOF CuBTC. The experimental results confirm high mobilities of the adsorbed gases and trends for diffusion separation factors predicted by MD simulations.
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18
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McNeill SA, Gor’kov PL, Shetty K, Brey WW, Long JR. A low-E magic angle spinning probe for biological solid state NMR at 750 MHz. J Magn Reson 2009; 197:135-44. [PMID: 19138870 PMCID: PMC2659328 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmr.2008.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2008] [Revised: 12/02/2008] [Accepted: 12/05/2008] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Crossed-coil NMR probes are a useful tool for reducing sample heating for biological solid state NMR. In a crossed-coil probe, the higher frequency (1)H field, which is the primary source of sample heating in conventional probes, is produced by a separate low-inductance resonator. Because a smaller driving voltage is required, the electric field across the sample and the resultant heating is reduced. In this work we describe the development of a magic angle spinning (MAS) solid state NMR probe utilizing a dual resonator. This dual resonator approach, referred to as "low-E," was originally developed to reduce heating in samples of mechanically aligned membranes. The study of inherently dilute systems, such as proteins in lipid bilayers, via MAS techniques requires large sample volumes at high field to obtain spectra with adequate signal-to-noise ratio under physiologically relevant conditions. With the low-E approach, we are able to obtain homogeneous and sufficiently strong radiofrequency fields for both (1)H and (13)C frequencies in a 4mm probe with a (1)H frequency of 750 MHz. The performance of the probe using windowless dipolar recoupling sequences is demonstrated on model compounds as well as membrane-embedded peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seth A. McNeill
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Florida, 32611
| | | | - Kiran Shetty
- National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Tallahassee, FL 32310
| | - William W. Brey
- National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Tallahassee, FL 32310
| | - Joanna R. Long
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32610
- Correspondence: telephone :(352)846-1506 fax :(352)392-3422
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Abstract
Microarray-based Comparative Genomic Hybridization (array-CGH) has been applied for a decade to screen for submicroscopic DNA gains and losses in tumor and constitutional DNA samples. This method has become increasingly flexible with the integration of new biological resources generated by genome sequencing projects. In this chapter, we describe alternative strategies for whole genome screening and high resolution breakpoint mapping of copy number changes by array-CGH, as well as tools available for accurate analysis of array-CGH experiments. Although most methods listed here have been designed for microarrays comprising large-insert clones, they can be adapted easily to other types of microarray platforms, such as those constructed from printed or synthesized oligonucleotides.
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20
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Steffes S, Sandstrom M. Constructing inexpensive, flexible, and versatile microdialysis probes in an undergraduate microdialysis research lab. J Undergrad Neurosci Educ 2008; 7:A33-47. [PMID: 23493044 PMCID: PMC3592682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2008] [Revised: 11/26/2008] [Accepted: 12/01/2008] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Several challenges await new assistant professors setting up a neuroscience lab, and obtaining sufficient research help is typically a top priority. A secondary, but no less daunting, challenge is juggling accuracy and reliability with costs and limited start-up funds. These concerns are particularly crucial for those engaging technically sophisticated measurements, such as microdialysis. We have developed straightforward procedures that our undergraduate students have utilized to successfully construct high-quality, low-cost microdialysis probes. Students mastering the various steps involved have also gained valuable insight into their use, troubleshooting, and the implications of data obtained from these constructed probes. These procedures are explained here to foster increased use in neuroscience labs that involve undergraduates, along with pointers about teaching the technique to newcomers. Students who master the techniques can pass them on to new students easily. These procedures train students in the overall research technique of microdialysis more thoroughly than when manufactured probes are used, they save money, and will eventually save the principal investigator time when students develop independence with troubleshooting and repairs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michael Sandstrom
- Address correspondence to: Michael Sandstrom, Ph.D., Psychology Department and Neuroscience Program, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI 48859.
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21
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Abstract
We have developed a sensitive, accurate, and multiplexed microRNA (miRNA) profiling assay that is based on a highly efficient labeling method and novel microarray probe design. The probes provide both sequence and size discrimination, yielding in most cases highly specific detection of closely related mature miRNAs. Using a simple, single-vial experimental protocol, 120 ng of total RNA is directly labeled using Cy3 or Cy5, without fractionation or amplification, to produce precise and accurate measurements that span a linear dynamic range from 0.2 amol to 2 fmol of input miRNA. The results can provide quantitative estimates of the miRNA content for the tissues studied. The assay is also suitable for use with formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded clinical samples. Our method allows rapid design and validation of probes for simultaneous quantitative measurements of all human miRNA sequences in the public databases and to new miRNA sequences as they are reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Wang
- Agilent Technologies, Inc., Agilent Laboratories, Santa Clara, California 95051, USA.
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