Visualization of third-level information in latent fingerprints by a new fluorogenic L-tyrosine analogue

Incorporation of fluorescent α-amino acids in peptide/protein sequences, at desired positions, is eminently useful for non-invasive detection of cellular events, without impacting their native properties. As an extension to such an approach, we describe the design of two stable, fluorescent l-tyrosine analogs, FHBY and BHBY, exhibiting photophysical properties associated with the AIE-coupled ESIPT mechanism, for fluorescent reporting of latent fingerprints. Notably, FHBY selectively adheres to the papillary ridges of latent fingerprints and reveals up to the third-level of information at one of the lowest reported concentrations of 25 μM.

Ribosome-mediated incorporation of fluorescent amino acids into peptides in vitro

We expand the substrate scope of ribosome-mediated incorporation to α-amino acids with a variety of fluorescent groups on the sidechain.

Dideoxy nucleoside triphosphate (ddNTP) analogues: Synthesis and polymerase substrate activities of pyrrolidinyl nucleoside triphosphates (prNTPs)

The dideoxynucleoside triphosphates (ddNTPs) terminate the bio-polymerization of DNA and become essential chemical component of DNA sequencing technology which is now basic tool for molecular biology research. In this method the radiolabeled or fluorescent dye labeled ddNTP analogues are being used for DNA sequencing by detection of the terminated DNA fragment after single labeled ddNTP incorporation into DNA under PCR conditions. This report describes the syntheses of rationally designed novel amino-functionalized ddNTP analogue such as Pyrrolidine nucleoside triphosphates (prNTPs), and their polymerase activities with DNA polymerase by LC-MS and Gel-electrophoretic techniques. The Mass and PAGE analyses strongly support the incorporation of prNTPs into DNA oligonucleotide with Therminator DNA polymerase as like control substrate ddNTP. As resultant the DNA oligonucleotide are functionalized as amine group by prNTP incorporation with polymerase. Hence prNTPs provide opportunities to prepare demandable conjugated DNA with other biomolecules/dyes/fluorescence molecule without modifying nucleobase structure.

Yeast 3',5'-bisphosphate nucleotidase: an affinity tag for protein purification

Affinity chromatography is one of the most popular methods for protein purification. Each tag method has its advantages and disadvantages, and combination of different tags and developing of new tags had been proposed and performed. Yeast 3',5'-bisphosphate nucleotidase, also known as HAL2, hydrolyzes 3'-phosphoadenosine 5'-phosphate (PAP) with submicromolar Km, which indicated the tight interactions between HAL2 and PAP. In order to explore the feasibility of HAL2 as a protein purification affinity tag, HAL2 was further characterized with PAP as substrate. Results demonstrated that KmPAP and kcatPAP were ∼0.3μM and ∼11s(-)(1), respectively. Kd for PAP was 0.008μM in the presence of Ca(2+). pH was also found to affect interactions between HAL2 and PAP, with tightest binding (Kd∼8nM) at pH 7.5 and 8. The purification protocol was rationally designed based on nanomolar affinity to PAP agarose in the presence of Ca(2+), which could satisfy the metal requirement for PAP binding, prevent hydrolysis of immobilized PAP and could be chelated by ethylene glycol tetraacetic acid (EGTA) for elution. A series of expression vectors were further constructed and Escherichia coli adenosine 5'-phosphosulfate kinase (APSK) was prokaryotically expressed, purified and characterized. Ready to use expression vector with eight commonly used restriction enzyme recognition sites in multiple cloning site was subsequently constructed. By comparing with current popular tags, HAL2 was found to be an efficient and economical tag for prokaryotic protein expression and purification.

Three wavelength substrate system of neutrophil serine proteinases

Neutrophil serine proteases, including elastase, proteinase 3, and cathepsin G, are closely related enzymes stored in similar amounts in azurophil granules and released at the same time from triggered neutrophils at inflammatory sites. We have synthesized new fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) substrates with different fluorescence donor-acceptor pairs that allow all three proteases to be quantified at the same time and in the same reaction mixture. This was made possible because the fluorescence emission spectra of the fluorescence donors do not overlap and because the values of the specificity constants were in the same range. Thus, similar activities of proteases can be measured with the same sensitivity. In addition, these substrates contain an N-terminal 2-(2-(2-aminoethoxy)ethoxy)acetic acid (PEG) moiety that makes them cell permeable. Using the mixture of these selected substrates, we were able to detect the neutrophil serine protease (NSP) activity on the activated neutrophil membrane and in the neutrophil lysate in a single measurement. Also, using the substrate mixture, we were in a position to efficiently determine NSP activity in human serum of healthy individuals and patients with diagnosed Wegener disease or microscopic polyangiitis.