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Klijn ME, Hubbuch J. Application of ultraviolet, visible, and infrared light imaging in protein-based biopharmaceutical formulation characterization and development studies. Eur J Pharm Biopharm 2021; 165:319-336. [PMID: 34052429 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2021.05.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Revised: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Imaging is increasingly more utilized as analytical technology in biopharmaceutical formulation research, with applications ranging from subvisible particle characterization to thermal stability screening and residual moisture analysis. This review offers a comprehensive overview of analytical imaging for scientists active in biopharmaceutical formulation research and development, where it presents the unique information provided by the ultraviolet (UV), visible (Vis), and infrared (IR) sections in the electromagnetic spectrum. The main body of this review consists of an outline of UV, Vis, and IR imaging techniques for several (bio)physical properties that are commonly determined during protein-based biopharmaceutical formulation characterization and development studies. The review concludes with a future perspective of applied imaging within the field of biopharmaceutical formulation research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marieke E Klijn
- Department of Biotechnology, Delft University of Technology, Van der Maasweg 9, Delft 2629 HZ, the Netherlands.
| | - Jürgen Hubbuch
- Institute of Engineering in Life Sciences, Section IV: Biomolecular Separation Engineering, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Fritz-Haber-Weg 2, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
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2
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Mori K, Kuhn B. Imaging Ca 2+ Concentration and pH in Nanopores/Channels of Protein Crystals. J Phys Chem B 2018; 122:9646-9653. [PMID: 30351149 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.8b07099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Protein crystals are nanoporous materials. Despite this important characteristic, little is known about the conditions in the pores, also called channels. Here, we describe a method to study the calcium concentration and pH in the nanopores of thaumatin and lysozyme crystals. We load the crystal nanopores with fluorescent indicators and then perfuse the crystals with solutions of different calcium concentrations and pH while reading out the crystal's fluorescence intensity with confocal microscopy. By calibrating the fluorescence signal, we can determine the calcium concentration and pH in the nanopores. For the pH in thaumatin nanopores measured with the ratiometric pH sensor SNARF-1, we find a -0.7 pH shift compared to the bath pH corresponding to a fivefold higher proton concentration. This is similar to the -0.3 pH shift found in lysozyme nanopores. With single-wavelength probes, we find that the calcium concentration in thaumatin crystal nanopores is the same as in the bath, whereas it is 0.24 times lower in lysozyme nanopores. Summarizing, our experiments show that calcium concentration and pH in the nanopores of protein crystals can deviate significantly from that in the bath. In general, the described method can be applied for testing a wide range of ion or small-molecule concentrations in transparent nanoporous materials not only with ratiometric but also with single wavelength fluorescent indicators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuo Mori
- Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology , Graduate University , 1919-1 Tancha , Onna-son, Okinawa 904-0495 , Japan
| | - Bernd Kuhn
- Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology , Graduate University , 1919-1 Tancha , Onna-son, Okinawa 904-0495 , Japan
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3
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Tarver CL, Pusey M. A low-cost method for visible fluorescence imaging. Acta Crystallogr F Struct Biol Commun 2017; 73:657-663. [PMID: 29199986 PMCID: PMC5713670 DOI: 10.1107/s2053230x17015941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2017] [Accepted: 11/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
A wide variety of crystallization solutions are screened to establish conditions that promote the growth of a diffraction-quality crystal. Screening these conditions requires the assessment of many crystallization plates for the presence of crystals. Automated systems for screening and imaging are very expensive. A simple approach to imaging trace fluorescently labeled protein crystals in crystallization plates has been devised, and can be implemented at a cost as low as $50. The proteins β-lactoglobulin B, trypsin and purified concanavalin A (ConA) were trace fluorescently labeled using three different fluorescent probes: Cascade Yellow (CY), Carboxyrhodamine 6G (CR) and Pacific Blue (PB). A crystallization screening plate was set up using β-lactoglobulin B labeled with CR, trypsin labeled with CY, ConA labeled with each probe, and a mixture consisting of 50% PB-labeled ConA and 50% CR-labeled ConA. The wells of these plates were imaged using a commercially available macro-imaging lens attachment for smart devices that have a camera. Several types of macro lens attachments were tested with smartphones and tablets. Images with the highest quality were obtained with an iPhone 6S and an AUKEY Ora 10× macro lens. Depending upon the fluorescent probe employed and its Stokes shift, a light-emitting diode or a laser diode was used for excitation. An emission filter was used for the imaging of protein crystals labeled with CR and crystals with two-color fluorescence. This approach can also be used with microscopy systems commonly used to observe crystallization plates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Crissy L. Tarver
- Department of Biological Science, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL 35899, USA
| | - Marc Pusey
- Department of Biological Science, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL 35899, USA
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4
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Locating and Visualizing Crystals for X-Ray Diffraction Experiments. METHODS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY (CLIFTON, N.J.) 2017; 1607:143-164. [PMID: 28573572 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-7000-1_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Macromolecular crystallography has advanced from using macroscopic crystals, which might be >1 mm on a side, to crystals that are essentially invisible to the naked eye, or even under a standard laboratory microscope. As crystallography requires recognizing crystals when they are produced, and then placing them in an X-ray, electron, or neutron beam, this provides challenges, particularly in the case of advanced X-ray sources, where beams have very small cross sections and crystals may be vanishingly small. Methods for visualizing crystals are reviewed here, and examples of different types of cases are presented, including: standard crystals, crystals grown in mesophase, in situ crystallography, and crystals grown for X-ray Free Electron Laser or Micro Electron Diffraction experiments. As most techniques have limitations, it is desirable to have a range of complementary techniques available to identify and locate crystals. Ideally, a given technique should not cause sample damage, but sometimes it is necessary to use techniques where damage can only be minimized. For extreme circumstances, the act of probing location may be coincident with collecting X-ray diffraction data. Future challenges and directions are also discussed.
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Lukk T, Gillilan RE, Szebenyi DME, Zipfel WR. A visible-light-excited fluorescence method for imaging protein crystals without added dyes. J Appl Crystallogr 2016; 49:234-240. [PMID: 26937240 PMCID: PMC4762565 DOI: 10.1107/s160057671502419x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2015] [Accepted: 12/16/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Fluorescence microscopy methods have seen an increase in popularity in recent years for detecting protein crystals in screening trays. The fluorescence-based crystal detection methods have thus far relied on intrinsic UV-inducible tryptophan fluorescence, nonlinear optics or fluorescence in the visible light range dependent on crystals soaked with fluorescent dyes. In this paper data are presented on a novel visible-light-inducible autofluorescence arising from protein crystals as a result of general stabilization of conjugated double-bond systems and increased charge delocalization due to crystal packing. The visible-light-inducible autofluorescence serves as a complementary method to bright-field microscopy in beamline applications where accurate crystal centering about the rotation axis is essential. Owing to temperature-dependent chromophore stabilization, protein crystals exhibit tenfold higher fluorescence intensity at cryogenic temperatures, making the method ideal for experiments where crystals are cooled to 100 K with a cryostream. In addition to the non-damaging excitation wavelength and low laser power required for imaging, the method can also serve a useful role for differentiating protein crystals from salt crystals in screening trays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiit Lukk
- MacCHESS (Macromolecular Diffraction Facility at CHESS), Cornell University, 161 Synchrotron Drive, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Richard E. Gillilan
- MacCHESS (Macromolecular Diffraction Facility at CHESS), Cornell University, 161 Synchrotron Drive, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Doletha M. E. Szebenyi
- MacCHESS (Macromolecular Diffraction Facility at CHESS), Cornell University, 161 Synchrotron Drive, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Warren R. Zipfel
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, B41 Weill Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
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Meyer A, Betzel C, Pusey M. Latest methods of fluorescence-based protein crystal identification. ACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA SECTION F-STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY COMMUNICATIONS 2015; 71:121-31. [PMID: 25664782 PMCID: PMC4321462 DOI: 10.1107/s2053230x15000114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2014] [Accepted: 01/05/2015] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Fluorescence, whether intrinsic or by using trace fluorescent labeling, can be a powerful aid in macromolecule crystallization. Its use in screening for crystals is discussed here. Successful protein crystallization screening experiments are dependent upon the experimenter being able to identify positive outcomes. The introduction of fluorescence techniques has brought a powerful and versatile tool to the aid of the crystal grower. Trace fluorescent labeling, in which a fluorescent probe is covalently bound to a subpopulation (<0.5%) of the protein, enables the use of visible fluorescence. Alternatively, one can avoid covalent modification and use UV fluorescence, exploiting the intrinsic fluorescent amino acids present in most proteins. By the use of these techniques, crystals that had previously been obscured in the crystallization drop can readily be identified and distinguished from amorphous precipitate or salt crystals. Additionally, lead conditions that may not have been obvious as such under white-light illumination can be identified. In all cases review of the screening plate is considerably accelerated, as the eye can quickly note objects of increased intensity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arne Meyer
- Laboratory for Structural Biology of Infection and Inflammation, University of Hamburg, c/o DESY Building 22a, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Christian Betzel
- Laboratory for Structural Biology of Infection and Inflammation, University of Hamburg, c/o DESY Building 22a, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Marc Pusey
- iXpressGenes Inc., 601 Genome Way, Huntsville, AL 35806, USA
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Calero G, Cohen AE, Luft JR, Newman J, Snell EH. Identifying, studying and making good use of macromolecular crystals. ACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA SECTION F-STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY COMMUNICATIONS 2014; 70:993-1008. [PMID: 25084371 PMCID: PMC4118793 DOI: 10.1107/s2053230x14016574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2014] [Accepted: 07/16/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
As technology advances, the crystal volume that can be used to collect useful X-ray diffraction data decreases. The technologies available to detect and study growing crystals beyond the optical resolution limit and methods to successfully place the crystal into the X-ray beam are discussed. Structural biology has contributed tremendous knowledge to the understanding of life on the molecular scale. The Protein Data Bank, a depository of this structural knowledge, currently contains over 100 000 protein structures, with the majority stemming from X-ray crystallography. As the name might suggest, crystallography requires crystals. As detectors become more sensitive and X-ray sources more intense, the notion of a crystal is gradually changing from one large enough to embellish expensive jewellery to objects that have external dimensions of the order of the wavelength of visible light. Identifying these crystals is a prerequisite to their study. This paper discusses developments in identifying these crystals during crystallization screening and distinguishing them from other potential outcomes. The practical aspects of ensuring that once a crystal is identified it can then be positioned in the X-ray beam for data collection are also addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillermo Calero
- Department of Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh Medical School, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Aina E Cohen
- Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | - Joseph R Luft
- Hauptman-Woodward Medical Research Institute, 700 Ellicott Street, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA
| | - Janet Newman
- CSIRO Collaborative Crystallisation Centre, 343 Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Edward H Snell
- Hauptman-Woodward Medical Research Institute, 700 Ellicott Street, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA
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Shaw Stewart P, Mueller-Dieckmann J. Automation in biological crystallization. Acta Crystallogr F Struct Biol Commun 2014; 70:686-96. [PMID: 24915074 PMCID: PMC4051518 DOI: 10.1107/s2053230x14011601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2014] [Accepted: 05/20/2014] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Crystallization remains the bottleneck in the crystallographic process leading from a gene to a three-dimensional model of the encoded protein or RNA. Automation of the individual steps of a crystallization experiment, from the preparation of crystallization cocktails for initial or optimization screens to the imaging of the experiments, has been the response to address this issue. Today, large high-throughput crystallization facilities, many of them open to the general user community, are capable of setting up thousands of crystallization trials per day. It is thus possible to test multiple constructs of each target for their ability to form crystals on a production-line basis. This has improved success rates and made crystallization much more convenient. High-throughput crystallization, however, cannot relieve users of the task of producing samples of high quality. Moreover, the time gained from eliminating manual preparations must now be invested in the careful evaluation of the increased number of experiments. The latter requires a sophisticated data and laboratory information-management system. A review of the current state of automation at the individual steps of crystallization with specific attention to the automation of optimization is given.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Shaw Stewart
- Douglas Instruments Ltd, Douglas House, East Garston, Hungerford, Berkshire RG17 7HD, England
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Krauss IR, Merlino A, Vergara A, Sica F. An overview of biological macromolecule crystallization. Int J Mol Sci 2013; 14:11643-91. [PMID: 23727935 PMCID: PMC3709751 DOI: 10.3390/ijms140611643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2013] [Revised: 05/08/2013] [Accepted: 05/20/2013] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The elucidation of the three dimensional structure of biological macromolecules has provided an important contribution to our current understanding of many basic mechanisms involved in life processes. This enormous impact largely results from the ability of X-ray crystallography to provide accurate structural details at atomic resolution that are a prerequisite for a deeper insight on the way in which bio-macromolecules interact with each other to build up supramolecular nano-machines capable of performing specialized biological functions. With the advent of high-energy synchrotron sources and the development of sophisticated software to solve X-ray and neutron crystal structures of large molecules, the crystallization step has become even more the bottleneck of a successful structure determination. This review introduces the general aspects of protein crystallization, summarizes conventional and innovative crystallization methods and focuses on the new strategies utilized to improve the success rate of experiments and increase crystal diffraction quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Russo Krauss
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Complesso Universitario di Monte Sant’Angelo, Via Cintia, Napoli I-80126, Italy; E-Mails: (I.R.K.); (A.M.); (A.V.)
| | - Antonello Merlino
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Complesso Universitario di Monte Sant’Angelo, Via Cintia, Napoli I-80126, Italy; E-Mails: (I.R.K.); (A.M.); (A.V.)
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimages, C.N.R, Via Mezzocannone 16, Napoli I-80134, Italy
| | - Alessandro Vergara
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Complesso Universitario di Monte Sant’Angelo, Via Cintia, Napoli I-80126, Italy; E-Mails: (I.R.K.); (A.M.); (A.V.)
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimages, C.N.R, Via Mezzocannone 16, Napoli I-80134, Italy
| | - Filomena Sica
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Complesso Universitario di Monte Sant’Angelo, Via Cintia, Napoli I-80126, Italy; E-Mails: (I.R.K.); (A.M.); (A.V.)
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimages, C.N.R, Via Mezzocannone 16, Napoli I-80134, Italy
- Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: ; Tel.: +39-81-674-479; Fax: +39-81-674-090
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10
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Wrenger C, Müller IB, Butzloff S, Jordanova R, Lunev S, Groves MR. Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction of malate dehydrogenase from Plasmodium falciparum. Acta Crystallogr Sect F Struct Biol Cryst Commun 2012; 68:659-62. [PMID: 22684064 PMCID: PMC3370904 DOI: 10.1107/s1744309112014571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2012] [Accepted: 04/03/2012] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The expression, purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction characterization of malate dehydrogenase (MDH) from the malarial parasite Plasmodium falciparum (PfMDH) are reported. In order to gain a deeper understanding of the function and role of PfMDH, the protein was purified to homogeneity. The purified protein crystallized in space group P1, with unit-cell parameters a = 72, b = 157, c = 159 Å, α = 105, β = 101, γ = 95°. The resulting crystals diffracted to a maximal resolution of 2.24 Å and the structure has been solved by molecular replacement, with 16 monomers in the asymmetric unit. The 16 monomers are arranged into four independent tetramers, in agreement with previous reports demonstrating the tetrameric solution state of PfMDH. The X-ray structure of PfMDH is expected to clarify the differences in catalysis by PfMDH compared with other MDH family members and to provide a basis for the structure-based design of specific PfMDH inhibitors as well as general MDH inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carsten Wrenger
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Science, University of São Paulo, Avenida Professor Lineu Prestes 1374, 05508-000 Sao Paulo-SP, Brazil
- Biochemical Parasitology, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard Nocht Strasse 74, D-20359 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ingrid B. Müller
- Biochemical Parasitology, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard Nocht Strasse 74, D-20359 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Sabine Butzloff
- Biochemical Parasitology, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard Nocht Strasse 74, D-20359 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Rositsa Jordanova
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory – Hamburg Outstation c/o DESY, Building 25A, Notkestrasse 85, D-22670 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Sergey Lunev
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory – Hamburg Outstation c/o DESY, Building 25A, Notkestrasse 85, D-22670 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Matthew R. Groves
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory – Hamburg Outstation c/o DESY, Building 25A, Notkestrasse 85, D-22670 Hamburg, Germany
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Kong F, Yuan L, Zheng YF, Chen W. Automatic liquid handling for life science: a critical review of the current state of the art. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2012; 17:169-85. [PMID: 22357568 DOI: 10.1177/2211068211435302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Liquid handling plays a pivotal role in life science laboratories. In experiments such as gene sequencing, protein crystallization, antibody testing, and drug screening, liquid biosamples frequently must be transferred between containers of varying sizes and/or dispensed onto substrates of varying types. The sample volumes are usually small, at the micro- or nanoliter level, and the number of transferred samples can be huge when investigating large-scope combinatorial conditions. Under these conditions, liquid handling by hand is tedious, time-consuming, and impractical. Consequently, there is a strong demand for automated liquid-handling methods such as sensor-integrated robotic systems. In this article, we survey the current state of the art in automatic liquid handling, including technologies developed by both industry and research institutions. We focus on methods for dealing with small volumes at high throughput and point out challenges for future advancements.
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