Engineering of Methylation State Specific 3xMBT Domain Using ELISA Screening

Amperometric aptasensor for carcinoembryonic antigen based on the use of bifunctionalized Janus nanoparticles as biorecognition-signaling element

We report herein the design of a novel biosensing strategy for the detection of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), based on the use of Janus-type nanoparticles having Au and silica opposite faces as integrated electrochemical biorecognition-signaling system. The Janus nanoparticles were properly functionalized with horseradish peroxidase on the silica surface to act as signaling element, and a biotin thiol-modified anti-CEA DNA hairpin aptamer the Au face to assemble the biorecognition element. The sensing approach relies on the first specific recognition of CEA by the bifunctionalized Janus nanoparticles, causing unfolding of the DNA hairpin structure and unmasking the biotin residues at the aptamer chain. This CEA-Janus nanoparticle complex was then captured by avidin-modified Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ NanoCaptors^®, allowing further magnetic deposition on carbon screen printed electrodes for the amperometric detection of the cancer biomarker. The Janus nanoparticles-based aptasensor was able to detect CEA in the range from 1 to 5000 ng mL^-1 (5.5 pM-28 nM) with a detection limit of 210 pg mL^-1 (1.2 pM). The aptasensor also showed high reproducibility and storage stability, and was successfully validated in human serum.

A direct label-free MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry based assay for the characterization of inhibitors of protein lysine methyltransferases

Histone lysine methylation is associated with essential biological functions like transcription activation or repression, depending on the position and the degree of methylation. This post-translational modification is introduced by protein lysine methyltransferases (KMTs) which catalyze the transfer of one to three methyl groups from the methyl donor S-adenosyl-L-methionine (AdoMet) to the amino group on the side chain of lysines. The regulation of protein lysine methylation plays a primary role not only in the basic functioning of normal cells but also in various pathologies and KMT deregulation is associated with diseases including cancer. These enzymes are therefore attractive targets for the development of new antitumor agents, and there is still a need for direct methodology to screen, identify, and characterize KMT inhibitors. We report here a simple and robust in vitro assay to quantify the enzymatic methylation of KMT by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Following this protocol, we can monitor the methylation events over time on a peptide substrate. We detect in the same spectrum the modified and unmodified substrates, and the ratios of both signals are used to quantify the amount of methylated substrate. We first demonstrated the validity of the assay by determining inhibition parameters of two known inhibitors of the KMT SET7/9 ((R)-PFI-2 and sinefungin). Next, based on structural comparison with these inhibitors, we selected 42 compounds from a chemical library. We applied the MALDI-TOF assay to screen their activity as inhibitors of the KMT SET7/9. This study allowed us to determine inhibition constants as well as kinetic parameters of a series of SET7/9 inhibitors and to initiate a structure activity discussion with this family of compounds. This assay is versatile and can be easily adapted to other KMT substrates and enzymes as well as automatized.

Chromatin associated SETD3 negatively regulates VEGF expression

SETD3 is a member of the protein lysine methyltransferase (PKMT) family, which catalyzes the addition of methyl group to lysine residues. Accumulating data suggest that PKMTs are involved in the regulation of a broad spectrum of biological processes by targeting histone and non-histone proteins. Using a proteomic approach, we have identified 172 new SETD3 interacting proteins. We show that SETD3 binds and methylates the transcription factor FoxM1, which has been previously shown to be associated with the regulation of VEGF expression. We further demonstrate that under hypoxic conditions SETD3 is down-regulated. Mechanistically, we find that under basal conditions, SETD3 and FoxM1 are enriched on the VEGF promoter. Dissociation of both SETD3 and FoxM1 from the VEGF promoter under hypoxia correlates with elevated expression of VEGF. Taken together, our data reveal a new SETD3-dependent methylation-based signaling pathway at chromatin that regulates VEGF expression under normoxic and hypoxic conditions.