1
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Lankford KP, Hulleman JD. Protocol for HiBiT tagging endogenous proteins using CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing. STAR Protoc 2024; 5:103000. [PMID: 38598333 PMCID: PMC11022101 DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2024.103000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024] Open
Abstract
We present a method of in vitro/in vivo protein detection by pairing CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing with the NanoBiT system. We describe steps for cell culturing, in vitro CRISPR-Cas9 ribonucleoprotein delivery, cell monitoring, efficiency assessments, and edit analysis through HiBiT assays. We then detail procedures to determine edit specificity through genomic DNA analysis, small interfering RNA reverse transfection, and HiBiT blotting. This protocol is simple to execute and multifunctional, and it enables high-throughput screens on endogenous proteins to be conducted with ease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaylee P Lankford
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - John D Hulleman
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Neurosciences, University of Minnesota, 2001 6(th) St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
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2
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Ahmed WS, Geethakumari AM, Sultana A, Fatima A, Philip AM, Uddin SMN, Biswas KH. A slow but steady nanoLuc: R162A mutation results in a decreased, but stable, nanoLuc activity. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 269:131864. [PMID: 38692549 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.131864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2023] [Revised: 04/21/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
NanoLuc (NLuc) luciferase has found extensive application in designing a range of biological assays, including gene expression analysis, protein-protein interaction, and protein conformational changes due to its enhanced brightness and small size. However, questions related to its mechanism of interaction with the substrate, furimazine, as well as bioluminescence activity remain elusive. Here, we combined molecular dynamics (MD) simulation and mutational analysis to show that the R162A mutation results in a decreased but stable bioluminescence activity of NLuc in living cells and in vitro. Specifically, we performed multiple, all-atom, explicit solvent MD simulations of the apo and furimazine-docked (holo) NLuc structures revealing differential dynamics of the protein in the absence and presence of the ligand. Further, analysis of trajectories for hydrogen bonds (H-bonds) formed between NLuc and furimazine revealed substantial H-bond interaction between R162 and Q32 residues. Mutation of the two residues in NLuc revealed a decreased but stable activity of the R162A, but not Q32A, mutant NLuc in live cell and in vitro assays performed using lysates prepared from cells expressing the proteins and with the furimazine substrate. In addition to highlighting the role of the R162 residue in NLuc activity, we believe that the mutant NLuc will find wide application in designing in vitro assays requiring extended monitoring of NLuc bioluminescence activity. SIGNIFICANCE: Bioluminescence has been extensively utilized in developing a variety of biological and biomedical assays. In this regard, engineering of brighter bioluminescent proteins, i.e. luciferases, has played a significant role. This is acutely exemplified by the engineering of the NLuc luciferase, which is small in size and displays much enhanced bioluminescence and thermal stability compared to previously available luciferases. While enhanced bioluminescent activity is desirable in a multitude of biological and biomedical assays, it would also be useful to develop variants of the protein that display a prolonged bioluminescence activity. This is specifically relevant in designing assays that require bioluminescence for extended periods, such as in the case of biosensors designed for monitoring slow enzymatic or cellular signaling reactions, without necessitating multiple rounds of luciferase substrate addition or any specialized reagents that result in increased assay costs. In the current manuscript, we report a mutant NLuc that possesses a stable and prolonged bioluminescence activity, albeit lower than the wild-type NLuc, and envisage a wider application of the mutant NLuc in designing biosensors for monitoring slower biological and biomedical events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wesam S Ahmed
- Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, Doha 34110, Qatar
| | - Anupriya M Geethakumari
- Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, Doha 34110, Qatar
| | - Asfia Sultana
- Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, Doha 34110, Qatar
| | - Asma Fatima
- Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, Doha 34110, Qatar
| | - Angelin M Philip
- Division of Genomics and Translational Biomedicine, College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, Doha 34110, Qatar
| | - S M Nasir Uddin
- Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, Doha 34110, Qatar
| | - Kabir H Biswas
- Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, Doha 34110, Qatar.
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3
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Zhao JY, Uddin M, Unsihuay D, Butler W, Xia TW, Xu JZ, Wang S, Sheng X, Jannetto PJ, Wang P, Xia X. Rapid and Sensitive Detection of Fentanyl and Its Analogs by a Novel Chemiluminescence Immunoassay. Clin Chem 2024:hvae071. [PMID: 38757262 DOI: 10.1093/clinchem/hvae071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Abuse of fentanyl and its analogs is a major contributor to the opioid overdose epidemic in the United States, but detecting and quantifying trace amounts of such drugs remains a challenge without resorting to sophisticated mass spectrometry-based methods. METHODS A sensitive immunoassay with a sub-picogram limit of detection for fentanyl and a wide range of fentanyl analogs has been developed, using a novel high-affinity antibody fused with NanoLuc, a small-size luciferase that can emit strong and stable luminescence. When used with human urine samples, the assay has a sub-picogram limit of detection for fentanyl, with results fully concordant with LC-MS. RESULTS When applied to clinical samples, the novel chemiluminescence immunoassay can detect low positive fentanyl missed by routine screening immunoassays, with a limit of detection of 0.8 pg/mL in human urine. When applied to environmental samples, the assay can detect levels as low as 0.25 pg fentanyl per inch2 of environment surface. Assay turnaround time is less than 1 h, with inexpensive equipment and the potential for high-throughput automation or in-field screening. CONCLUSIONS We have established a novel assay that may have broad applications in clinical, environmental, occupational, and forensic scenarios for detection of trace amounts of fentanyl and its analogs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mezbah Uddin
- Instanosis Inc., King of Prussia, PA, United States
| | - Daisy Unsihuay
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - William Butler
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | | | - Jayson Z Xu
- ATGC Inc., King of Prussia, PA, United States
| | - Simon Wang
- ATGC Inc., King of Prussia, PA, United States
| | | | - Paul J Jannetto
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Ping Wang
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Xiaofeng Xia
- ATGC Inc., King of Prussia, PA, United States
- Instanosis Inc., King of Prussia, PA, United States
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4
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Dunuweera AN, Dunuweera SP, Ranganathan K. A Comprehensive Exploration of Bioluminescence Systems, Mechanisms, and Advanced Assays for Versatile Applications. Biochem Res Int 2024; 2024:8273237. [PMID: 38347947 PMCID: PMC10861286 DOI: 10.1155/2024/8273237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/21/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Bioluminescence has been a fascinating natural phenomenon of light emission from living creatures. It happens when the enzyme luciferase facilitates the oxidation of luciferin, resulting in the creation of an excited-state species that emits light. Although there are many bioluminescent systems, few have been identified. D-luciferin-dependent systems, coelenterazine-dependent systems, Cypridina luciferin-based systems, tetrapyrrole-based luciferins, bacterial bioluminescent systems, and fungal bioluminescent systems are natural bioluminescent systems. Since different bioluminescence systems, such as various combinations of luciferin-luciferase pair reactions, have different light emission wavelengths, they benefit industrial applications such as drug discovery, protein-protein interactions, in vivo imaging in small animals, and controlling neurons. Due to the expression of luciferase and easy permeation of luciferin into most cells and tissues, bioluminescence assays are applied nowadays with modern technologies in most cell and tissue types. It is a versatile technique in a variety of biomedical research. Furthermore, there are some investigated blue-sky research projects, such as bioluminescent plants and lamps. This review article is mainly based on the theory of diverse bioluminescence systems and their past, present, and future applications.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - K. Ranganathan
- Department of Botany, University of Jaffna, Jaffna 40000, Sri Lanka
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5
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Choi IY, Oh JH, Wang Z, van Pijkeren JP. Bioluminescent monitoring of recombinant lactic acid bacteria and their products. mBio 2023; 14:e0119723. [PMID: 37668408 PMCID: PMC10653940 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01197-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Lactic acid bacteria constitute a genetically diverse group of microorganisms with significant roles in the food industry, biotechnology, agriculture, and medicine. A core understanding of bacterial physiology in diverse environments is crucial to select and develop bacteria for industrial and medical applications. However, there is a lack of versatile tools to track (recombinant) protein production in lactic acid bacteria. In this study, we adapted a peptide-based bioluminescent tagging system that is functional across multiple genera and species. This system enables tracking of tagged proteins both in vitro and in situ, while it also can be used to enumerate recombinant bacteria from the mouse gastrointestinal tract with accuracy comparable to that of conventional plate counts. Our work expands the lactic acid bacteria genetic toolbox and will facilitate researchers in industry and academia with opportunities to monitor microbes and proteins under different physiologically relevant conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- In Young Choi
- Department of Food Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Jee-Hwan Oh
- Department of Food Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Zhiying Wang
- Department of Food Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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6
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Nagano M, Aoshima K, Shimamura H, Siekhaus DE, Toshima JY, Toshima J. Distinct role of TGN-resident clathrin adaptors for Vps21p activation in the TGN-endosome trafficking pathway. J Cell Sci 2023; 136:jcs261448. [PMID: 37539494 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.261448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Clathrin-mediated vesicle trafficking plays central roles in post-Golgi transport. In yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), the AP-1 complex and GGA adaptors are predicted to generate distinct transport vesicles at the trans-Golgi network (TGN), and the epsin-related proteins Ent3p and Ent5p (collectively Ent3p/5p) act as accessories for these adaptors. Recently, we showed that vesicle transport from the TGN is crucial for yeast Rab5 (Vps21p)-mediated endosome formation, and that Ent3p/5p are crucial for this process, whereas AP-1 and GGA adaptors are dispensable. However, these observations were incompatible with previous studies showing that these adaptors are required for Ent3p/5p recruitment to the TGN, and thus the overall mechanism responsible for regulation of Vps21p activity remains ambiguous. Here, we investigated the functional relationships between clathrin adaptors in post-Golgi-mediated Vps21p activation. We show that AP-1 disruption in the ent3Δ5Δ mutant impaired transport of the Vps21p guanine nucleotide exchange factor Vps9p transport to the Vps21p compartment and severely reduced Vps21p activity. Additionally, GGA adaptors, the phosphatidylinositol-4-kinase Pik1p and Rab11 GTPases Ypt31p and Ypt32p were found to have partially overlapping functions for recruitment of AP-1 and Ent3p/5p to the TGN. These findings suggest a distinct role of clathrin adaptors for Vps21p activation in the TGN-endosome trafficking pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Makoto Nagano
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, 6-3-1 Niijuku, Katsushika-ku, Tokyo 125-8585, Japan
| | - Kaito Aoshima
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, 6-3-1 Niijuku, Katsushika-ku, Tokyo 125-8585, Japan
| | - Hiroki Shimamura
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, 6-3-1 Niijuku, Katsushika-ku, Tokyo 125-8585, Japan
| | | | - Junko Y Toshima
- School of Health Science, Tokyo University of Technology, 5-23-22 Nishikamada, Ota-ku, Tokyo 144-8535, Japan
| | - Jiro Toshima
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, 6-3-1 Niijuku, Katsushika-ku, Tokyo 125-8585, Japan
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7
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Guihur A, Bourgine B, Rebeaud ME, Goloubinoff P. Design of an Arabidopsis thaliana reporter line to detect heat-sensing and signaling mutants. PLANT METHODS 2023; 19:56. [PMID: 37291595 DOI: 10.1186/s13007-023-01033-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Global warming is a major challenge for plant survival and growth. Understanding the molecular mechanisms by which higher plants sense and adapt to upsurges in the ambient temperature is essential for developing strategies to enhance plant tolerance to heat stress. Here, we designed a heat-responsive Arabidopsis thaliana reporter line that allows an in-depth investigation of the mechanisms underlying the accumulation of protective heat-shock proteins (HSPs) in response to high temperature. METHODS A transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana reporter line named "Heat-Inducible Bioluminescence And Toxicity" (HIBAT) was designed to express from a conditional heat-inducible promoter, a fusion gene encoding for nanoluciferase and D-amino acid oxidase, whose expression is toxic in the presence of D-valine. HIBAT seedlings were exposed to different heat treatments in presence or absence of D-valine and analyzed for survival rate, bioluminescence and HSP gene expression. RESULTS Whereas at 22 °C, HIBAT seedlings grew unaffected by D-valine, and all survived iterative heat treatments without D-valine, 98% died following heat treatments on D-valine. The HSP17.3B promoter was highly specific to heat as it remained unresponsive to various plant hormones, Flagellin, H2O2, osmotic stress and high salt. RNAseq analysis of heat-treated HIBAT seedlings showed a strong correlation with expression profiles of two wild type lines, confirming that HIBAT does not significantly differ from its Col-0 parent. Using HIBAT, a forward genetic screen revealed candidate loss-of-function mutants, apparently defective either at accumulating HSPs at high temperature or at repressing HSP accumulation at non-heat-shock temperatures. CONCLUSION HIBAT is a valuable candidate tool to identify Arabidopsis mutants defective in the response to high temperature stress. It opens new avenues for future research on the regulation of HSP expression and for understanding the mechanisms of plant acquired thermotolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Guihur
- Department of Plant Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Baptiste Bourgine
- Department of Plant Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Mathieu E Rebeaud
- Institute of Physics, School of Basic Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Pierre Goloubinoff
- Department of Plant Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland.
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8
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Kang YS, Kirby JE. A Versatile Nanoluciferase Reporter Reveals Structural Properties Associated with a Highly Efficient, N-Terminal Legionella pneumophila Type IV Secretion Translocation Signal. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0233822. [PMID: 36815834 PMCID: PMC10100965 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02338-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Many Gram-negative pathogens rely on type IV secretion systems (T4SS) for infection. One limitation has been the lack of ideal reporters to identify T4SS translocated effectors and study T4SS function. Most reporter systems make use of fusions to reporter proteins, in particular, β-lactamase (TEM) and calmodulin-dependent adenylate cyclase (CYA), that allow detection of translocated enzymatic activity inside host cells. However, both systems require costly reagents and use complex, multistep procedures for loading host cells with substrate (TEM) or for analysis (CYA). Therefore, we have developed and characterized a novel reporter system using nanoluciferase (NLuc) fusions to address these limitations. Serendipitously, we discovered that Nluc itself is efficiently translocated by Legionella pneumophila T4SS in an IcmSW chaperone-dependent manner via an N-terminal translocation signal. Extensive mutagenesis in the NLuc N terminus suggested the importance of an α-helical domain spanning D5 to V9, as mutations predicted to disrupt this structure, with one exception, were translocation defective. Notably, NLuc was capable of translocating several proteins examined when fused to the N or C terminus, while maintaining robust luciferase activity. In particular, it delivered the split GFP11 fragment into J774 macrophages transfected with GFPopt, thereby resulting in in vivo assembly of superfolder green fluorescent protein (GFP). This provided a bifunctional assay in which translocation could be assayed by fluorescence microplate, confocal microscopy, and/or luciferase assays. We further identified an optimal NLuc substrate which allowed a robust, inexpensive, one-step, high-throughput screening assay to identify T4SS translocation substrates and inhibitors. Taken together, these results indicate that NLuc provides both new insight into and also tools for studying T4SS biology. IMPORTANCE Type IV secretion systems (T4SS) are used by Gram-negative pathogens to coopt host cell function. However, the translocation signals recognized by T4SS are not fully explained by primary amino acid sequence, suggesting yet-to-be-defined contributions of secondary and tertiary structure. Here, we unexpectedly identified nanoluciferase (NLuc) as an efficient IcmSW-dependent translocated T4SS substrate, and we provide extensive mutagenesis data suggesting that the first N-terminal, alpha-helix domain is a critical translocation recognition motif. Notably, most existing reporter systems for studying translocated proteins make use of fusions to reporters to permit detection of translocated enzymatic activity inside the host cell. However, existing systems require extremely costly substrates, complex technical procedures to isolate eukaryotic cytoplasm for analysis, and/or are insensitive. Importantly, we found that NLuc provides a powerful, cost-effective new tool to address these limitations and facilitate high-throughput exploration of secretion system biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoon-Suk Kang
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - James E. Kirby
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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9
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Nandy S, Crum M, Wasden K, Strych U, Goyal A, Maranholkar V, Mo W, Vu B, Kourentzi K, Willson RC. Protein A-Nanoluciferase fusion protein for generalized, sensitive detection of immunoglobulin G. Anal Biochem 2023; 660:114929. [PMID: 36270332 PMCID: PMC9826736 DOI: 10.1016/j.ab.2022.114929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Revised: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Detection and quantification of antibodies, especially immunoglobulin G (IgG), is a cornerstone of ELISAs, many diagnostics, and the development of antibody-based drugs. Current state-of-the-art immunoassay techniques for antibody detection require species-specific secondary antibodies and carefully-controlled bioconjugations. Poor conjugation efficiency degrades assay performance and increases the risk of clinical false positives due to non-specific binding. We developed a generic, highly-sensitive platform for IgG quantification by fusing the IgG-Fc binding Z domain of Staphylococcal Protein A with the ultrabright bioluminescence reporter Nanoluc-luciferase (Nluc). We demonstrated the application of this fusion protein in a sandwich IgG detection immunoassay using surface-bound antigens to capture target IgG and protein A-Nanoluc fusion as the detector. We optimized the platform's sensitivity by incorporating multiple repeats of the Z domain into the fusion protein constructs. Using rabbit and mouse anti-SARS-CoV-2 Nucleoprotein IgGs as model analytes, we performed ELISAs in two different formats, either with SARS-CoV-2 Nucleoprotein as the capture antigen or with polyclonal chicken IgY as the capture antibody. Using standard laboratory equipment, the platform enabled the quantitation of antibody analytes at concentrations as low as 10 pg/mL (67 fM).
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Affiliation(s)
- Suman Nandy
- William A. Brookshire Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Mary Crum
- William A. Brookshire Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA,Present address: Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Katherine Wasden
- William A. Brookshire Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA,Present address: Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ulrich Strych
- William A. Brookshire Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA,Present address: Department of Paediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Atul Goyal
- William A. Brookshire Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA,Present address: Vaccine Research and Development, Pfizer, Pearl River, NY, USA
| | - Vijay Maranholkar
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - William Mo
- William A. Brookshire Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA,Present address: Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, TX, USA
| | - Binh Vu
- William A. Brookshire Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Katerina Kourentzi
- William A. Brookshire Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Richard C Willson
- William A. Brookshire Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA,Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA,Escuela de Medicina y Ciencias de Salud, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico,Corresponding author. (Richard C Willson)
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10
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Xiong Y, Zhang Y, Li Z, Reza MS, Li X, Tian X, Ai HW. Engineered Amber-Emitting Nano Luciferase and Its Use for Immunobioluminescence Imaging In Vivo. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:14101-14111. [PMID: 35913786 PMCID: PMC9425369 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c02320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The NanoLuc luciferase (NLuc) and its furimazine (FRZ) substrate have revolutionized bioluminescence (BL) assays and imaging. However, the use of the NLuc-FRZ luciferase-luciferin pair for mammalian tissue imaging is hindered by the low tissue penetration of the emitting blue photons. Here, we present the development of an NLuc mutant, QLuc, which catalyzes the oxidation of a synthetic QTZ luciferin for bright and red-shifted emission peaking at ∼585 nm. Compared to other small single-domain NLuc mutants, this amber-light-emitting luciferase exhibited improved performance for imaging deep-tissue targets in live mice. Leveraging this novel bioluminescent reporter, we further pursued in vivo immunobioluminescence imaging (immunoBLI), which used a fusion protein of a single-chain variable antibody fragment (scFv) and QLuc for molecular imaging of tumor-associated antigens in a xenograft mouse model. As one of the most red-shifted NLuc variants, we expect QLuc to find broad applications in noninvasive mammalian imaging. Moreover, the immunoBLI method complements immunofluorescence imaging and immuno-positron emission tomography (immunoPET), serving as a convenient and nonradioactive molecular imaging tool for animal models in basic and preclinical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Xiong
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
- Center for Membrane and Cell Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
| | - Yiyu Zhang
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
- Center for Membrane and Cell Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
| | - Zefan Li
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
- Center for Membrane and Cell Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
| | - Md Shamim Reza
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
- Center for Membrane and Cell Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
| | - Xinyu Li
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
- Center for Membrane and Cell Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
| | - Xiaodong Tian
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
- Center for Membrane and Cell Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
| | - Hui-wang Ai
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
- Center for Membrane and Cell Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
- The UVA Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
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11
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Rapic S, Samuel T, Lindsay PE, Ansell S, Weersink RA, DaCosta RS. Assessing the Accuracy of Bioluminescence Image-Guided Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy of Orthotopic Pancreatic Tumors Using a Small Animal Irradiator. Radiat Res 2022; 197:626-637. [PMID: 35192719 DOI: 10.1667/rade-21-00161.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) has shown promising results in the treatment of pancreatic cancer and other solid tumors. However, wide adoption of SBRT remains limited largely due to uncertainty about the treatment's optimal fractionation schedules to elicit maximal tumor response while limiting the dose to adjacent structures. A small animal irradiator in combination with a clinically relevant oncological animal model could address these questions. Accurate delivery of X rays to animal tumors may be hampered by suboptimal image-guided targeting of the X-ray beam in vivo. Integration of bioluminescence imaging (BLI) into small animal irradiators in addition to standard cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) imaging improves target identification and high-precision therapy delivery to deep tumors with poor soft tissue contrast, such as pancreatic tumors. Using bioluminescent BxPC3 pancreatic adenocarcinoma human cells grown orthotopically in mice, we examined the performance of a small animal irradiator equipped with both CBCT and BLI in delivering targeted, hypo-fractionated, multi-beam SBRT. Its targeting accuracy was compared with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-guided targeting based on co-registration between CBCT and corresponding sequential magnetic resonance scans, which offer greater soft tissue contrast compared with CT alone. Evaluation of our platform's BLI-guided targeting accuracy was performed by quantifying in vivo changes in bioluminescence signal after treatment as well as staining of ex vivo tissues with γH2AX, Ki67, TUNEL, CD31 and CD11b to assess SBRT treatment effects. Using our platform, we found that BLI-guided SBRT enabled more accurate delivery of X rays to the tumor resulting in greater cancer cell DNA damage and proliferation inhibition compared with MRI-guided SBRT. Furthermore, BLI-guided SBRT allowed higher animal throughput and was more cost effective to use in the preclinical setting than MRI-guided SBRT. Taken together, our preclinical platform could be employed in translational research of SBRT of pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Rapic
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Timothy Samuel
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Patricia E Lindsay
- Radiation Medicine Program, Princess Margaret Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Steve Ansell
- Radiation Medicine Program, Princess Margaret Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Robert A Weersink
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Radiation Medicine Program, Princess Margaret Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Techna Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto
| | - Ralph S DaCosta
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Techna Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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12
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Rasor BJ, Vögeli B, Jewett MC, Karim AS. Cell-Free Protein Synthesis for High-Throughput Biosynthetic Pathway Prototyping. METHODS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY (CLIFTON, N.J.) 2022; 2433:199-215. [PMID: 34985746 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1998-8_12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Biological systems provide a sustainable and complimentary approach to synthesizing useful chemical products. Metabolic engineers seeking to establish economically viable biosynthesis platforms strive to increase product titers, rates, and yields. Despite continued advances in genetic tools and metabolic engineering techniques, cellular workflows remain limited in throughput. It may take months to test dozens of unique pathway designs even in a robust model organism, such as Escherichia coli. In contrast, cell-free protein synthesis enables the rapid generation of enzyme libraries that can be combined to reconstitute metabolic pathways in vitro for biochemical synthesis in days rather than weeks. Cell-free reactions thereby enable comparison of hundreds to thousands of unique combinations of enzyme homologs and concentrations, which can quickly identify the most productive pathway variants to test in vivo or further characterize in vitro. This cell-free pathway prototyping strategy provides a complementary approach to accelerate cellular metabolic engineering efforts toward highly productive strains for metabolite production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blake J Rasor
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.,Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.,Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Bastian Vögeli
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.,Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.,Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Michael C Jewett
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Center for Synthetic Biology, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Simpson Querrey Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.
| | - Ashty S Karim
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, and Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.
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13
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Orioka M, Eguchi M, Mizui Y, Ikeda Y, Sakama A, Li Q, Yoshimura H, Ozawa T, Citterio D, Hiruta Y. A Series of Furimazine Derivatives for Sustained Live-Cell Bioluminescence Imaging and Application to the Monitoring of Myogenesis at the Single-Cell Level. Bioconjug Chem 2022; 33:496-504. [PMID: 35184558 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.2c00035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Bioluminescence (BL) imaging, which utilizes light emitted through the enzymatic reaction of luciferase oxidizing its substrate luciferin, enables sensitive and noninvasive monitoring of life phenomena. Herein, we developed a series of caged furimazine (FMZ) derivatives by introducing a protective group at the C-3 position and a hydroxy group at the C-6 phenyl ring to realize long-term live-cell BL imaging based on the NanoLuc (NLuc)/NanoKAZ (NKAZ)-FMZ system. The membrane permeability and cytotoxicity of the substrates were evaluated and related to their hydrophobicity. Among the series, the derivative with the bulkiest protective group (adamantanecarbonyl group) and a hydroxy substituent (named Ad-FMZ-OH) showed significantly prolonged and constant BL signal in cells expressing NLuc compared to the native FMZ substrate. This derivative enabled continuous BL imaging at the single-cell level for 24 h. Furthermore, we applied Ad-FMZ-OH to BL imaging of myocyte fusion and succeeded in the consecutive and sensitive monitoring at a single-cell level over a day. In summary, NLuc/NKAZ-caged FMZ derivatives have the potential to be applied to live-cell BL imaging of various life phenomena that require long-term observation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariko Orioka
- Department of Applied Chemistry Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University, Hiyoshi 3-14-1, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 223-8522, Japan
| | - Masatoshi Eguchi
- Department of Chemistry, School of Science, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Yuki Mizui
- Department of Applied Chemistry Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University, Hiyoshi 3-14-1, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 223-8522, Japan
| | - Yuma Ikeda
- Department of Applied Chemistry Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University, Hiyoshi 3-14-1, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 223-8522, Japan
| | - Akihiro Sakama
- Department of Applied Chemistry Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University, Hiyoshi 3-14-1, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 223-8522, Japan
| | - Qiaojing Li
- Department of Chemistry, School of Science, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Hideaki Yoshimura
- Department of Chemistry, School of Science, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Takeaki Ozawa
- Department of Chemistry, School of Science, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Daniel Citterio
- Department of Applied Chemistry Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University, Hiyoshi 3-14-1, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 223-8522, Japan
| | - Yuki Hiruta
- Department of Applied Chemistry Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University, Hiyoshi 3-14-1, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 223-8522, Japan
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14
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Engineering and exploiting synthetic allostery of NanoLuc luciferase. Nat Commun 2022; 13:789. [PMID: 35145068 PMCID: PMC8831504 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28425-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Allostery enables proteins to interconvert different biochemical signals and form complex metabolic and signaling networks. We hypothesize that circular permutation of proteins increases the probability of functional coupling of new N- and C- termini with the protein's active center through increased local structural disorder. To test this we construct a synthetically allosteric version of circular permutated NanoLuc luciferase that can be activated through ligand-induced intramolecular non-covalent cyclisation. This switch module is tolerant of the structure of binding domains and their ligands, and can be used to create biosensors of proteins and small molecules. The developed biosensors covers a range of emission wavelengths and displays sensitivity as low as 50pM and dynamic range as high as 16-fold and could quantify their cognate ligand in human fluids. We apply hydrogen exchange kinetic mass spectroscopy to analyze time resolved structural changes in the developed biosensors and observe ligand-mediated folding of newly created termini.
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15
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Sowa ST, Galera-Prat A, Wazir S, Alanen HI, Maksimainen MM, Lehtiö L. A molecular toolbox for ADP-ribosyl binding proteins. CELL REPORTS METHODS 2021; 1:100121. [PMID: 34786571 PMCID: PMC8580838 DOI: 10.1016/j.crmeth.2021.100121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Revised: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Proteins interacting with ADP-ribosyl groups are often involved in disease-related pathways or viral infections, making them attractive drug targets. We present a robust and accessible assay applicable to both hydrolyzing or non-hydrolyzing binders of mono- and poly-ADP-ribosyl groups. This technology relies on a C-terminal tag based on a Gi protein alpha subunit peptide (GAP), which allows for site-specific introduction of cysteine-linked mono- and poly-ADP-ribosyl groups or analogs. By fusing the GAP-tag and ADP-ribosyl binders to fluorescent proteins, we generate robust FRET partners and confirm the interaction with 22 known ADP-ribosyl binders. The applicability for high-throughput screening of inhibitors is demonstrated with the SARS-CoV-2 nsp3 macrodomain, for which we identify suramin as a moderate-affinity yet non-specific inhibitor. High-affinity ADP-ribosyl binders fused to nanoluciferase complement this technology, enabling simple blot-based detection of ADP-ribosylated proteins. All these tools can be produced in Escherichia coli and will help in ADP-ribosylation research and drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sven T. Sowa
- Faculty for Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine & Biocenter Oulu, University of Oulu, 90220 Oulu, Finland
| | - Albert Galera-Prat
- Faculty for Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine & Biocenter Oulu, University of Oulu, 90220 Oulu, Finland
| | - Sarah Wazir
- Faculty for Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine & Biocenter Oulu, University of Oulu, 90220 Oulu, Finland
| | - Heli I. Alanen
- Faculty for Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine & Biocenter Oulu, University of Oulu, 90220 Oulu, Finland
| | - Mirko M. Maksimainen
- Faculty for Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine & Biocenter Oulu, University of Oulu, 90220 Oulu, Finland
| | - Lari Lehtiö
- Faculty for Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine & Biocenter Oulu, University of Oulu, 90220 Oulu, Finland
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16
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Gan CY, Cui J, Zhang WL, Wang YW, Huang AL, Hu JL. DNA Engineering and Hepatitis B Virus Replication. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:783040. [PMID: 34858381 PMCID: PMC8632529 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.783040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Recombinant DNA technology is a vital method in human hepatitis B virus (HBV), producing reporter viruses or vectors for gene transferring. Researchers have engineered several genes into the HBV genome for different purposes; however, a systematic analysis of recombinant strategy is lacking. Here, using a 500-bp deletion strategy, we scanned the HBV genome and identified two regions, region I (from nt 2,118 to 2,814) and region II (from nt 99 to 1,198), suitable for engineering. Ten exogenous genes, including puromycin N-acetyl transferase gene (Pac), blasticidin S deaminase gene (BSD), Neomycin-resistance gene (Neo), Gaussia luciferase (Gluc), NanoLuc (Nluc), copGFP, mCherry, UnaG, eGFP, and tTA1, were inserted into these two regions and fused into the open reading frames of hepatitis B core protein (HBC) and hepatitis B surface protein (HBS) via T2A peptide. Recombination of 9 of the 10 genes at region 99-1198 and 5 of the 10 genes at region 2118-2814 supported the formation of relaxed circular (RC) DNA. HBV DNA and HBV RNA assays implied that exogenous genes potentially abrogate RC DNA by inducing the formation of adverse secondary structures. This hypothesis was supported because sequence optimization of the UnaG gene based on HBC sequence rescued RC DNA formation. Findings from this study provide an informative basis and a valuable method for further constructing and optimizing recombinant HBV and imply that DNA sequence might be intrinsically a potential source of selective pressure in the evolution of HBV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Yang Gan
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology on Infectious Diseases, Ministry of Education, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jing Cui
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology on Infectious Diseases, Ministry of Education, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Wen-Lu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology on Infectious Diseases, Ministry of Education, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yu-Wei Wang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chongqing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chongqing, China
| | - Ai-Long Huang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology on Infectious Diseases, Ministry of Education, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jie-Li Hu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology on Infectious Diseases, Ministry of Education, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
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17
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Jörg M, Madden KS. The right tools for the job: the central role for next generation chemical probes and chemistry-based target deconvolution methods in phenotypic drug discovery. RSC Med Chem 2021; 12:646-665. [PMID: 34124668 PMCID: PMC8152813 DOI: 10.1039/d1md00022e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The reconnection of the scientific community with phenotypic drug discovery has created exciting new possibilities to develop therapies for diseases with highly complex biology. It promises to revolutionise fields such as neurodegenerative disease and regenerative medicine, where the development of new drugs has consistently proved elusive. Arguably, the greatest challenge in readopting the phenotypic drug discovery approach exists in establishing a crucial chain of translatability between phenotype and benefit to patients in the clinic. This remains a key stumbling block for the field which needs to be overcome in order to fully realise the potential of phenotypic drug discovery. Excellent quality chemical probes and chemistry-based target deconvolution techniques will be a crucial part of this process. In this review, we discuss the current capabilities of chemical probes and chemistry-based target deconvolution methods and evaluate the next advances necessary in order to fully support phenotypic screening approaches in drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuela Jörg
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University Bedson Building Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU UK
- Medicinal Chemistry, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University Parkville Victoria 3052 Australia
| | - Katrina S Madden
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University Bedson Building Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU UK
- Medicinal Chemistry, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University Parkville Victoria 3052 Australia
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18
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Azad T, Rezaei R, Singaravelu R, Jamieson TR, Crupi MJF, Surendran A, Poutou J, Taklifi P, Cowan J, Cameron DW, Ilkow CS. A High-Throughput NanoBiT-Based Serological Assay Detects SARS-CoV-2 Seroconversion. NANOMATERIALS 2021; 11:nano11030807. [PMID: 33809836 PMCID: PMC8004173 DOI: 10.3390/nano11030807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Revised: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
High-throughput detection strategies for antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in patients recovering from COVID-19, or in vaccinated individuals, are urgently required during this ongoing pandemic. Serological assays are the most widely used method to measure antibody responses in patients. However, most of the current methods lack the speed, stability, sensitivity, and specificity to be selected as a test for worldwide serosurveys. Here, we demonstrate a novel NanoBiT-based serological assay for fast and sensitive detection of SARS-CoV-2 RBD-specific antibodies in sera of COVID-19 patients. This assay can be done in high-throughput manner at 384 samples per hour and only requires a minimum of 5 μL of serum or 10 ng of antibody. The stability of our NanoBiT reporter in various temperatures (4–42 °C) and pH (4–12) settings suggests the assay will be able to withstand imperfect shipping and handling conditions for worldwide seroepidemiologic surveillance in the post-vaccination period of the pandemic. Our newly developed rapid assay is highly accessible and may facilitate a more cost-effective solution for seroconversion screening as vaccination efforts progress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taha Azad
- Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada; (T.A.); (R.R.); (R.S.); (T.R.J.); (M.J.F.C.); (A.S.); (J.P.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Reza Rezaei
- Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada; (T.A.); (R.R.); (R.S.); (T.R.J.); (M.J.F.C.); (A.S.); (J.P.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Ragunath Singaravelu
- Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada; (T.A.); (R.R.); (R.S.); (T.R.J.); (M.J.F.C.); (A.S.); (J.P.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Taylor R. Jamieson
- Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada; (T.A.); (R.R.); (R.S.); (T.R.J.); (M.J.F.C.); (A.S.); (J.P.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Mathieu J. F. Crupi
- Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada; (T.A.); (R.R.); (R.S.); (T.R.J.); (M.J.F.C.); (A.S.); (J.P.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Abera Surendran
- Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada; (T.A.); (R.R.); (R.S.); (T.R.J.); (M.J.F.C.); (A.S.); (J.P.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Joanna Poutou
- Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada; (T.A.); (R.R.); (R.S.); (T.R.J.); (M.J.F.C.); (A.S.); (J.P.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Parisa Taklifi
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Tehran, Tehran 1417614411, Iran;
| | - Juthaporn Cowan
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, University of Ottawa at The Ottawa Hospital/Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada; (J.C.); (D.W.C.)
| | - Donald William Cameron
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, University of Ottawa at The Ottawa Hospital/Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada; (J.C.); (D.W.C.)
| | - Carolina S. Ilkow
- Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada; (T.A.); (R.R.); (R.S.); (T.R.J.); (M.J.F.C.); (A.S.); (J.P.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-613-737-8899 (ext. 75208)
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19
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Serkova NJ, Glunde K, Haney CR, Farhoud M, De Lille A, Redente EF, Simberg D, Westerly DC, Griffin L, Mason RP. Preclinical Applications of Multi-Platform Imaging in Animal Models of Cancer. Cancer Res 2021; 81:1189-1200. [PMID: 33262127 PMCID: PMC8026542 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-20-0373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2020] [Revised: 06/10/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In animal models of cancer, oncologic imaging has evolved from a simple assessment of tumor location and size to sophisticated multimodality exploration of molecular, physiologic, genetic, immunologic, and biochemical events at microscopic to macroscopic levels, performed noninvasively and sometimes in real time. Here, we briefly review animal imaging technology and molecular imaging probes together with selected applications from recent literature. Fast and sensitive optical imaging is primarily used to track luciferase-expressing tumor cells, image molecular targets with fluorescence probes, and to report on metabolic and physiologic phenotypes using smart switchable luminescent probes. MicroPET/single-photon emission CT have proven to be two of the most translational modalities for molecular and metabolic imaging of cancers: immuno-PET is a promising and rapidly evolving area of imaging research. Sophisticated MRI techniques provide high-resolution images of small metastases, tumor inflammation, perfusion, oxygenation, and acidity. Disseminated tumors to the bone and lung are easily detected by microCT, while ultrasound provides real-time visualization of tumor vasculature and perfusion. Recently available photoacoustic imaging provides real-time evaluation of vascular patency, oxygenation, and nanoparticle distributions. New hybrid instruments, such as PET-MRI, promise more convenient combination of the capabilities of each modality, enabling enhanced research efficacy and throughput.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie J Serkova
- Department of Radiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado.
- Animal Imaging Shared Resource, University of Colorado Cancer Center, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Kristine Glunde
- Division of Cancer Imaging Research, The Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology, and the Sydney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Chad R Haney
- Center for Advanced Molecular Imaging, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois
| | | | | | | | - Dmitri Simberg
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - David C Westerly
- Animal Imaging Shared Resource, University of Colorado Cancer Center, Aurora, Colorado
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Lynn Griffin
- Department of Radiology, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado
| | - Ralph P Mason
- Department of Radiology, University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, Texas
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20
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Intracellular Ionic Strength Sensing Using NanoLuc. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22020677. [PMID: 33445497 PMCID: PMC7826950 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22020677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Revised: 12/28/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Intracellular ionic strength regulates myriad cellular processes that are fundamental to cellular survival and proliferation, including protein activity, aggregation, phase separation, and cell volume. It could be altered by changes in the activity of cellular signaling pathways, such as those that impact the activity of membrane-localized ion channels or by alterations in the microenvironmental osmolarity. Therefore, there is a demand for the development of sensitive tools for real-time monitoring of intracellular ionic strength. Here, we developed a bioluminescence-based intracellular ionic strength sensing strategy using the Nano Luciferase (NanoLuc) protein that has gained tremendous utility due to its high, long-lived bioluminescence output and thermal stability. Biochemical experiments using a recombinantly purified protein showed that NanoLuc bioluminescence is dependent on the ionic strength of the reaction buffer for a wide range of ionic strength conditions. Importantly, the decrease in the NanoLuc activity observed at higher ionic strengths could be reversed by decreasing the ionic strength of the reaction, thus making it suitable for sensing intracellular ionic strength alterations. Finally, we used an mNeonGreen–NanoLuc fusion protein to successfully monitor ionic strength alterations in a ratiometric manner through independent fluorescence and bioluminescence measurements in cell lysates and live cells. We envisage that the biosensing strategy developed here for detecting alterations in intracellular ionic strength will be applicable in a wide range of experiments, including high throughput cellular signaling, ion channel functional genomics, and drug discovery.
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21
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Oyama H, Kiguchi Y, Morita I, Miyashita T, Ichimura A, Miyaoka H, Izumi A, Terasawa S, Osumi N, Tanaka H, Niwa T, Kobayashi N. NanoLuc luciferase as a suitable fusion partner of recombinant antibody fragments for developing sensitive luminescent immunoassays. Anal Chim Acta 2021; 1161:238180. [PMID: 33896564 DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2020.12.055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2020] [Revised: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) are essential for monitoring various biomarkers. Competitive and noncompetitive (sandwich) assay formats are used to determine hapten and macromolecule levels, respectively. Both formats require more sensitive detection of reporter enzymes for greater assay sensitivities. We previously reported the utility of wild-type Gaussia luciferase (wtGLuc) as a fusion partner with antibody single-chain Fv fragments (scFvs) for developing sensitive luminescent ELISAs. Here, we evaluated utility of NanoLuc luciferase (NLuc), a recently developed luciferase, as fusion partner with scFvs from the view of comparison with wtGLuc and a mutant of alkaline phosphatase (ALP'). Thyroxine (T4) and T4-labeled albumin were chosen as model haptenic and macromolecular antigens, respectively. An in-house-prepared anti-T4 scFv was fused with NLuc, wtGLuc, or ALP'. The scFv-NLuc fusion protein showed 47-fold and 29-fold lower limit of detection [LOD; 59 zmol (per assay)] than the wtGLuc- and ALP'-fusions, respectively. In a competitive T4 ELISA, the NLuc-fusion showed 9.3- and 6.3-fold lower LOD, (0.67 pg) than the wtGLuc- and ALP'-fusions, respectively, with a higher specificity in clinical applications. A typical colorimetric ELISA using a peroxidase-labeled second antibody showed 70-fold higher LOD than NLuc-based ELISA. Another advantage of the NLuc-fusion was shown in the sandwich assays; the LOD of T4-labeled albumin (5.0 fmol) was >6-fold lower than that of the other luminescent ELISAs. In an additional sandwich assay developed to count bacteriophage particles, NLuc enabled more sensitive determination than wtGLuc, whereas ALP' showed nearly equivalent performance. Its slowest alteration rate for light intensity after starting the enzyme reaction should enable robust batch-by-batch assay operations. Thus, we concluded that scFv-NLuc fusions serve as suitable probes in various types of immunoassays and may facilitate higher sensitivities with practical specificities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroyuki Oyama
- Kobe Pharmaceutical University, 4-19-1, Motoyama-Kitamachi, Higashinada-ku, Kobe, 658-8558, Japan
| | - Yuki Kiguchi
- Kobe Pharmaceutical University, 4-19-1, Motoyama-Kitamachi, Higashinada-ku, Kobe, 658-8558, Japan
| | - Izumi Morita
- Kobe Pharmaceutical University, 4-19-1, Motoyama-Kitamachi, Higashinada-ku, Kobe, 658-8558, Japan
| | - Takayuki Miyashita
- Kobe Pharmaceutical University, 4-19-1, Motoyama-Kitamachi, Higashinada-ku, Kobe, 658-8558, Japan
| | - Akiyoshi Ichimura
- Kobe Pharmaceutical University, 4-19-1, Motoyama-Kitamachi, Higashinada-ku, Kobe, 658-8558, Japan
| | - Hiroko Miyaoka
- Kobe Pharmaceutical University, 4-19-1, Motoyama-Kitamachi, Higashinada-ku, Kobe, 658-8558, Japan
| | - Aki Izumi
- Kobe Pharmaceutical University, 4-19-1, Motoyama-Kitamachi, Higashinada-ku, Kobe, 658-8558, Japan
| | - Sayaka Terasawa
- Kobe Pharmaceutical University, 4-19-1, Motoyama-Kitamachi, Higashinada-ku, Kobe, 658-8558, Japan
| | - Natsumi Osumi
- Kobe Pharmaceutical University, 4-19-1, Motoyama-Kitamachi, Higashinada-ku, Kobe, 658-8558, Japan
| | - Hiroki Tanaka
- Kobe Pharmaceutical University, 4-19-1, Motoyama-Kitamachi, Higashinada-ku, Kobe, 658-8558, Japan
| | - Toshifumi Niwa
- Department of Medical Technology, School of Health Sciences, Tohoku University, 2-1, Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8575, Japan
| | - Norihiro Kobayashi
- Kobe Pharmaceutical University, 4-19-1, Motoyama-Kitamachi, Higashinada-ku, Kobe, 658-8558, Japan.
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22
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Eom S, Bae Y, Kim S, Choi H, Park J, Kang S. Development of Recombinant Immunoglobulin G-Binding Luciferase-Based Signal Amplifiers in Immunoassays. Anal Chem 2020; 92:5473-5481. [PMID: 32142265 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.0c00222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
In general immunoassays, secondary antibodies are covalently linked with enzymes and bind to the Fc region of target-bound primary antibodies to amplify signals of low-abundant target molecules. The antibodies themselves are obtained from large mammals and are further modified with enzymes. In this study, we developed novel recombinant immunoglobulin G (IgG)-binding luciferase-based signal amplifiers (rILSAs) by genetically fusing luciferase (Nluc) with antimouse IgG1 nanobody (MG1Nb) and antibody-binding domain (ABD), individually or together, in a mix-and-match manner. We obtained three different highly pure rILSAs in large quantities using a bacterial overexpression system and one-step purification. Mouse-specific rILSA, MG1Nb-Nluc, and rabbit-specific rILSA, Nluc-ABD, selectively bound to target-molecule-bound mouse IgG1 and rabbit IgG primary antibodies, whereas the bispecific rILSA, MG1Nb-Nluc-ABD, mutually bound to both mouse IgG1 and rabbit IgG primary antibodies. All rILSAs exhibited an outstanding signal-amplifying capability comparable to those of conventional horseradish-peroxidase-conjugated secondary antibodies, regardless of the target molecules, in various immunoassay formats, such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, Western blot, and lateral flow assays. Each rILSA was selected for its own individual purpose and applied to various types of target analytes, in combination with a variety of target-specific primary antibodies, effectively minimizing the use of animals as well as reducing the costs and time associated with the production and chemical conjugation of signal-amplifying enzymes.
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23
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Wouters SA, Vugs WJP, Arts R, de Leeuw NM, Teeuwen RWH, Merkx M. Bioluminescent Antibodies through Photoconjugation of Protein G-Luciferase Fusion Proteins. Bioconjug Chem 2020; 31:656-662. [PMID: 31909607 PMCID: PMC7086395 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.9b00804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2019] [Revised: 01/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Bioluminescent antibodies represent attractive detection agents in both bioanalytical assays and imaging. Currently, their preparation relies on genetic fusion of luciferases to antibodies or nonspecific chemical conjugation strategies. Here, we report a generic method to generate well-defined covalent antibody-luciferase conjugates starting from commercially available monoclonal antibodies. Our approach uses fusion proteins consisting of the bright blue light-emitting luciferase NanoLuc (NL) and an Fc-binding protein domain (Gx) that can be photo-cross-linked to the antibody using UV light illumination. Green and red color variants were constructed by tight fusion of the NanoLuc with a green fluorescent acceptor domain and introduction of Cy3, respectively. To increase the already bright NanoLuc emission, tandem fusions were successfully developed in which the Gx domain is fused to two or three copies of the NanoLuc domain. The Gx-NL fusion proteins can be efficiently photo-cross-linked to all human immunoglobulin G (IgG) isotypes and most mammalian IgG's using 365 nm light, yielding antibodies with either one or two luciferase domains. The bioluminescent antibodies were successfully used in cell immunostaining and bioanalytical assays such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blotting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone
F. A. Wouters
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology and
Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Department of Biomedical
Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Den Dolech 2, 5612 AZ Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Willem J. P. Vugs
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology and
Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Department of Biomedical
Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Den Dolech 2, 5612 AZ Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Remco Arts
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology and
Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Department of Biomedical
Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Den Dolech 2, 5612 AZ Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Nynke M. de Leeuw
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology and
Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Department of Biomedical
Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Den Dolech 2, 5612 AZ Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Roy W. H. Teeuwen
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology and
Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Department of Biomedical
Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Den Dolech 2, 5612 AZ Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Maarten Merkx
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology and
Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Department of Biomedical
Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Den Dolech 2, 5612 AZ Eindhoven, The Netherlands
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24
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A Fast and Sensitive Luciferase-based Assay for Antibody Engineering and Design of Chimeric Antigen Receptors. Sci Rep 2020; 10:2318. [PMID: 32047180 PMCID: PMC7012821 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-59099-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2019] [Accepted: 01/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Success of immunotherapeutic approaches using genetically engineered antibodies and T cells modified with chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) depends, among other things, on the selection of antigen binding domains with desirable expression and binding characteristics. We developed a luciferase-based assay, termed Malibu-Glo Assay, which streamlines the process of optimization of an antigen binding domain with desirable properties and allows the sensitive detection of tumor antigens. The assay involves a recombinant immunoconjugate, termed Malibu-Glo reagent, comprising an immunoglobulin or a non-immunoglobulin based antigen binding domain genetically linked to a marine luciferase. Malibu-Glo reagent can be conveniently produced in mammalian cells as a secreted protein that retains the functional activity of both the antigen binding domain and the luciferase. Moreover, crude supernatant containing the secreted Malibu-Glo reagent can directly be used for detection of cell surface antigens obviating the laborious steps of protein purification and labeling. We further demonstrate the utility of Malibu-Glo assay for the selection of optimal single chain fragment variables (scFvs) with desired affinity characteristics for incorporation into CARs. In summary, Malibu-Glo assay is a fast, simple, sensitive, specific and economical assay for antigen detection with multiple applications in the fields of antibody engineering, antibody humanization and CAR-T cell therapy.
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25
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Dale NC, Johnstone EKM, White CW, Pfleger KDG. NanoBRET: The Bright Future of Proximity-Based Assays. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2019; 7:56. [PMID: 30972335 PMCID: PMC6443706 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2019.00056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2019] [Accepted: 03/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) is a biophysical technique used to monitor proximity within live cells. BRET exploits the naturally occurring phenomenon of dipole-dipole energy transfer from a donor enzyme (luciferase) to an acceptor fluorophore following enzyme-mediated oxidation of a substrate. This results in production of a quantifiable signal that denotes proximity between proteins and/or molecules tagged with complementary luciferase and fluorophore partners. BRET assays have been used to observe an array of biological functions including ligand binding, intracellular signaling, receptor-receptor proximity, and receptor trafficking, however, BRET assays can theoretically be used to monitor the proximity of any protein or molecule for which appropriate fusion constructs and/or fluorophore conjugates can be produced. Over the years, new luciferases and approaches have been developed that have increased the potential applications for BRET assays. In particular, the development of the small, bright and stable Nanoluciferase (NanoLuc; Nluc) and its use in NanoBRET has vastly broadened the potential applications of BRET assays. These advances have exciting potential to produce new experimental methods to monitor protein-protein interactions (PPIs), protein-ligand interactions, and/or molecular proximity. In addition to NanoBRET, Nluc has also been exploited to produce NanoBiT technology, which further broadens the scope of BRET to monitor biological function when NanoBiT is combined with an acceptor. BRET has proved to be a powerful tool for monitoring proximity and interaction, and these recent advances further strengthen its utility for a range of applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natasha C Dale
- Molecular Endocrinology and Pharmacology, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, QEII Medical Centre, Nedlands, WA, Australia.,Centre for Medical Research, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre for Personalised Therapeutics TechnologiesAustralia
| | - Elizabeth K M Johnstone
- Molecular Endocrinology and Pharmacology, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, QEII Medical Centre, Nedlands, WA, Australia.,Centre for Medical Research, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre for Personalised Therapeutics TechnologiesAustralia
| | - Carl W White
- Molecular Endocrinology and Pharmacology, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, QEII Medical Centre, Nedlands, WA, Australia.,Centre for Medical Research, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre for Personalised Therapeutics TechnologiesAustralia
| | - Kevin D G Pfleger
- Molecular Endocrinology and Pharmacology, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, QEII Medical Centre, Nedlands, WA, Australia.,Centre for Medical Research, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre for Personalised Therapeutics TechnologiesAustralia.,Dimerix Limited, Nedlands, WA, Australia
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26
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Recent advances in homogenous immunoassays based on resonance energy transfer. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2019; 55:16-22. [DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2018.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2018] [Revised: 07/13/2018] [Accepted: 07/17/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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27
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Coutant EP, Goyard S, Hervin V, Gagnot G, Baatallah R, Jacob Y, Rose T, Janin YL. Gram-scale synthesis of luciferins derived from coelenterazine and original insights into their bioluminescence properties. Org Biomol Chem 2019; 17:3709-3713. [DOI: 10.1039/c9ob00459a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
An original three component synthetic access to coelenterazine and analogues can lead to grams of marine luciferins which are extensively used in bioluminescence-based assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eloi P. Coutant
- Unité de Chimie et Biocatalyse
- Institut Pasteur
- UMR 3523
- CNRS
- 75724 Paris cedex 15
| | - Sophie Goyard
- Center for Innovation and Technological Research
- Institut Pasteur
- 75724 Paris cedex 15
- France
| | - Vincent Hervin
- Unité de Chimie et Biocatalyse
- Institut Pasteur
- UMR 3523
- CNRS
- 75724 Paris cedex 15
| | - Glwadys Gagnot
- Unité de Chimie et Biocatalyse
- Institut Pasteur
- UMR 3523
- CNRS
- 75724 Paris cedex 15
| | - Racha Baatallah
- Unité de Chimie et Biocatalyse
- Institut Pasteur
- UMR 3523
- CNRS
- 75724 Paris cedex 15
| | - Yves Jacob
- Unité de Génétique Moléculaire des Virus à ARN
- Institut Pasteur
- UMR 3569
- CNRS
- 75724 Paris cedex 15
| | - Thierry Rose
- Center for Innovation and Technological Research
- Institut Pasteur
- 75724 Paris cedex 15
- France
| | - Yves L. Janin
- Unité de Chimie et Biocatalyse
- Institut Pasteur
- UMR 3523
- CNRS
- 75724 Paris cedex 15
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28
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El-Sayed A. Advances in rabies prophylaxis and treatment with emphasis on immunoresponse mechanisms. Int J Vet Sci Med 2018; 6:8-15. [PMID: 30255072 PMCID: PMC6149183 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijvsm.2018.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2018] [Revised: 05/08/2018] [Accepted: 05/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Rabies is a vaccine-preventable fatal disease in man and most mammals. Although rabies is recorded in 150 territories and is responsible for at least 60,000 human deaths every year worldwide, it is a neglected tropical problem. Most of the rabies free countries are considered to be fragile free as the disease may re-emerge easily through wild mammals. For the performance of effective rabies eradication programs, a complex set of strategies and activities is required. At the time, a joint project of WHO-OIE-FAO which was announced in 2015, plans to control animal-human-ecosystems rabies interface. For effective rabies control, prophylactic policies must be applied. These include various educational outreaches for farmers and people living in endemic areas, enforced legislation for responsible dog ownership, control programs for the free-ranging stray dog and cat populations, field large-scale vaccination campaigns, and the development of new vaccine delivery strategies for both humans and animals. The present work presents the advances in the development of new safe, effective and economic vaccines for domestic dogs, and oral vaccines for the control of the disease in wild animals. It presents also some therapeutic protocols used for the treatment of patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- A El-Sayed
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt
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29
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Li T, Li SL, Fang C, Hou YN, Zhang Q, Du X, Lee HC, Zhao YJ. Nanobody-based dual epitopes protein identification (DepID) assay for measuring soluble CD38 in plasma of multiple myeloma patients. Anal Chim Acta 2018; 1029:65-71. [PMID: 29907292 DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2018.04.061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2018] [Revised: 04/09/2018] [Accepted: 04/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND CD38 is a surface membrane antigen highly expressed in malignant blood cells, such as multiple myeloma (MM). A soluble form of CD38 (sCD38) is also present in the plasma, deriving likely from the shedding from the cells. The plasma levels of sCD38 should thus correlate closely with the proliferation of the MM cells, allowing the development of a simple diagnostic blood test for monitoring the progress of the disease. However, the plasma sCD38 levels are extremely low, requiring the design of a highly sensitive and specific assay. RESULTS In this study, we developed an ultra-sensitive assay, based on two nanobodies (Nbs) targeting two distinct epitopes of sCD38. One Nb acts as a capturer, and the other is fused with the firefly luciferase serving as a reporter to ensure sensitivity. We showed that this Dual epitopes protein IDentification (DepID) assay has sensitivity reaching 10 pg/mL, which is 10 times higher than that of a commercial ELISA kit. By this method, we were able to precisely quantify the levels of sCD38 in the plasma of MM patients, which were significantly higher than those from healthy donors. We further showed that the increase plasma levels of sCD38 correlated with the progress of MM. CONCLUSION We have developed a Nb-based luminescence sandwich assay, named as DepID, for quantification of the soluble CD38 in MM patients' plasma and showed the potency of this method as a tool for general diagnosis of MM or companion diagnosis of the CD38-targeted therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Li
- Laboratory of Cytophysiology, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, Key Laboratory of Chemical Genomics, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Song Lu Li
- Laboratory of Cytophysiology, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, Key Laboratory of Chemical Genomics, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Cheng Fang
- Laboratory of Cytophysiology, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, Key Laboratory of Chemical Genomics, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Yun Nan Hou
- Laboratory of Cytophysiology, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, Key Laboratory of Chemical Genomics, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Qiaoxia Zhang
- Shenzhen Bone Marrow Transplantation Public Service Platform, Department of Hematology, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518000, China
| | - Xin Du
- Shenzhen Bone Marrow Transplantation Public Service Platform, Department of Hematology, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518000, China
| | - Hon Cheung Lee
- Laboratory of Cytophysiology, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, Key Laboratory of Chemical Genomics, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China.
| | - Yong Juan Zhao
- Laboratory of Cytophysiology, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, Key Laboratory of Chemical Genomics, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China.
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30
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van Rosmalen M, Ni Y, Vervoort DFM, Arts R, Ludwig SKJ, Merkx M. Dual-Color Bioluminescent Sensor Proteins for Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of Antitumor Antibodies. Anal Chem 2018; 90:3592-3599. [PMID: 29443503 PMCID: PMC5843950 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.8b00041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Monitoring the levels of therapeutic antibodies in individual patients would allow patient-specific dose optimization, with the potential for major therapeutic and financial benefits. Our group recently developed a new platform of bioluminescent sensor proteins (LUMABS; LUMinescent AntiBody Sensor) that allow antibody detection directly in blood plasma. In this study, we targeted four clinically important therapeutic antibodies, the Her2-receptor targeting trastuzumab, the anti-CD20 antibodies rituximab and obinutuzumab, and the EGFR-blocking cetuximab. A strong correlation was found between the affinity of the antibody binding peptide and sensor performance. LUMABS sensors with physiologically relevant affinities and decent sensor responses were obtained for trastuzumab and cetuximab using mimotope and meditope peptides, respectively, with affinities in the 10-7 M range. The lower affinity of the CD20-derived cyclic peptide employed in the anti-CD20 LUMABS sensor ( Kd = 10-5 M), translated in a LUMABS sensor with a strongly attenuated sensor response. The trastuzumab and cetuximab sensors were further characterized with respect to binding kinetics and their performance in undiluted blood plasma. For both antibodies, LUMABS-based detection directly in plasma compared well to the analytical performance of commercial ELISA kits. Besides identifying important design parameters for the development of new LUMABS sensors, this work demonstrates the potential of the LUMABS platform for point-of-care detection of therapeutic antibodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martijn van Rosmalen
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Department of Biomedical Engineering , Eindhoven University of Technology , P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven , The Netherlands
| | - Yan Ni
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Department of Biomedical Engineering , Eindhoven University of Technology , P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven , The Netherlands
| | - Daan F M Vervoort
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Department of Biomedical Engineering , Eindhoven University of Technology , P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven , The Netherlands
| | - Remco Arts
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Department of Biomedical Engineering , Eindhoven University of Technology , P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven , The Netherlands
| | - Susann K J Ludwig
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Department of Biomedical Engineering , Eindhoven University of Technology , P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven , The Netherlands
| | - Maarten Merkx
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Department of Biomedical Engineering , Eindhoven University of Technology , P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven , The Netherlands
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31
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Kaskova ZM, Tsarkova AS, Yampolsky IV. 1001 lights: luciferins, luciferases, their mechanisms of action and applications in chemical analysis, biology and medicine. Chem Soc Rev 2018; 45:6048-6077. [PMID: 27711774 DOI: 10.1039/c6cs00296j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 193] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Bioluminescence (BL) is a spectacular phenomenon involving light emission by live organisms. It is caused by the oxidation of a small organic molecule, luciferin, with molecular oxygen, which is catalysed by the enzyme luciferase. In nature, there are approximately 30 different BL systems, of which only 9 have been studied to various degrees in terms of their reaction mechanisms. A vast range of in vitro and in vivo analytical techniques have been developed based on BL, including tests for different analytes, immunoassays, gene expression assays, drug screening, bioimaging of live organisms, cancer studies, the investigation of infectious diseases and environmental monitoring. This review aims to cover the major existing applications for bioluminescence in the context of the diversity of luciferases and their substrates, luciferins. Particularly, the properties and applications of d-luciferin, coelenterazine, bacterial, Cypridina and dinoflagellate luciferins and their analogues along with their corresponding luciferases are described. Finally, four other rarely studied bioluminescent systems (those of limpet Latia, earthworms Diplocardia and Fridericia and higher fungi), which are promising for future use, are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zinaida M Kaskova
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya 16/10, Moscow 117997, Russia. and Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Ostrovitianova 1, Moscow 117997, Russia
| | - Aleksandra S Tsarkova
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya 16/10, Moscow 117997, Russia. and Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Ostrovitianova 1, Moscow 117997, Russia
| | - Ilia V Yampolsky
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya 16/10, Moscow 117997, Russia. and Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Ostrovitianova 1, Moscow 117997, Russia
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32
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Janssen BD, Chen YP, Molgora BM, Wang SE, Simoes-Barbosa A, Johnson PJ. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene modification and gene knock out in the human-infective parasite Trichomonas vaginalis. Sci Rep 2018; 8:270. [PMID: 29321601 PMCID: PMC5762654 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-18442-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2017] [Accepted: 12/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The sexually-transmitted parasite Trichomonas vaginalis infects ~1/4 billion people worldwide. Despite its prevalence and myriad adverse outcomes of infection, the mechanisms underlying T. vaginalis pathogenesis are poorly understood. Genetic manipulation of this single-celled eukaryote has been hindered by challenges presented by its complex, repetitive genome and inefficient methods for introducing DNA (i.e. transfection) into the parasite. Here, we have developed methods to increase transfection efficiency using nucleofection, with the goal of efficiently introducing multiple DNA elements into a single T. vaginalis cell. We then created DNA constructs required to express several components essential to drive CRISPR/Cas9-mediated DNA modification: guide RNA (gRNA), the Cas9 endonuclease, short oligonucleotides and large, linearized DNA templates. Using these technical advances, we have established CRISPR/Cas9-mediated repair of mutations in genes contained on circular DNA plasmids harbored by the parasite. We also engineered CRISPR/Cas9 directed homologous recombination to delete (i.e. knock out) two non-essential genes within the T. vaginalis genome. This first report of the use of the CRISPR/Cas9 system in T. vaginalis greatly expands the ability to manipulate the genome of this pathogen and sets the stage for testing of the role of specific genes in many biological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian D Janssen
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Yi-Pei Chen
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Brenda M Molgora
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Shuqi E Wang
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | | | - Patricia J Johnson
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA.
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Rust A, Doran C, Hart R, Binz T, Stickings P, Sesardic D, Peden AA, Davletov B. A Cell Line for Detection of Botulinum Neurotoxin Type B. Front Pharmacol 2017; 8:796. [PMID: 29170639 PMCID: PMC5684488 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2017.00796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2017] [Accepted: 10/20/2017] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) type A and type B are commonly used as biopharmaceutics for neurological diseases, uniquely allowing months-long paralysis of target muscles. Their exquisite neuronal specificity is conferred by a multistep process of binding, internalization, cytosolic escape and cleavage of the neuron-specific proteins, SNAP-25 and vesicle-associated membrane proteins (VAMPs), ultimately to inhibit secretion of neurotransmitters. Currently the mouse lethality bioassay is the only available method for quality control testing of VAMP-cleaving botulinum products. Refined assays for botulinum product testing are urgently needed. Specifically, in vitro replacement assays which can account for all steps of BoNT intoxication are in high demand. Here, we describe a novel SiMa cell-based approach where re-engineering of the VAMP molecule allows detection of all BoNT/B intoxication steps using a luminescent enzymatic reaction with sensitivity comparable to mouse LD50 bioassay. The presented one-step enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay meets 3Rs (replacement, reduction, and refinement of the use of animals) objectives, is user-friendly and will accelerate development of new botulinum drugs. The sensitive enzymatic reporter cell line could also be adapted for the detection of toxin activity during the manufacture of botulinum and tetanus vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksander Rust
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Ciara Doran
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Rosalyn Hart
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas Binz
- Institut für Zellbiochemie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Paul Stickings
- Division of Bacteriology, National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, Medicines and Healthcare Product Regulatory Agency, Potters Bar, United Kingdom
| | - Dorothea Sesardic
- Division of Bacteriology, National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, Medicines and Healthcare Product Regulatory Agency, Potters Bar, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew A. Peden
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Bazbek Davletov
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
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Volkwein W, Maier C, Krafczyk R, Jung K, Lassak J. A Versatile Toolbox for the Control of Protein Levels Using N ε-Acetyl-l-lysine Dependent Amber Suppression. ACS Synth Biol 2017; 6:1892-1902. [PMID: 28594177 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.7b00048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
The analysis of the function of essential genes in vivo depends on the ability to experimentally modulate levels of their protein products. Current methods to address this are based on transcriptional or post-transcriptional regulation of mRNAs, but approaches based on the exploitation of translation regulation have so far been neglected. Here we describe a toolbox, based on amber suppression in the presence of Nε-acetyl-l-lysine (AcK), for translational tuning of protein output. We chose the highly sensitive luminescence system LuxCDABE as a reporter and incorporated a UAG stop codon into the gene for the reductase subunit LuxC. The system was used to measure and compare the effects of AcK- and Nε-(tert-butoxycarbonyl)-l-lysine (BocK) dependent amber suppression in Escherichia coli. We also demonstrate here that, in combination with transcriptional regulation, the system allows protein production to be either totally repressed or gradually adjusted. To identify sequence motifs that provide improved translational regulation, we varied the sequence context of the amber codon and found that insertion of two preceding prolines drastically decreases luminescence. In addition, using LacZ as a reporter, we demonstrated that a strain encoding a variant with a Pro-Pro amber motif can only grow on lactose when AcK is supplied, thus confirming the tight translational regulation of protein output. In parallel, we constructed an E. coli strain that carries an isopropyl β-d-1-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG)-inducible version of the AcK-tRNA synthetase (AcKRS) gene on the chromosome, thus preventing mischarging of noncognate substrates. Subsequently, a diaminopimelic acid auxotrophic mutant (ΔdapA) was generated demonstrating the potential of this strain in regulating essential gene products. Furthermore, we assembled a set of vectors based on the broad-host-range pBBR ori that enable the AcK-dependent amber suppression system to control protein output not only in E. coli, but also in Salmonella enterica and Vibrio cholerae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wolfram Volkwein
- Center for integrated Protein
Science Munich (CiPSM) at the Department of Biology I, Microbiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Großhaderner Strasse 2-4, 82152 Martinsried, Germany
| | - Christopher Maier
- Center for integrated Protein
Science Munich (CiPSM) at the Department of Biology I, Microbiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Großhaderner Strasse 2-4, 82152 Martinsried, Germany
| | - Ralph Krafczyk
- Center for integrated Protein
Science Munich (CiPSM) at the Department of Biology I, Microbiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Großhaderner Strasse 2-4, 82152 Martinsried, Germany
| | - Kirsten Jung
- Center for integrated Protein
Science Munich (CiPSM) at the Department of Biology I, Microbiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Großhaderner Strasse 2-4, 82152 Martinsried, Germany
| | - Jürgen Lassak
- Center for integrated Protein
Science Munich (CiPSM) at the Department of Biology I, Microbiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Großhaderner Strasse 2-4, 82152 Martinsried, Germany
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Development of NanoLuc bridging immunoassay for detection of anti-drug antibodies. J Immunol Methods 2017; 450:17-26. [PMID: 28733215 DOI: 10.1016/j.jim.2017.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2017] [Revised: 07/17/2017] [Accepted: 07/17/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Anti-drug antibodies (ADAs) are generated in-vivo as an immune response to therapeutic antibody drugs and can significantly affect the efficacy and safety of the drugs. Hence, detection of ADAs is recommended by regulatory agencies during drug development process. A widely accepted method for measuring ADAs is "bridging" immunoassay and is frequently performed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) or electrochemiluminescence (ECL) platform developed by Meso Scale Discovery (MSD). ELISA is preferable due to widely available reagents and instruments and broad familiarity with the technology; however, MSD platform has gained wide acceptability due to a simpler workflow, higher sensitivity, and a broad dynamic range but requires proprietary reagents and instruments. We describe the development of a new bridging immunoassay where a small (19kDa) but ultra-bright NanoLuc luciferase enzyme is used as an antibody label and signal is luminescence. The method combines the convenience of ELISA format with assay performance similar to that of the MSD platform. Advantages of the NanoLuc bridging immunoassay are highlighted by using Trastuzumab and Cetuximab as model drugs and developing assays for detection of anti-Trastuzumab antibodies (ATA) and anti-Cetuximab antibodies (ACA). During development of the assay several aspects of the method were optimized including: (a) two different approaches for labeling drugs with NanoLuc; (b) sensitivity and dynamic range; and (c) compatibility with the acid dissociation step for improved drug tolerance. Assays showed high sensitivity of at least 1.0ng/mL, dynamic range of greater than four log orders, and drug tolerance of >500.
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A replication-competent foot-and-mouth disease virus expressing a luciferase reporter. J Virol Methods 2017; 247:38-44. [PMID: 28532601 PMCID: PMC5490781 DOI: 10.1016/j.jviromet.2017.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2017] [Revised: 05/16/2017] [Accepted: 05/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
We have generated a replication-competent foot-and-mouth disease virus expressing Nanoluciferase, designated as Nano-FMDV. Nano-FMDV is genetically stable. The replication of Nano-FMDV can be monitored by bioluminescent methods. This reporter virus has potential applications in real-time monitoring of FMDV infection in vitro and in vivo, and in screening of antivirals and antibodies.
Bioluminescence is a powerful tool in the study of viral infection both in vivo and in vitro. Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) has a small RNA genome with a limited tolerance to foreign RNA entities. There has been no success in making a reporter FMDV expressing a luciferase in infected cell culture supernatants. We report here for the first time a replication-competent FMDV encoding Nanoluciferase, named as Nano-FMDV. Nano-FMDV is genetically stable during serial passages in cells and exhibits growth kinetics and plaque morphology similar to its parental virus. There are applications for the use of Nano-FMDV such as real-time monitoring of FMDV replication in vitro and in vivo.
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Walker JR, Hall MP, Zimprich CA, Robers MB, Duellman SJ, Machleidt T, Rodriguez J, Zhou W. Highly Potent Cell-Permeable and Impermeable NanoLuc Luciferase Inhibitors. ACS Chem Biol 2017; 12:1028-1037. [PMID: 28195704 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.6b01129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Novel engineered NanoLuc (Nluc) luciferase being smaller, brighter, and superior to traditional firefly (Fluc) or Renilla (Rluc) provides a great opportunity for the development of numerous biological, biomedical, clinical, and food and environmental safety applications. This new platform created an urgent need for Nluc inhibitors that could allow selective bioluminescent suppression and multiplexing compatibility with existing luminescence or fluorescence assays. Starting from thienopyrrole carboxylate 1, a hit from a 42 000 PubChem compound library with a low micromolar IC50 against Nluc, we derivatized four different structural fragments to discover a family of potent, single digit nanomolar, cell permeable inhibitors. Further elaboration revealed a channel that allowed access to the external Nluc surface, resulting in a series of highly potent cell impermeable Nluc inhibitors with negatively charged groups likely extending to the protein surface. The permeability was evaluated by comparing EC50 shifts calculated from both live and lysed cells expressing Nluc cytosolically. Luminescence imaging further confirmed that cell permeable compounds inhibit both intracellular and extracellular Nluc, whereas less permeable compounds differentially inhibit extracellular Nluc and Nluc on the cell surface. The compounds displayed little to no toxicity to cells and high luciferase specificity, showing no activity against firefly luciferase or even the closely related NanoBit system. Looking forward, the structural motifs used to gain access to the Nluc surface can also be appended with other functional groups, and therefore interesting opportunities for developing assays based on relief-of-inhibition can be envisioned.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel R. Walker
- Promega Biosciences LLC, 277
Granada Drive, San Luis Obispo, California 93401, United States
- Promega Corporation, 2800 Woods
Hollow Road, Madison, Wisconsin 53711-5399, United States
| | - Mary P. Hall
- Promega Biosciences LLC, 277
Granada Drive, San Luis Obispo, California 93401, United States
- Promega Corporation, 2800 Woods
Hollow Road, Madison, Wisconsin 53711-5399, United States
| | - Chad A. Zimprich
- Promega Biosciences LLC, 277
Granada Drive, San Luis Obispo, California 93401, United States
- Promega Corporation, 2800 Woods
Hollow Road, Madison, Wisconsin 53711-5399, United States
| | - Matthew B. Robers
- Promega Biosciences LLC, 277
Granada Drive, San Luis Obispo, California 93401, United States
- Promega Corporation, 2800 Woods
Hollow Road, Madison, Wisconsin 53711-5399, United States
| | - Sarah J. Duellman
- Promega Biosciences LLC, 277
Granada Drive, San Luis Obispo, California 93401, United States
- Promega Corporation, 2800 Woods
Hollow Road, Madison, Wisconsin 53711-5399, United States
| | - Thomas Machleidt
- Promega Biosciences LLC, 277
Granada Drive, San Luis Obispo, California 93401, United States
- Promega Corporation, 2800 Woods
Hollow Road, Madison, Wisconsin 53711-5399, United States
| | - Jacquelynn Rodriguez
- Promega Biosciences LLC, 277
Granada Drive, San Luis Obispo, California 93401, United States
- Promega Corporation, 2800 Woods
Hollow Road, Madison, Wisconsin 53711-5399, United States
| | - Wenhui Zhou
- Promega Biosciences LLC, 277
Granada Drive, San Luis Obispo, California 93401, United States
- Promega Corporation, 2800 Woods
Hollow Road, Madison, Wisconsin 53711-5399, United States
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Marin-Kuan M, Fussell KC, Riederer N, Latado H, Serrant P, Mollergues J, Coulet M, Schilter B. Differentiating true androgen receptor inhibition from cytotoxicity-mediated reduction of reporter-gene transactivation in-vitro. Toxicol In Vitro 2017; 45:359-365. [PMID: 28377212 DOI: 10.1016/j.tiv.2017.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2016] [Revised: 03/17/2017] [Accepted: 03/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
In vitro effect-based reporter assays are applied as biodetection tools designed to address nuclear receptor mediated-modulation. While such assays detect receptor modulating potential, cell viability needs to be addressed, preferably in the same well. Some assays circumvent this by co-transfecting a second constitutively-expressed marker gene or by multiplexing a cytotoxicity assay. Some assays, such as the CALUX®, lack this feature. The cytotoxic effects of unknown substances can confound in vitro assays, making the interpretation of results difficult and uncertain, particularly when assessing antagonistic activity. It's necessary to determine whether the cause of the reporter signal decrease is an antagonistic effect or a non-specific cytotoxic effect. To remedy this, we assessed the suitability of multiplexing a cell viability assay within the CALUX® transcriptional activation test for anti-androgenicity. Tests of both well-characterized anti-androgens and cytotoxic compounds demonstrated the suitability of this approach for discerning between the molecular mechanisms of action without altering the nuclear receptor assay; though some compounds were both cytotoxic and anti-androgenic. The optimized multiplexed assay was then applied to an uncharacterized set of polycyclic aromatic compounds. These results better characterized the mode of action and the classification of effects. Overall, the multiplexed protocol added value to CALUX test performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maricel Marin-Kuan
- Chemical Food Safety, Nestlé Research Centre, P.O. Box 44, CH-1000 Lausanne 26, Switzerland.
| | - Karma C Fussell
- Chemical Food Safety, Nestlé Research Centre, P.O. Box 44, CH-1000 Lausanne 26, Switzerland
| | - Nicolas Riederer
- Chemical Food Safety, Nestlé Research Centre, P.O. Box 44, CH-1000 Lausanne 26, Switzerland
| | - Helia Latado
- Chemical Food Safety, Nestlé Research Centre, P.O. Box 44, CH-1000 Lausanne 26, Switzerland
| | - Patrick Serrant
- Chemical Food Safety, Nestlé Research Centre, P.O. Box 44, CH-1000 Lausanne 26, Switzerland
| | - Julie Mollergues
- Chemical Food Safety, Nestlé Research Centre, P.O. Box 44, CH-1000 Lausanne 26, Switzerland
| | - Myriam Coulet
- Chemical Food Safety, Nestlé Research Centre, P.O. Box 44, CH-1000 Lausanne 26, Switzerland
| | - Benoit Schilter
- Chemical Food Safety, Nestlé Research Centre, P.O. Box 44, CH-1000 Lausanne 26, Switzerland
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Torres-Quesada O, Röck R, Stefan E. Systematic Quantification of GPCR/cAMP-Controlled Protein Kinase A Interactions. Horm Metab Res 2017; 49:240-249. [PMID: 28427097 DOI: 10.1055/s-0042-110791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The diffusible second messenger cyclic AMP (cAMP) originates from multiple G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) cascades activating the intracellular key effector protein kinase A (PKA). Spatially and temporally restricted cAMP-fluxes are directly sensed by macromolecular PKA complexes. The consequences are alterations of molecular interactions, which lead to activation of compartmentalized PKA phosphotransferase activities, regulating a vast array of cellular functions. To decode cell-type and cell-compartment specific PKA functions, the spatio-temporal dynamics of small molecule:protein interactions, protein:protein interactions (PPIs), cAMP-mobilization, and phosphotransferase activities need to be determined directly in the appropriate cellular context. A collection of cell-based reporters has been developed to either visualize or quantitatively measure kinase activities or PKA complex formation/dissociation. In this review, we list a collection of unimolecular and bimolecular PKA biosensors, followed by the specification of the modular design of a Renilla luciferase based protein-fragment complementation assay (PCA) platform for measuring PKA network interactions. We discuss the application spectrum of the PCA reporter to identify, quantify, and dissect dynamic and transient PKA complexes downstream of specific GPCR activities. We specify the implementation of a PCA PKA platform to systematically quantify the concurrent involvement of receptor-cAMP signaling, post-translational modifications, and kinase subunit mutations/perturbations in PKA activation. The systematic quantification of transient PKA network interactions will contribute to a better understanding how GPCR-recognized input signals are streamlined through the compartmentalized and cAMP-interacting PKA signalosome.
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Affiliation(s)
- O Torres-Quesada
- Institute of Biochemistry and Center for Molecular Biosciences, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - R Röck
- Institute of Biochemistry and Center for Molecular Biosciences, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - E Stefan
- Institute of Biochemistry and Center for Molecular Biosciences, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
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Exploiting NanoLuc luciferase for smartphone-based bioluminescence cell biosensor for (anti)-inflammatory activity and toxicity. Anal Bioanal Chem 2016; 408:8859-8868. [DOI: 10.1007/s00216-016-0062-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2016] [Accepted: 09/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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