In-depth qualitative and quantitative analysis of composite glycosylation profiles and other micro-heterogeneity on intact monoclonal antibodies by high-resolution native mass spectrometry using a modified Orbitrap

Here, we describe a fast, easy-to-use, and sensitive method to profile in-depth structural micro-heterogeneity, including intricate N-glycosylation profiles, of monoclonal antibodies at the native intact protein level by means of mass spectrometry using a recently introduced modified Orbitrap Exactive Plus mass spectrometer. We demonstrate the versatility of our method to probe structural micro-heterogeneity by describing the analysis of three types of molecules: (1) a non-covalently bound IgG4 hinge deleted full-antibody in equilibrium with its half-antibody, (2) IgG4 mutants exhibiting highly complex glycosylation profiles, and (3) antibody-drug conjugates. Using the modified instrument, we obtain baseline separation and accurate mass determination of all different proteoforms that may be induced, for example, by glycosylation, drug loading and partial peptide backbone-truncation. We show that our method can handle highly complex glycosylation profiles, identifying more than 20 different glycoforms per monoclonal antibody preparation and more than 30 proteoforms on a single highly purified antibody. In analyzing antibody-drug conjugates, our method also easily identifies and quantifies more than 15 structurally different proteoforms that may result from the collective differences in drug loading and glycosylation. The method presented here will aid in the comprehensive analytical and functional characterization of protein micro-heterogeneity, which is crucial for successful development and manufacturing of therapeutic antibodies     

Biochemical isolation and purification of ovulation-inducing factor (OIF) in seminal plasma of llamas

Background  

The objective of the present study was to isolate and purify the protein fraction(s) of llama seminal plasma responsible for the ovulation-inducing effect of the ejaculate.     

Use of the Gram stain in microbiology

The Gram stain differentiates bacteria into two fundamental varieties of cells. Bacteria that retain the initial crystal violet stain (purple) are said to be 'Gram-positive,' whereas those that are decolorized and stain red with carbol fuchsin (or safranin) are said to be 'Gram-negative.' This staining response is based on the chemical and structural makeup of the cell walls of both varieties of bacteria. Gram-positives have a thick, relatively impermeable wall that resists decolorization and is composed of peptidoglycan and secondary polymers. Gram-negatives have a thin peptidoglycan layer plus an overlying lipid-protein bilayer known as the outer membrane, which can be disrupted by decolorization. Some bacteria have walls of intermediate structure and, although they are officially classified as Gram-positives because of their linage, they stain in a variable manner. One prokaryote domain, the Archaea, have such variability of wall structure that the Gram stain is not a useful differentiating tool.     

A STUDY OF THE ACTION OF ACID AND ALKALI ON GLUTEN

In this paper there are reported studies of the acid-base equilibrium in systems containing gluten suspended in solution of hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide. The studies have involved measurements of the hydrogen ion concentration, of the electrical conductivity, and of the solution of the proteins. Further, measurements have been made of the swelling and of the viscosity of the gluten component of such systems. The results seem to show that simple chemical phenomena are most important in such systems, and that the modifications of these, resulting from colloidal and heterogeneous characteristics, are of secondary importance in determining the condition of equilibrium, though somewhat more significant in the progress of the system toward the condition of equilibrium.     

The species–area relationship in centipedes (Myriapoda: Chilopoda): a comparison between Mediterranean island groups

The present study article examines the shapes of centipede species–area relationships (SARs) in the Mediterranean islands, compares the results of the linear form of the power model between archipelagos, discusses biological significance of the power model parameters with other taxa on the Aegean archipelago, and tests for a significant small‐island effect (SIE). We used 11 models to test the SARs and we compared the quality‐of‐fit of all candidate models. The power function ranked first and Z‐values was in the range 0.106–0.334. We assessed the presence of SIEs by fitting both a continuous and discontinuous breakpoint regression model. The continuous breakpoint regression functions never performed much better than the closest discontinuous model as a predictor of centipede species richness. We suggest that the relatively low Z‐values in our data partly reflect better dispersal abilities in centipedes than in other soil invertebrate taxa. Longer periods of isolation and more recent island formation may explain the somewhat lower constant c in the western Mediterranean islands compared to the Aegean islands. Higher breakpoint values in the western Mediterranean may also be a result of larger distance to the mainland and longer separation times. Despite the differences in the geological history and the idiosyncratic features of the main island groups considered, the overall results are quite similar and this could be assigned to the ability of centipedes to disperse across isolation barriers. © 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2012, 105 , 146–159.     

几种药物抑制马传染性贫血病毒和人免疫缺陷病毒的实验研究

用马传染性贫血病毒—驴胚肺二倍体细胞(EIAV-DELDC)为实验体系,以细胞中病毒逆转录酶活性及病毒相关抗原的表达为观察指标,检测了叠氮胸苷(AZT)、三氮唑核苷(Ribavirin,病毒唑)、磷羧基甲酸钠(PFA)和苏拉明等4种已知抗人免疫缺陷病毒(HIV-1)药物对马传染性贫血病毒的抑制作用。结果表明,PFA、AZTTP(三磷酸AZT)和苏拉明均能抑制病毒相关抗原的表达,AZT虽无此作用,但能抑制细胞内逆转录酶活性。用~3H-TMP掺入法比较了PFA、AZTTP、苏拉明对体外无细胞系EIAV逆转录酶粗提物和HIV-1基因工程产物逆转录酶活性的抑制作用表明,两种逆转录酶对苏拉明的敏感性相近,而HIV-1逆转录酶对PFA和AZTTP的敏感性较EIAV者高约100倍。又以无细胞系中逆转录酶活性测定法,检测了12种中药提取物的抑制作用,其中小柴胡汤对EIAV和HIV-1逆转录酶活性都有抑制作用,IC_(50)为717μg/ml和700μg/ml(生药浓度)。小柴胡汤对两种病毒感染细胞中抗原的表达和HIV引起细胞病变都有抑制作用,对HIV-1的抑制比EIAV强。这些结果表明,EIAV-DELDC体系可考虑作为抗HIV-1药物筛选模型。     

Enzymic synthesis,chemical characterisation and Sda activity of GalNAcß1-4[NeuAcα2-3]Galß1-4GlcNAc and GalNAcß1-4[NeuAcα2-3]Galß1-4Glc

The tetrasaccharides GalNAcß1-4[NeuAc2-3]Galß1-4Glc and GalNAcß1-4[NeuAc2-3]Galß1-4GlcNAc were synthesised by enzymic transfer of GalNAc from UDP-GalNAc to 3-sialyllactose (NeuAc2-3Galß1-4Glc) and 3-sialyl-N-acetyllactosamine (NeuAc2-3Galß1-4GlcNAc). The structures of the products were established by methylation and¹H-500 MHz NMR spectroscopy. In Sd^a serological tests the product formed with 3-sialyl-N-acetyllactosamine was highly active whereas that formed with 3-sialyllactose had only weak activity.     

The diageotropica mutation alters auxin induction of a subset of the Aux/IAA gene family in tomato

The diageotropica (dgt) mutation has been proposed to affect either auxin perception or responsiveness in tomato plants. It has previously been demonstrated that the expression of one member of the Aux/IAA family of auxin-regulated genes is reduced in dgt plants. Here, we report the cloning of ten new members of the tomato Aux/IAA family by PCR amplification based on conserved protein domains. All of the gene family members except one (LeIAA7) are expressed in etiolated tomato seedlings, although they demonstrate tissue specificity (e.g. increased expression in hypocotyls vs. roots) within the seedling. The wild-type auxin-response characteristics of the expression of these tomato LeIAA genes are similar to those previously described for Aux/IAA family members in Arabidopsis. In dgt seedlings, auxin stimulation of gene expression was reduced in only a subset of LeIAA genes (LeIAA5, 8, 10, and 11), with the greatest reduction associated with those genes with the strongest wild-type response to auxin. The remaining LeIAA genes tested exhibited essentially the same induction levels in response to the hormone in both dgt and wild-type hypocotyls. These results confirm that dgt plants can perceive auxin and suggest that a specific step in early auxin signal transduction is disrupted by the dgt mutation.