Radioiodination and I-labeled peptide mapping of proteins on nitrocellulose membranes

A rapid procedure for generating dozens of ¹²⁵I-labeled peptide maps from a protein band excised from a single lane of a sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) gel has been developed. Proteins, which can be rapidly purified by 2× SDS-PAGE separation, are electroblotted onto nitrocellulose paper (NCP) and located by aqueous naphthol blue-black staining. All subsequent steps of radioiodination, and enzyme or chemical cleavage, are carried out on the NCP making it possible to test a variety of cleavage reagents on the same protein sample. The resultant peptidic residues, which can be separated by thin-layer electrophoresis-thin-layer chromatography (2D TLE-TLC), SDS-PAGE, or HPLC, can be used in comparative studies or they can be recovered for further structural and immunological analyses.     

A method for the efficient blotting of strongly basic proteins from sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels to nitrocellulose

An improved procedure for the electrophoretic transfer of strongly basic proteins from sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels to nitrocellulose is described. The use of more alkaline transfer buffers and the omission of an equilibration step before the transfer allow for the almost complete transfer of strongly basic proteins from gels to nitrocellulose without lowering the transfer efficiency for other proteins.     

Blotting intact immunoglobulins and other high-molecular-weight proteins after composite agarose-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis

A composite agarose-polyacrylamide gel containing urea and sodium dodecyl sulfate reliably resolved unreduced human immunoglobulins according to their molecular weight. Intact immunoglobulins and a number of other macromolecules were readily transferred to nitrocellulose paper by either capillary or electrophoretic blotting, although the latter technique was more effective. Conventional antigen probing as well as immobilized antibody studies can be performed on the nitrocellulose transfers.     

Activity of digestive proteinases and carbohydrases in the alimentary tract of the fig leaf roller,Choreutis nemorana Hübner (Lepidoptera: Choreutidae)

.The fig leaf roller or Fig-tree Skeletoniser, Choreutis nemorana (Lep.: Choreutidae), is a destructive pest of fig trees found in some fig-growing areas of Iran. The larvae feed on the upper level of leaves, near the main vein. In this study, digestive carbohydrases including α-glucosidase, β-glucosidase, α-galactosidase, β-galactosidase and proteinases including trypsin, chymotrypsin and elastase were investigated. The results showed that the carbohydrases were present in the alimentary tracts of the pest. Optimum pH for α-glucosidase and β-glucosidase activity was at pH 6.0 and 7.0, respectively. Maximum activity of α-galactosidase and β-galactosidase occurred at pH 6.0. Total proteolitic activity against the substrate azocasein was optimally occurred at pH 10.0. The greatest activity of trypsin, chymotrypsin and elastase was determined at pH 10.0, 11.0 and 11.0, respectively. Zymogram analyses using nitrocellulose membrane revealed two trypsin isoforms in which one of them was completely inhibited by Soybean Kunitz inhibitor and the other was notably inhibited.     

The Slide-Sealing Compound "Glyceel"

"Glyceel" has been considered for many years to be the best sealant for whole mounts of soil, plant-parasitic, freshwater, and marine nematodes. However, "Glyceel" has not been available since the mid 1980s when its production was halted. Currently available substitutes are inadequate. The original formula for "Glyceel" has been found in the literature and is given here with a method of preparation. "Glyceel" prepared in this way by the author has been used and appears to function well.     

Microassay analyses of protein glycosylation

To accurately characterize the carbohydrate moieties of oligosaccharide chains in glycosylated proteins, it is necessary to distinguish exactly which types of oligosaccharides are present at which site. We describe lectin overlay assays, which take advantage of the ability of lectins to distinguish between different types of glycoproteins via recognition of terminal sugars, thus allowing the chain type and peripheral antigenic components to be determined. Three microassays involving lectins are reported in this paper: non-proteasetreated intact glycoproteins; glycopeptides released by prior digestion of the glycoprotein and then separated by HPLC; and release of sugars from glycoproteins by hydrazinolysis and then coupling them to a multivalent support.     

Avidin- or streptavidin-biotin as a highly sensitive method to stain total protein on membranes

A sensitive method for staining proteins after transfer from polyacrylamide gels to nitrocellulose paper is described. Transferred proteins are first derivatized by reaction of the nitrocellulose replica with sulfosuccinimidobiotin and are then reacted sequentially with streptavidin, rabbit anti-streptavidin, and horseradish peroxidase-conjugated goat anti-rabbit IgG antibody. Incubation with the enzyme substrate α-chloronaphthol, produces dark protein bands against a white background. The binding of streptavidin to the proteins is dependent on biotin derivatization as demonstrated by competition with biotinylated bovine serum albumin or 10 nM biotin. The procedure detects less than 5ng of transferred protein in a single band and is thus 5–10 times more sensitive than horseradish peroxidase-conjugated avidin alone. For bovine serum albumin, the method is comparable in sensitivity to silver staining of protein in polyacrylamide gels.     

Multi-step reactions on microchip platform using nitrocellulose membrane reactor

A straightforward and effective method is presented for immobilizing enzymes on a microchip platform without chemically modifying a micro-channel or technically microfabricating a column reactor and fluid channel network. The proposed method consists of three steps: the reconstitution of a nitrocellulose (NC) membrane on a plane substrate without a channel network, enzyme immobilization on the NC membrane, and the assembly of another substrate with a fabricated channel network. As a result, enzymes can be stably and efficiently immobilized on a microchip. To evaluate the proposed method, two kinds of enzymatic reaction are applied: a sequential two-step reaction by one enzyme, alkaline phosphatase, and a coupled reaction by two enzymes, glucose oxidase and peroxidase, for a glucose assay.     

Visualization of heparin-binding proteins by ligand blotting with 125I-heparin

A ligand-blotting procedure which allows detection of heparin-binding proteins is described. Crude commercial heparin was fractionated by chromatography on a column of human plasma low-density lipoproteins immobilized to Sepharose CL-4B. Chromatography yielded an unbound and a bound fraction of heparin, designated URH and HRH, respectively. The HRH fraction was reacted with the N-hydroxysuccinimidyl ester of 3-(p-hydroxyphenyl)propionic acid and then labeled with 125I. Proteins were separated by 3-20% pore-gradient gel electrophoresis, transferred to nitrocellulose, and then assayed for their ability to bind 125I-labeled HRH. Human plasma apolipoproteins B-100, B-48, and E of chylomicrons, very low-density lipoproteins, and low-density lipoproteins bound the 125I-labeled HRH; the radiolabeled heparin did not bind to serum albumin, ferritin, catalase, and lactate dehydrogenase. The ligand-blotting procedure should facilitate the purification of heparin-binding domains from these proteins and, moreover, may be applicable to the investigation of heparin-protein interactions in general.     

膜渗滤亲和层析法纯化腹水单克隆抗体

用膜渗滤亲和层析法纯化腹水单克隆抗体（McAb）.采用硝酸纤维素膜（NCM）作固相支持物吸附抗原,用负压使小鼠腹水渗滤NCM,在滤过的同时腹水中的McAb不断结合于NCM上吸附的抗原,再将McAb从NCM上解离,从而得到高纯度的McAb.用此法纯化抗白蛋白（Alb）McAb.结果提纯的Alb McAb纯度达PAGE电泳单条带,将此McAb点样NCM用于斑点免疫渗滤法（DIFA）检测Alb,其灵敏度比用腹水点样时高20倍.该法快速简便,可代替亲和层析柱用于纯化McAb.     

A microanalytical protein assay using laser densitometry

Protein content of a wide variety of sample types may be determined by adsorption of microliter samples onto nitrocellulose, followed by amido black staining and laser densitometry. The method is quite rapid, sensitive, and selective, and dispenses with precipitation and transfer steps.     

硝酸纤维膜和丙酮沉淀尿蛋白质保存方法的比较

硝酸纤维膜法是一种简单、快速、经济的尿液蛋白质保存方法,但其与传统尿液蛋白质丙酮沉淀方法的差异有待进一步研究。相同尿液分别经硝酸纤维膜法和丙酮沉淀法制备尿蛋白质,经液相串联质谱分析鉴定蛋白质,采用谱图数定量,研究两种不同方法的差别。结果显示硝酸纤维膜法和丙酮沉淀法鉴定蛋白质数目几乎相同,鉴定蛋白质在谱图数的分布上几乎相同,鉴定蛋白质在蛋白质变异系数的分布上也几乎相同。因此,硝酸纤维膜法处理尿蛋白质与丙酮沉淀法基本一致,可以应用于大规模临床尿液样本的保存。     

加热洗脱硝酸纤维膜上保存的尿蛋白质

用膜保存尿蛋白质对于生物标志物的研发意义重大,从保存尿蛋白质的硝酸纤维膜上洗脱蛋白质的有效性,决定着保存方法被接受的程度和应用的范围。加热洗脱蛋白质的方法,通过提高硝酸纤维膜溶解时的温度等方式;并运用SDS-PAGE和LC-MS/MS分析加热洗脱方法所制备的尿蛋白质样品,将其与强烈涡旋洗脱方法和直接丙酮沉淀方法所制备的尿蛋白质样品比较。结果显示,加热洗脱方法比强烈涡旋洗脱方法获得更多的蛋白质(P0.05),且蛋白质无降解;加热洗脱方法和直接丙酮沉淀方法制备的蛋白质样品,质谱所鉴定到蛋白质重叠率无明显差异(分别是92.6%、96.8%),蛋白质丰度CV值20%的蛋白质占总蛋白质的比例均很高(分别是85.2%、94.4%)。加热洗脱法具有很好的技术重复性,操作更加高效、简单,有利于用膜保存尿蛋白质方法的推广应用。     

A simple assay of solubilized adenosine receptors with nitrocellulose membrane filters

A rapid and simple assay of solubilized adenosine receptors with nitrocellulose membrane filters is described. This assay was sensitive and reproducible when applied to adenosine receptors solubilized from rat brainstem membranes with 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]-1-propanesulfonate. Appropriate values of dissociation constants for the solubilized adenosine receptors to their tritiated agonists were obtained by the membrane filter technique. This method should be applicable for the assay of a variety of solubilized receptors.     

Non-destructive measurement of acid phosphatase activity in the rhizosphere using nitrocellulose membranes and image analysis

We developed a method using nitrocellulose membranes and image analysis to localise and quantify acid phosphatase activity in the rhizosphere of two plant species, one with cluster roots (Dryandra sessilis (Knight) Domin) and another with ectomycorrhizal roots (Pinus taeda L.). Membranes were placed in contact with roots and then treated with a solution of x, α-naphthyl phosphate and Fast Red TR. Acid phosphatase activity was visualised as a red imprint on the membrane. We quantified acid phosphatase activity by image analysis of scanned imprints. The method was used to estimate the spatial distribution of acid phosphatase activity within particular root classes (lateral roots, mycorrhizal roots, root clusters). Over 95% of the acid phosphatase activity of the root system of D. sessilis was associated with cluster roots, and between 20 and 32% of the root surface active. About 26 % of the acid phosphatase activity of the root system of P. taeda was associated with mycorrhizal roots and unsuberised white root tips and less than 10% of the root surface was active, irrespective of root type. This non-destructive method can be used for rapid, semi-quantitative assessment of acid phosphatase activity in the laboratory and in situ. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Isolation of five penicillin-binding proteins from Staphylococcus aureus

Abstract Five penicillin-binding proteins have been isolated from detergent-solubilized membranes of Staphylococcus aureus and have been separated from other membrane proteins by covalent affinity chromatography on 6-aminopenicillanic acid-Sepharose. The PBPs were resolved by electrophoresis on SDS-polyacrylamide gels and their ability to bind radioactive penicillin assayed after transfer from the polyacrylamide gel onto nitrocellulose membrane filters. Synthesis of a β-lactam antibiotic, propionylampicillin and of [2,3-³H]propionylampicillin of high specific activity greatly facilitated the assay of penicillin-binding activity.     

Vertical slab gel electrophoresis on a large number of samples: an apparatus with the capacity for central cooling

Following horizontal electroelution, or blotting, of proteins from polyacrylamide gels to immobilizing matrices, such as nitrocellulose or Zeta-bind paper, the transferred proteins can be derivatized in situ with pyridoxal 5'-phosphate and sodium borohydride. After a quenching step to eliminate nonspecific binding of antibody to the protein-binding matrix, the blot is incubated with a solution containing a mouse monoclonal antibody specific for the 5'-phosphopyridoxyl group. The transferred proteins can then be located on the blot with second antibody staining procedures employing either a peroxidase-linked goat anti-mouse F(ab')2 antibody or a peroxidase-linked avidin/biotin system. The solid-phase enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method described in this report is a mild, general, and sensitive immunochemical method for the detection of proteins on protein-binding matrices.     

Protein blotting: principles and applications

Extensive studies on the DNA tumor virus Simian Virus 40 (SV40) have provided a wealth of information regarding the genome organization, regulation of viral gene expression, and the mechanism of DNA replication. SV40 can grow lytically in permissive monkey cells or the viral DNA can integrate into the host genome of nonpermissive rodent cells causing morphological transformation. The viral DNA exists as a minichromosome within the nuclei of lytically infected cells and, as a consequence of DNA replication, there is a significant amplification of the viral genome during infection. These properties suggested that SV40 could be developed as a transducing vector to introduce exogenous DNA into mammalian cells and to express this foreign DNA during the SV40 infectious cycle. In this article the properties of SV40 virus vectors and SV40 hybrid plasmid vectors are described and contrasted.     

Degradation of nitrocellulose by fungi

Three lignocellulolytic fungi, Trametes versicolor, Pleurotus ostreatus, and Coprinus cinereus, and two cellulolytic fungi Trichoderma reesei andChaetomium elatum were tested for their ability to degrade nitrocellulose. They were provided with different carbon and nitrogen sources in liquid cultures. Nitrocellulose (N content above 12%) was added as nitrogen source (in solution in acetone) alongside amino acids or as sole N source. Either starch or carboxy-methyl cellulose were provided as carbon sources. After 28 days of growth the highest decrease of nitrocellulose was observed with Chaetomium elatum when up to 43% was degraded in a medium containing nitrocellulose as the only nitrogen source. Coprinus cinereus caused a 37% decrease of nitrocellulose when provided with amino acids and starch as co-substrate. In cultures of Trametes versicolor, Pleurotus ostreatus andTrichoderma reesei, only 10%–22% decrease of nitrocellulose was measured in all media. In the presence of nitrocellulose with N content below 12% supplied as 3 mm pellets as the only carbon source, or with nitrocellulose with carboxy-methyl cellulose, the release of nitrite and nitrate from liquid cultures of Chaetomium elatum was measured. Between 6 and 9 days of growth in these media, an increase in both nitrite and nitrate was observed with a loss in weight of nitrocellulose up to 6% achieved after 34 days. The physical nature of the NC pellets may have reduced the rate of degradation in comparison with supplying NC in solution in the cultures.