Solid-phase chemical tools for glycobiology

Techniques involving solid supports have played crucial roles in the development of genomics, proteomics, and in molecular biology in general. Similarly, methods for immobilization or attachment to surfaces and resins have become ubiquitous in sequencing, synthesis, analysis, and screening of oligonucleotides, peptides, and proteins. However, solid-phase tools have been employed to a much lesser extent in glycobiology and glycomics. This review provides a comprehensive overview of solid-phase chemical tools for glycobiology including methodologies and applications. We provide a broad perspective of different approaches, including some well-established ones, such as immobilization in microtiter plates and to cross-linked polymers. Emerging areas such as glycan microarrays and glycan sequencing, quantum dots, and gold nanoparticles for nanobioscience applications are also discussed. The applications reviewed here include enzymology, immunology, elucidation of biosynthesis, and systems biology, as well as first steps toward solid-supported sequencing. From these methods and applications emerge a general vision for the use of solid-phase chemical tools in glycobiology.     

Spectroscopic investigation of the effects of aqueous‐phase prepared CdTe quantum dots on protein hemoglobin at the molecular level

3‐Mercaptopropionic Acid‐modified CdTe quantum dots (QDs) were synthesized and characterized by infrared, fluorescence, and ultraviolet–visible absorption spectra and Nano‐ZetaSizer measurements. Then the interaction between QDs and hemoglobin was studied to investigate the effects of QDs on the structure and function of hemoglobin by using a variety of spectroscopy methods and isothermal titration calorimetry. The results showed van der Waals forces and hydrogen bonding predominantly played major roles in the binding. The intrinsic fluorescence of hemoglobin was quenched with changes to the microenvironment of tyrosine and tryptophan residues and complex conformational changes of hemoglobin were induced with the loosening and unfolding skeleton. However, the heme in hemoglobin was still stable, indicating that the main physiological function of hemoglobin might not be significantly inhibited. This study will provide a new strategy to study the biological toxicity of QDs at the molecular level.     

High‐content cell death imaging using quantum dot‐based TIRF microscopy for the determination of anticancer activity against breast cancer stem cell

We report a two color monitoring of drug‐induced cell deaths using total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) as a novel method to determine anticancer activity. Instead of cancer cells, breast cancer stem cells (CSCs) were directly tested in the present assay to determine the effective concentration (EC₅₀) values of camptothecin and cisplatin. Phosphatidylserine and HMGB1 protein were concurrently detected to observe apoptotic and necrotic cell death induced by anticancer drugs using quantum dot (Qdot)‐antibody conjugates. Only 50‐to‐100 breast CSCs were consumed at each cell chamber due to the high sensitivity of Qdot‐based TIRF. The high sensitivity of Qdot‐based TIRF, that enables the consumption of a small number of cells, is advantageous for cost‐effective large‐scale drug screening. In addition, unlike MTT assay, this approach can provide a more uniform range of EC₅₀ values because the average values of single breast CSCs fluorescence intensities are observed to acquire EC₅₀ values as a function of dose. This research successfully demonstrated the possibility that Qdot‐based TIRF can be widely used as an improved alternative to MTT assay for the determination of anticancer drug efficacies.

     

应用量子化学方法研究生育酚结构与抗氧化活性的关系

采用分子力学和量子化学从头计算方法,研究分析不同分子结构的生育酚和一些酚类化合物所具抗氧化作用的构效关系。生育酚的抗氧化活性与易释放活泼氢有关,活性大小与Ｏ－Ｈ间电子集居数、前线轨道能级及反应终态能量下降值有关,各种生育酚模型分子的羟基Ｏ－Ｈ电子集居数排列顺序α＜γ≤β＜δ,生育酚自由基转变为醌结构,终态能量下降值顺序为α＞γ≥β＞δ,与文献报道抗氧化活性的结论相一致。应用量子化学指数可以帮助分析具有不同结构的酚类化合物的抗氧化活性     

反向点杂交法快速检测HPV基因型的临床应用

应用反向点杂交法(RDB)的原理,针对HPV 6B, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33和35设计了7条序列作为未标记的特异性寡核苷酸(SSO)探针,分别固定在尼龙膜条上,形成7个点,再与经PCR扩增的样品DNA序列杂交,即可在一个膜条上分辨出这7型HPV中的任一型.此法快速简便,特异性高,不存在假阳性;且因PCR灵敏度高,亦不易出现假阴性.用PCR-RDB法检测保存的宫颈癌组织石蜡包埋标本32例,结果:HPV16阳性22例(68.8%),HPV18阳性5例(15.6%),HPV16/18双重感染2例(6.3%),阴性仅3例(9.3%).     

用反向斑点杂交方法检测猪常见致病菌

目的:建立检测猪常见致病菌的反向斑点杂交方法。方法:将23S rRNA基因芯片用的针对12种细菌的25～30 mer探针加长到30～38 mer,2对通用引物序列不变。用地高辛标记下游引物,以尼龙膜为载体制备膜芯片,检验探针/膜杂交的特异性和敏感性;另外设计1条大肠杆菌K88基因探针、一段带K88探针的报告基因和1对报告基因的反向PCR引物,在PCR体系中增加封口的K88报告基因和反向引物对,被检样品扩增后进行膜杂交。结果:修改的13条探针与参考目标菌株在膜上成特异性杂交,对52个参考菌株和野外分离株的检测准确率为92%;膜杂交的敏感性与玻片芯片接近,最小检出量为100 fg DNA;在尼龙膜上增加K88探针,与3重PCR产物杂交,可以检测到大肠杆菌K88毒力基因。结论:建立的反向斑点杂交方法简便快速,检测成本低,可用于仪器设备不足的实验室,同时可以加入检测如大肠杆菌K88等致病基因,提高基于保守基因的芯片的诊断能力。     

基于量子点荧光共振能量转移（FRET）效应的裂开型CD20核酸适配体探针用于非霍奇金淋巴瘤的检测研究

目的:构建新型的基于量子点荧光共振能量转移效应的裂开型CD20核酸适配体激活式荧光探针用于非霍奇金淋巴瘤(Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, NHL)的检测。方法:将CD20核酸适配体CE4-1进行裂解,结合量子点和Cy5荧光供受体队之间的FRET效应,利用流式细胞术,对裂开型核酸适配体的裂开位置、比例、浓度和反应时间进行优化,并在最优条件下评估该检测体系对CD20~+细胞的检测特异性。结果:将CD20核酸适配体CE4-1分别裂开成CE4-1-1a/CE4-1-1b和CE4-1-2a/CE4-1-2b两种组合,分别修饰量子点(QD)或荧光受体Cy5后两两组合,分别与CD20~+细胞孵育,流式细胞术发现CE4-1-1a/CE4-1-2b组合时信号最强;进一步,通过探索两种探针比例、探针浓度、孵育时间等参数,发现当CE4-1-1a和CE4-1-2b浓度比例为1:5、CE4-1-1a浓度为4 nM、孵育时间为50 min时,该裂开型核酸适配体体系显示出对靶肿瘤细胞最强的亲和力和FRET信号激活性能。进一步,实验发现该体系与CD20~+细胞(Raji和Ramos)可产生较强信号,而与CD20-细胞(Jurkat、K562、Min6和Hela)均未产生阳性信号,提示该探针可有效保持对CD20~+细胞的高特异性。结论:基于量子点荧光共振能量转移(FRET)效应的裂开型CD20核酸适配体探针体系在检测CD20~+细胞方面表现出了极低的背景信号,同时有着较好的FRET信号值,有望实现CD20~+NHL细胞的高灵敏激活式检测。     

Aqueous synthesis of highly stable CdTe/ZnS Core/Shell quantum dots for bioimaging

In this work, we report the synthesis, characterization and biological application of highly stable CdTe/ZnS (cadmium tellurite/zinc sulphide) Core/Shell (CS) quantum dots (QDs) capped with mercaptosuccinic acid (MSA). The CS QDs were synthesized using a simple one‐pot aqueous method. The synthesized CdTe/ZnS CS QDs were found to exhibit excellent stability even 100 days after preparation and also showed better photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of about 50% compared with that of only CdTe QDs which was nearly 12%. The formation of the CdTe/ZnS CS was confirmed by high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR‐TEM), and Fourier transform infra‐red (FTIR) and X‐ray diffraction (XRD) analyses. Further, on extending our study towards bioimaging of E. coli cells using the QDs samples, we found that CdTe/ZnS CS QDs showed better results compared with CdTe QDs.     

The structural biochemistry of the superoxide dismutases

The discovery of superoxide dismutases (SODs), which convert superoxide radicals to molecular oxygen and hydrogen peroxide, has been termed the most important discovery of modern biology never to win a Nobel Prize. Here, we review the reasons this discovery has been underappreciated, as well as discuss the robust results supporting its premier biological importance and utility for current research. We highlight our understanding of SOD function gained through structural biology analyses, which reveal important hydrogen-bonding schemes and metal-binding motifs. These structural features create remarkable enzymes that promote catalysis at faster than diffusion-limited rates by using electrostatic guidance. These architectures additionally alter the redox potential of the active site metal center to a range suitable for the superoxide disproportionation reaction and protect against inhibition of catalysis by molecules such as phosphate. SOD structures may also control their enzymatic activity through product inhibition; manipulation of these product inhibition levels has the potential to generate therapeutic forms of SOD. Markedly, structural destabilization of the SOD architecture can lead to disease, as mutations in Cu,ZnSOD may result in familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a relatively common, rapidly progressing and fatal neurodegenerative disorder. We describe our current understanding of how these Cu,ZnSOD mutations may lead to aggregation/fibril formation, as a detailed understanding of these mechanisms provides new avenues for the development of therapeutics against this so far untreatable neurodegenerative pathology.     

荧光原位杂交技术的研究进展

荧光原位杂交(FISH)是在染色体、间期细胞核和DNA纤维上进行DNA序列定位的一种有效手段。近年来,围绕提高检测的分辨率和灵敏性,不断将免疫染色、量子点和微流控芯片等物理化学技术引入到荧光原位杂交中,促进了它的快速发展。本文主要综述了荧光原位杂交的基本原理和发展历程,重点介绍了免疫染色-荧光原位杂交(immuno-FISH)、量子点-荧光原位杂交(QD-FISH)和微流控芯片-荧光原位杂交(FISH on microchip)等多种新技术及其检测特点,如快速、灵敏、动态、多样化等。随着荧光原位杂交技术的不断完善与发展,将在细胞遗传学、表观遗传学及分子生物学等领域发挥更加重要的作用。