Affinity Precipitation of Active Rho-GEFs Using a GST-tagged Mutant Rho Protein (GST-RhoA(G17A)) from Epithelial Cell Lysates

Proteins of the Rho family of small GTPases are central regulators of the cytoskeleton, and control a large variety of cellular processes, including cell migration, gene expression, cell cycle progression and cell adhesion ¹. Rho proteins are molecular switches that are active in GTP-bound and inactive in GDP-bound state. Their activation is mediated by a family of Guanine-nucleotide Exchange Factor (GEF) proteins. Rho-GEFs constitute a large family, with overlapping specificities ². Although a lot of progress has been made in identifying the GEFs activated by specific signals, there are still many questions remaining regarding the pathway-specific regulation of these proteins. The number of Rho-GEFs exceeds 70, and each cell expresses more than one GEF protein. In addition, many of these proteins activate not only Rho, but other members of the family, contributing further to the complexity of the regulatory networks. Importantly, exploring how GEFs are regulated requires a method to follow the active pool of individual GEFs in cells activated by different stimuli. Here we provide a step-by-step protocol for a method used to assess and quantify the available active Rho-specific GEFs using an affinity precipitation assay. This assay was developed a few years ago in the Burridge lab ^3,4 and we have used it in kidney tubular cell lines ^5,6,7. The assay takes advantage of a "nucleotide free" mutant RhoA, with a high affinity for active GEFs. The mutation (G17A) renders the protein unable to bind GDP or GTP and this state mimics the intermediate state that is bound to the GEF. A GST-tagged version of this mutant protein is expressed and purified from E. coli, bound to glutathione sepharose beads and used to precipitate active GEFs from lysates of untreated and stimulated cells. As most GEFs are activated via posttranslational modifications or release from inhibitory bindings, their active state is preserved in cell lysates, and they can be detected by this assay⁸. Captured proteins can be probed for known GEFs by detection with specific antibodies using Western blotting, or analyzed by Mass Spectrometry to identify unknown GEFs activated by certain stimuli.     

基于硒化镉量子点磁微球的微悬臂梁式免疫传感器片上磁分离

应用了以硒化镉量子点为荧光探针,具有磁性和抗体双重靶向功能的聚苯乙烯磁微球.设计了基于此种磁微球的新型微悬臂梁式免疫传感器,满足在液相环境中,借助嵌入到聚苯乙烯磁微球的荧光探针及微球表面的特异性抗体探针,达到生物分子的定性检测,借助具有纳米机械响应的微悬臂梁及微平面电感线圈,达到生物分子的定量检测及传感器的复用性,解决传统微悬臂梁式免疫传感器的不足.着重对三种粒径尺寸的硒化镉量子点进行了表征,同时针对片上磁分离的机理,梁上微电感线圈的结构,微磁场对磁微球的吸引进行了研究,设计并优化出满足新型微悬臂梁式免疫传感器所需的蛇形微平面电感线圈.通过生物磁分离实验,验证了设计及优化的结果,实现了用于生物分子分离的片上磁分离技术.     

Progress technology in microencapsulation methods for cell therapy

Cell encapsulation in microcapsules allows the in situ delivery of secreted proteins to treat different pathological conditions. Spherical microcapsules offer optimal surface‐to‐volume ratio for protein and nutrient diffusion, and thus, cell viability. This technology permits cell survival along with protein secretion activity upon appropriate host stimuli without the deleterious effects of immunosuppressant drugs. Microcapsules can be classified in 3 categories: matrix‐core/shell microcapsules, liquid‐core/shell microcapsules, and cells‐core/shell microcapsules (or conformal coating). Many preparation techniques using natural or synthetic polymers as well as inorganic compounds have been reported. Matrix‐core/shell microcapsules in which cells are hydrogel‐embedded, exemplified by alginates capsule, is by far the most studied method. Numerous refinement of the technique have been proposed over the years such as better material characterization and purification, improvements in microbead generation methods, and new microbeads coating techniques. Other approaches, based on liquid‐core capsules showed improved protein production and increased cell survival. But aside those more traditional techniques, new techniques are emerging in response to shortcomings of existing methods. More recently, direct cell aggregate coating have been proposed to minimize membrane thickness and implants size. Microcapsule performances are largely dictated by the physicochemical properties of the materials and the preparation techniques employed. Despite numerous promising pre‐clinical results, at the present time each methods proposed need further improvements before reaching the clinical phase. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2009     

Capture of an activated receptor complex from the surface of live cells by affinity receptor chromatography

Cell surface receptors and their associated signaling pathways on the plasma membrane are key targets in understanding cellular responses. However, the isolation and identification of receptor complexes has been elusive. The Fc receptor was captured from the surface of live cells using microbeads coated with the receptor’s cognate ligand, gamma globulin (IgG), and analyzed by liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) alongside several controls. Live-cell affinity receptor chromatography (LARC) resulted in a partially nonredundant list of 288 proteins that were specific to the Fc receptor complex. The proteins identified were in close agreement with previously determined factors in the Fc receptor complex as demonstrated by genetic and biochemical methods and revealed novel complex members. Confocal microscopy was used to confirm recruitment of SRC, SYK, PLC, PKC, PI3K, SHIP, TEC, CDC42, RAP, PAK, GAP, GEF, GRP, and CRK to the receptor complex upon activation by the same ligand microbeads. The expression of mutants and silencing RNA against specific isoforms were used to demonstrate a functional role for novel members of the Fc receptor complex, including RHOG (RAS homologue member G), p115 RhoGEF (protein of 115-kDa RAS homologue guanine exchange factor), and CRKL (CRK-like). The recruitment of AKT pleckstrin homology (PH) domain green fluorescent protein (GFP) was used to quantify the production of phosphorylated inositol at the activated receptor complex. We conclude that it is feasible to capture an activated receptor complex from the surface of live cells using ligand-coated microbeads for identification of members of a receptor complex or pathway by LC–MS/MS.     

从植物细胞核分离大分子量核DNA

研究了从植物中分离百万碱基对级大分子量核DNA的方法。该方法利用差速离心分离植物细胞核,经低熔点琼脂糖块或低熔点琼脂糖微珠包埋,蛋白酶K原位裂解后制备大分子量核DNA。结果表明,选择不同生长时期的材料和不同的包埋细胞核方式对大分子量核DNA的制备有很大的影响,由黄化苗或幼嫩的绿叶为材料分离细胞核,进行胶块包埋是制备大分子量核DNA的最佳条件。利用该法获得的DNA分子量在200kb－5．7Mb之间,主要集中在2．2～5．7Mb之间;每一胶块DNAE量为18～20μg。与包埋原生质体制备大分子量核DNA的方法相比,该方法获得的DNA纯度较高,去除了大部分细胞器DNA的污染;易于被限制性内切酶部分和完全消化,其消化结果具可重复性。该方法操作简单、适用植物种类广泛,用该方法从水稻（OryzasativaL．）、苹果（MaluspumilaMill．）、大豆（Glycinemax（L．）Merr．）、玉米（ZeamaysL．）等多种植物材料中成功地制备了大分子量核DNA。该方法制备的核DNA适用于植物的脉冲交变电泳基因组分析和构建人工细菌染色体文库和人工酵母染色体文库。     

低氧环境中微囊化成骨细胞支持造血干/祖细胞扩增

在模拟骨髓造血壁龛(hematopoietic niche)的氧分压条件下,探讨微囊化成骨细胞(osteoblasts,OB)对脐血造血干/祖细胞(HSPC)体外扩增的支持和调控机理．分离培养人髂骨OB,采用聚电解质络合法将第3代的OB以密度为8×105 ml包埋在直径为0.5 mm的明胶-海藻酸钠-壳聚糖(GAC)微胶珠中．将微珠+造血干/祖细胞(A′组)、造血干/祖细胞(B′组)及微珠(C′组)置于6孔板,在5%氧分压下进行培养．同时在20%常氧条件下设置同样分组培养作为对照(A,B,C)．通过流式细胞分析和半固体细胞集落培养,观察比较各培养体系中造血干/祖细胞的扩增,并检测体系内白血病抑制因子(LIF)和白介素-6(IL-6)的含量变化以探讨作用机理．经过倒置相差显微镜观察,人成骨细胞在微珠中分散均匀,生长状态良好．微珠内部有丰富的孔道供营养物质传递,有大量造血干/祖细胞弱黏附于微珠表面．经过7天的培养,A′、B′、A、B四组造血细胞的扩增倍数分别为(49.0 ± 4.6),(3.3 ± 0.5),(17.7 ± 1.2)和(1.9 ± 0.2)．A′、B′、A 组的CD34+细胞分别扩增了(87.6 ± 8.3), (2.2 ± 0.3)和(14.9 ± 1.0)倍,B组则出现下降．A′、B′、A、B四组CFU-Cs集落扩增倍数分别为(9.8 ± 0.8),(3.5 ± 0.4), (6.9 ± 0.7)和(2.6 ± 0.2)．低氧共培养体系比常氧共培养体系和非共培养体系对造血干/祖细胞的扩增有更大的促进作用．A′、B′、C′中IL-6和LIF含量明显高于对应的A、B、C组,与扩增倍数的差异相对应．微囊化成骨细胞对造血干/祖细胞扩增有明显的促进作用,5%氧分压接近体内造血壁龛氧环境,在此环境中成骨细胞分泌细胞因子量增多并通过其对造血干/祖细胞的扩增进行调节．     

Magnetic microbead-based enzyme-linked immunoassay for detection of Schistosoma japonicum antibody in human serum

A specific and sensitive immunoassay based on magnetic microbead separation for schistosomiasis japonica screening is presented in this article. So far as we know, this is the first time that magnetic microbead-based enzyme-linked immunoassay (MEIA) has been used for the determination of Schistosoma japonicum (Sj) antibody in human serum. Fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled soluble egg antigen (SEA) and polymer-coated magnetic beads, to which anti-FITC monoclonal antibodies were immobilized, were used as separation support in MEIA. Immunoassay parameters were optimized based on a direct immunoreaction of SEA on the magnetic microbead and Sj antibody in serum samples. The laboratory experimental results showed that the MEIA method was more sensitive and more precise than traditional SEA-ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). In the field test, human sera collected from 513 infected humans and 2260 uninfected humans were tested with indirect hemagglutination assay (IHA), dipstick dye immunoassay (DDIA), and MEIA. IHA and DDIA were then compared with MEIA, and a lower false negative rate (0.97%) was obtained.     

Biodegradation of gasoline by gellan gum-encapsulated bacterial cells

Encapsulated cell bioaugmentation is a novel alternative solution to in situ bioremediation of contaminated aquifers. This study was conducted to evaluate the feasibility of such a remediation strategy based on the performance of encapsulated cells in the biodegradation of gasoline, a major groundwater contaminant. An enriched bacterial consortium, isolated from a gasoline-polluted site, was encapsulated in gellan gum microbeads (16-53 microm diameter). The capacity of the encapsulated cells to degrade gasoline under aerobic conditions was evaluated in comparison with free (non-encapsulated) cells. Encapsulated cells (2.6 mg(cells) x g(-1) bead) degraded over 90% gasoline hydrocarbons (initial concentration 50-600 mg x L(-1)) within 5-10 days at 10 degrees C. Equivalent levels of free cells removed comparable amounts of gasoline (initial concentration 50-400 mg x L(-1)) within the same period but required up to 30 days to degrade the highest level of gasoline tested (600 mg x L(-1)). Free cells exhibited a lag phase in biodegradation, which increased from 1 to 5 days with an increase in gasoline concentration (200-600 x mg L(-1)). Encapsulation provided cells with a protective barrier against toxic hydrocarbons, eliminating the adaptation period required by free cells. The reduction of encapsulated cell mass loading from 2.6 to 1.0 mg(cells) x g(-1) bead caused a substantial decrease in the extent of biodegradation within a 30-day incubation period. Encapsulated cells dispersed within the porous soil matrix of saturated soil microcosms demonstrated a reduced performance in the removal of gasoline (initial concentrations of 400 and 600 mg x L(-1)), removing 30-50% gasoline hydrocarbons compared to 40-60% by free cells within 21 days of incubation. The results of this study suggest that gellan gum-encapsulated bacterial cells have the potential to be used for biodegradation of gasoline hydrocarbons in aqueous systems.