Protein and Peptide Letters - Volume 15, Issue 8, 2008

Analyte detection by immobilized, biologically active macromolecules (biomolecules) has emerged as a highly effective technology serving the needs of both diagnostic industry and fundamental proteomic research [1]. The vast majority of immobilized biomolecules are proteins, very often enzymes or antibodies. Recently, the immobilization of DNA and RNA molecules has added a new array of applications to the biosensing Read More

The exponential development of biosensors as powerful analytical tools in the last four decades mainly relies on the high sensitivity and selectivity offered when detecting the target analyte. The transducer and the biological receptor are the bases of the biosensor development. Nevertheless, the bioreceptor immobilisation is also important, playing a key role in the retention of the biological activity, and thus affecting the sensit Read More

Protein-based voltammetric biosensors are sensors based on the electric communication between proteins and electrodes. Recently, more and more nanomaterials are utilized to assist the fabrication of such kind of biosensors. In this review, we mainly detail the biosensors constructed with different kinds of nanomaterials depending on their categories in the past two years.

Optical reagentless biosensors are one of the most promising alternatives for producing selective, sensitive and autonomous sensors for real life applications. These devices are based on the efficient use of the spectroscopic properties of bioreagents, mainly proteins, as transducers; avoiding in this way the use of chemical colorant/fluorophores which usually limit sensors performance. In this paper a brief state of the art of th Read More

We developed an amperometric propionate sensor using comprised of two recombinant enzymes, propionate coenzyme A CoA transferase from Clostridium propionicum and short-chain acyl-CoA oxidase from Arabidopsis thaliana. Response current increased linearly with increase in propionate concentration from 10 μM to 100 μM. The detection limit was 10 μM propionate.

A new approach toward the development of advanced immunosensors based on chemically functionalized coreshell- shell magnetic nanocomposite particles, and the preparation, characteristics, and measurement of relevant properties of the immunosensor useful for the detection of α-1-fetoprotein (AFP) in clinical immunoassays. The core-shell NiFe2O4/3-aminopropyltriethoxysilance (APTES) (NiFe2O4@APTES) was initiall Read More

This work describes the investigations of electrochemical interactions of naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) with stabilized lipid films supported on a methacrylate polymer on a glass fiber filter with incorporated auxin-binding protein 1 receptor for the development of a biosensor for the rapid detection of this compound in fruits. NAA was injected into the flowing streams of a carrier electrolyte solution, the flow of the electrolyt Read More

Biosensors using cholinesterases as the biorecognition component have been used to assay organophosphates and carbamates for a long time. In this review, some strategies convenient for biosensor construction are presented. Solutions for cholinesterase immobilization and output signal monitoring are presented as the basic presumptions for successful biosensor construction.

We report on a new type of artificial receptor formed by hybridization of two DNA aptamers for human thrombin (aptabody). This aptasensor based on multiwalled carbon nanotubes allowed us to detect thrombin with detection limit of 0.3 nM, which was 3 times better in comparison with conventional aptamer.

The growth factor receptor-binding protein 2-Src homology 2 (Grb2-SH2) domain plays an important role in the oncogenic Ras signal transduction pathway, therefore, peptidic inhibitors of the Grb2-SH2 domain has been chosen as our target for the development of antiproliferative agents. The inhibitory effects of peptide analogs on the Grb2-SH2 domain have been determined by using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) technol Read More

Circular dichroism reports that glucagon in solution becomes increasingly helical with the addition of fluoroalcohol (which also decreases solution pH), and with changes in pH and ionic strength. Given the variability of structure observed, these data indicate that care must be taken when comparing results obtained under different solution conditions.

Heat stress on structure and ligand binding of β-LG has been studied by fluorescence, circular dichroism and gel electrophoresis at pH 6.5. Native PAGE gel electrophoresis shows that denaturation of β-LG is reversible up to 75°C then it becomes irreversible due to aggregation of β-LG. Formation of aggregated β-LG is completed at 95°C. Circular dichroism results indicate that formation of aggregated β-LG is accompani Read More

G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) are involved in various physiological processes. Therefore, classification of amine type GPCRs is important for proper understanding of their functions. Though some effective methods have been developed, it still remains unknown how many and which features are essential for this task. Empirical studies show that feature selection might address this problem and provide us with some b Read More

This work describes for the first time a model of Purine Nucleoside Phosphorylase from Listeria monocytogenes (LmPNP). We modeled the complexes of LmPNP with ligands in order to determine the structural basis for specificity. Comparative analysis of the model of LmPNP allowed identification of structural features responsible for ligand affinities.

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs)-their receptor (RAGE) axis plays a central role in the pathogenesis of diabetic microangiopathy. Since the pathophysiological crosstalk between the AGEs-RAGE system and angiotensin II has also been associated with diabetic microangiopathy, we examined here whether and how telmisartan, a unique angiotensin II type 1 receptor blocker (ARB) with peroxisome proliferator-activat Read More

A recombinant human parathyroid hormone (rhPTH) fragment (Gly1-Gln26-rhPTH(1-34)) which contains two amino acids substitutions (Gly1 and Gln26) was acquired through Escherichia coli expression system using a soluble fusion protein strategy. The soluble fusion protein MBP-Gly1-Gln26-rhPTH(1-34) was harvested after purification by Phenyl-Sepharose F.F and Q-Sepharose F.F chromatographies. Following tobacco etch vir Read More

To develop antimicrobial peptides having higher bacterial selectivity than a novel antimicrobial peptide P18, we synthesized several analogues. The P18 analogues are designed by movement of the N-terminal Trp2 residue in P18 (P18-W6, P18-W8 and P18-W15) and the substitution of the central Pro9 residue with D-Pro or Nala (P18-Nala9 and P18- D-Pro9). These analogues retained potent antibacterial activity but displayed less h Read More