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40-year-old phasing problem solved with computation
A 40-year-old phasing problem has been solved by scientists at the University of Warwick who have developed a computation which simultaneously doubles the resolution, sensitivity and mass accuracy of Fourier Transform Mass Spectrometry (FT-MS). The findings have been published in the journal Analytical Chemistry, and could potentially lead to a significant reduction in laboratory costs. The breakthrough can be used in all FT-MS including FT-ICR, Orbitrap and FT-TOF instruments. It will also ha...
Real-time binding analysis instrument added to antibody characterization
Precision Antibody has added Fortebio's Octet RED96 system to its antibody characterization services, which is a multi-functional, label-free, real-time binding analysis instrument. Precision Antibody is a leader in antibody characterization services, and the addition of this software will enhance the services and capabilities they provide from current laboratory products. Octet Red96 uses Bio-Layer Interferometry (BLI) technology for the detection of label-free real time molecular interaction...
Solid-state protein sensor screens single molecules in nanopores
A new sensor has been developed that could be used in applications to analyse the protein contents of a single cell. The sensor is based on nanometer-scale pores in a semiconductor membrane, and could offer significant practical uses. Researchers have developed the technology at the Technische Universität München (TUM), and highlighted the potential of the new device through several experiments conducted over the past few years. They have now teamed up with biochemists at Goethe University Fra...
New technique adopted for analysing cereal grains
Scientists have combined the use of Ion-exchange chromatography (IEC) with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to provide an ideal technique for analysing cereal grains. Separating prolamins into their subclasses has been done using techniques such as gel electrophoresis and HPLC up until now, which doesn't make use of IEC, which has been developed to analyse proteins. This is because prolamins are highly hydrophobic, and will only dissolve in mobile phases containing a detergent or or...
New research on PPFB and PVFB tissues during developmental stages
Researchers have attempted to fill in gaps in the adult development during the non-feeding stage by analysing detailed protein structural information for individual PPFB and PVFB tissues during larval and pupal developmental stages. Previous research has established that peripheral fat body (PPFB) tissues and pupal perivisceral fat body (PVFB) tissues act anti-apoptotic besides being assigned roles in embryogenesis and defense. However, detailed protein structural information for individual PPF...
Handheld Raman spectrometer wins award
B&W Tek's NanoRam handheld Raman spectrometer has been recognised at the Laboratory Equipment 2012 Reader's Choice Awards in the Spectrometry category. B&W Tek have received the Reader's Choice Award for the second year in a row, and is set to accept the award during this year's Pittcon Conference and Expo being held in Orlando, Florida. The NanoRam is a state-of-the-art compact Raman spectrometer and integrated computing system, representing a new class of small, handheld instruments for mate...
Tandem mass spectrometry detects inborn errors of metabolism
Tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) has been used in China to study a wide range of previously unscreened inborn errors of metabolism (IEM) using a single test. The three-year pilot study investigated the screening, diagnosis, treatment and outcomes of IEM in symptomatic infants and children, finding that because most symptomatic patients are diagnosed at an older age, mental retardation and motor delay are difficult to reverse. Furthermore, the efficiency of treatment is greatly compromised by poo...
SimGlycan software advance for results analysis
SimGlycan software has been developed by Premier Biosoft and Thermo Fisher Scientific to efficiently handle multi-stage and sequential mass spectrometry data against a comprehensive database, allowing results to be processed quicker and more accurately. The software automatically matches experimentally acquired mass spectra against a comprehensive database and generates a list of candidate glycan structures scored to reflect match quality. This can reveal the relevant biological information nec...
Novel regulatory mechanism unveils rhaE expression
A new study has used MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry to shed light on the fungal alpha-L-rhamnosidase genes, finding that L-Rhamnose induction of Aspergillus nidulans alpha-L-rhamnosidase genes is glucose repressed via a CreA-independent mechanism acting at the level of inducer uptake. Scientists used MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry to determine the Amino acid sequence data for the oenological alpha-L-rhamnosidase and found that they correspond to the amino acid sequence deduced from AN7151 (rhaE). Ph...
2012 Protein Electrophoresis & Western Analysis market research
The Percepta Associates 2012 Protein Electrophoresis & Western Analysis market research report has found that over one third of respondents showed an interest in switching primary suppliers. The report shows that there is no clear overall leader in the protein techniques and applications field, with Bio-Rad, Life Technologies, Millipore, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Sigma and GE Healthcare all showing a dominant share. This is reflected in the frail client loyalty, with further figures revealing t...
3D imaging with SIMS
There are several ways in which researchers can explore the molecular imaging of tissue sections by mass spectrometry (MS), opening exciting avenues for exploration by producing molecular images directly from sections with high mass accuracy. Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) is one such technique, and it has proved to be an accurate method for generating molecular images and depth profiles of samples, including tissue sections. SIMS use high energy, high spatial resoluti...
Multivariate statistical data processing used for TB
A new technique has been developed that will help researchers quickly and easily distinguish between various infectious Mycobacterium species, which is important for differentiating between potentially lethal and benign Mycobacterium bacteria. Multivariate statistical data processing has been used to create a model from gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) data of metabolite profiles of the various types of Mycobacterium species tuberculosis (TB). There have been multiple drug-resistant...
Point mutation in DNA-binding domain of HPV-2 E2 studied
A point mutation in the DNA-binding domain of HPV-2 E2 protein has been found to increase its DNA-binding capacity and reverses its transcriptional regulatory activity on the viral early promoter. Researchers have used three forms of analytical research to discover the effects of point mutation in HPV-2 E2 protein. CAT expression assays, Western blots analysis and Electrophoresis mobility shift assays (EMSA) were utilised in the research, that found the mutation from Ala to Val at aa 338 is cri...
First cases of patients with hemoglobin Q reported in Iran
The first case of patients with hemoglobin Q has been reported from family members in northern Iran, using electrophoresis and direct conventional sequencing to establish the link. The wide spectrum and high frequency of nondeletional alpha-globin mutations in Mazandaran Province (north Iran) has been to differ considerably from what has been found in Mediterranean populations. This has made the province a remarkable area for scientific investigation. The first report of hemoglobin Q-Iran and th...
Outer membrane protein pattern examined in Salmonella enterica Hadar
Two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) and LC-MS/MS spectrometry were used to explore the adaptation of salmonella enterica Hadar under static magnetic field to discover the effects on the outer membrane protein pattern. By comparing the proteome of enriched-outer membrane fraction both before and after exposure to a magnetic field, researchers were able to identify protein patterns through a process of two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) and LC-MS/MS spectrometry. They found a total of 11 pr...
New method for identification of novel proteins developed
A new method for the identification of novel proteins has been developed by G-Biosciences, allowing researchers to get a better view of less abundant proteins. Fraction-FOCUS is a simple and reproducible method of serial fractionation of total cellular proteins. Using proven technology, it is able to fractionate and concentrate all proteomes into multiple fractions. This allows the less abundant proteins to be viewed within a highly dynamic range. Researchers can simplify a protein mixture thr...
MALDI-TOF instruments suitable alternatives to nano-LC-MS
The increased precision of MALDI-TOF instruments is making them into a suitable replacement for nano-LC-MS technology for detection in Stable Isotope Standards and Capture by Anti-Peptide Antibodies (SISCAPA) assays. Bruker Corporation and SISCAPA Assay Technologies demonstrated that SISCAPA MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry can provide improved precision for the quantification of proteins such as high value protein biomarkers. The system was also found to be much easier and far more robust by researc...
Mini-mass spectrometer ready for evaluation
A new mini-mass spectrometer has been developed for evaluation by 1st Detect Corporation, signalling a significant development for security, industrial and research laboratory markets. The new technology is capable of detecting trace levels of volatile compounds and can provide highly accurate and rapid analysis and detection of low concentrations and chemical compounds. Developers believe the new technology will meet an unmet need in the laboratories, provided a superior alternative to the wide...
New approach to intra-cellular investigations
A new approach to intra-cellular investigations is becoming popular among researchers which uses Protea’s proprietary Laser Ablation Electrospray Ionization LAESI(R) technology to produce rapid identification times. Recent reasearch led by led by Dr. Akos Vertes of George Washington University in collaboration with scientists from George Mason University (VA) and researchers at Protea looked into the novel protein and biomarkers found in virally infected white blood cells called B lymphocytes f...
Developments in UTI treatment
Researchers in Germany have used mass spectrometry to significantly improve the treatment time for urinary tract infection (UTI). The Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionisation-Time of Flight (MALDI-TOF) technique has reduced the time of identifying bacteria in urine to 30 minutes, compared to the 12 hours that it use to take. Any antibodies the patient may have taken also does not have any effect on the detection, and samples do not need to be cultured before testing. This means that treatment...
Replacing electrophoresis with pressure-driven flow
Scientists at the French National Centre of Scientific Research's Laboratory for Analysis and Architecture of Systems (LAAS-CNRS) have postulated that replacing electrophoresis with pressure-driven flow could be more effective for separating DNA strands, according to Seperations Now. According to the research, pumping the strands through nanopillar arrays by pressure allows for cleaner separations than those generated by electrophoresis. This overcomes electrophoresis limitations such as separa...
Rapid identification of Staphylococcus aureus in blood cultures developed
The culturing time for identifying Staphylococcus aureus in blood cultures has been significantly reduced, thanks to a new process that identifies the bacterium by combining isotopic labelling with specific bacteriophage amplification. Researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) developed the new laboratory test in order to cut down the time it takes to multiply bacteria before it can be identified in a blood sample. Detection cu...
Further findings on the composition of the ventral disk
1D- and 2D-PAGE and mass spectrometry have been used to identify a Giardia genome that is associated with the ventral disk, adding to the already founded tubulin and giardin proteins. Giardia is a unicellular intestinal parasite that infects millions of people worldwide each year .The function of the Giardia genome was previously unknown in the ventral disk, and this new research has made significant advances in by identifying the proteins annotated in the Giardia genome. The study successfully...
CBS 'dramatically improves' workflow and productivity
An innovative user-friendly compound-based scanning software system significantly simplifies multi-residue analysis and leads to an increase in workflow and productivity, according to a recent article published in Chromatography Techniques. Gas Chromatography (GC), coupled to a triple quadrupole Mass Spectrometer (GC-MS/MS-QqQ) operated in MRM mode is increasingly the preferred technique for multi-residue analysis in complex matrix samples by analytical laboratories. However, the process can be...
TR potential biomarkers for serologic diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis
Immunodominant antigens such as thioredoxin reductase GliT (TR) have been found to have potential as biomarkers for the serologic diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis, according to a recent research paper published in BMC Microbiology. Scientists and doctors have recently documented a rise in incidence of invasive aspergillosis (IA) in critically ill patients, which is evidentially not dependant on predisposing immunodeciency. According to the team, diagnosing IA has proven difficult given clinic...
Collagen XI 'could help identify and treat osteoarthritis'
Researchers at Boise State University used affinity chromatography and mass spectrometry in their research that found collagen XI may help identify and treat osteoarthritis. The study, which examined how the XI protein interacts with other proteins occurring in the part of tissue that provides structural support to cells, will significantly help researchers identify the structures of the disease and assist in discovering treatments. Osteoarthritis consists of complex gene families, and understan...
New software to speed up the characterisation of complex glycans
New software produced by Biosoft is to be co-marketed in conjunction with Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc, which will lead to advanced glycobiology results produced by Thermo Scientific mass spectrometer systems. The technology will speed up the characterisation of complex glycans through automated interpretation of the rich data produced by mass spec systems Bioinformatic tools that can simplify and expedite structural elucidation of glycans can greatly assist the scientific community and pharmace...
Advances in forensic testing credited in Stephen Lawrence trial
The blood spot that linked Gary Dobson to the murder of Stephen Lawrence is believed to be the smallest forensic sample upon which a criminal prosecution has ever been mounted. The conviction has been attributed to advanced breakthroughs in forensic analysis and a determination of police to atone for the errors of their original investigation. A private team of scientists were tasked with finding new evidence for the murder trial in the UK, carrying out months of research and contamination check...
Analytical gas chromatography column
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc have combined analytical gas chromatography column with a built-in guard column to extend the life of the analytical column without compromising its chromatographic performance. The TraceGOLD Gas Chromatography Columns with SafeGuard is suitable for use in a broad spectrum of applications that necessitate the injection of involatile sample matrix, particularly in environmental, forensic, food safety and petrochemical analyses. It is available in a range of guard colu...
Capto Blue affinity chromatography medium released
GE Healthcare has released Capto Blue affinity chromatography medium, promoting the new product as being more chemically stable with a more rigid agarose base matrix than its predecessor, allowing for faster flow rates and larger sample volumes, which leads to higher throughput and improved process economy. The chromatography medium has multiple purposes that include the capture of human serum albumin (HSA), as well as purification of HSA fusion proteins, blood coagulation factors, enzymes, and...
MALDI-TOF-MS a fast, reliable identification method
A recent study has concluded that Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) can be developed into a fast and reliable identification method for genetically highly related species when potential taxonomic and genetic inconsistencies are taken into account when generating a reference library. The results showed that 99.3 per cent of the 152 tested were identified at the species level, and suis biovar 1 and 2 were identified at the level of their bi...
Miniature spectrometer module released by Hamamatsu Photonics
Hamamatsu Photonics has released a new spectrometer that utilises a transmission grating and a new ultra high sensitivity IR Enhanced charge-coupled device (CCD). The C9405CB forms a MEMS structure on the back side of the CCD by using state of the art laser technology. This significantly increases sensitivity at wavelengths longer than 800nm. The CCD features a quantum efficiency of 40 per cent at 1000nm, without the need for a deep depletion structure, with its corresponding drawback of higher...
Proteome and transcriptome measurements coupled
New research has coupled proteome and transcriptome measurements, finding that a comprehensive view of viral gene expression can be seen that would not have been achievable by using the methodologies separately. Using the new methodology, researchers found that the majority of viral genes were efficiently detected at the transcript and/or protein level on manipulating the viral life cycle. Under the heading 'Insights on the detection and discovery of viral genes' they found a complementary corre...
Comet assay and pulsed-field electrophoresis used to detect genome use
Scientists in America appear to have found a use for 'junk' DNA using electrophoresis methods to uncover their results. The findings show that the gene deserts seem to help protect the genome against the damage caused by high levels of salt. Salt damages DNA by cleaving the double-stranded DNA that make up a cell's genome. Such DNA breaks can lead to the death of a cell; however, this doesn’t happen when damage is caused by high levels of salt. Scientists in America made the discovery by using a...
New breast cancer treatment is 'gold'
Coated gold nanorods have the potential to act as anticancer agents, a new study has found. In research conducted by Associate Professor of Chemistry Eugene Zubarev, graduate student Leonid Vigderman and former graduate student Pramit Manna developed a method to encourage single breast cancer cells to take up around two million gold nanorod particles. This in turn would give scientists the opportunity to activate the particles and destroy breast cancer cells from the inside out. However, a ke...
Cooler extremities slow metabolism
Scientists have found that by cooling extremities, mammals can slow down their metabolism. In a study of red deer by the group of Walter Arnold at the Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, the team sought to discover whether cooler temperature and lower metabolism were a cause of eating less or self-inducing. Published in the Journal of Experimental Biology, the scientists found through quantitative analysis and a controlled environment that the amo...
Chris Hoy joins the doping debate
Sir Chris Hoy has spoken out in support of the British Olympic Association's (BOA) stance on doping, by agreeing that athletes caught cheating should have a lifetime ban. The Olympian and four times gold medal winner said that there are "no grey areas" on this subject, while writing for the Daily Telegraph. "I completely support the BOA in its stance and, frankly, I have always been pretty bemused that the rest of the sporting world hasn’t followed suit. Are we serious about fighting against d...
Met Police consider 'sobriety bracelets'
US-style 'sobriety bracelets', which use quantitative analysis processes to test blood alcohol levels, are being considered for use in the UK. Scotland Yard's commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe, who is currently monitoring a UK trial into the devices, has claimed that the new technology could be a key tool in the effort to reduce alcohol-related crime in London. The electronic tags, similar to the one worn by actress Lindsey Lohan in the US, will alert the offender and the police if individuals b...
Failed drug could be used as different treatment
Quantitative analysis has shown that a drug originally deemed a failure, could have alternative treatment potential. According to Bloomberg, the blood cancer treatment Mylotarg, created by Pfizer, could help those newly-diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia live for longer. Mylotarg was removed from the market after it was linked to a number of deaths, however when used alongside chemotherapy, it extended the life of those with acute myeloid leukaemia from an average of 15 months, to 25 month...
Identification of human colorectal cancer proteins
Scientists have identified a number of proteins that are differently expressed in the presence of human colorectal cancer. Published in the BMC Cancer journal, the team from Spain noted that the universal hallmark of cancer cells is a change in their glycosylation phenotype, with the enhancement of alpha(1,6) linked fucose residues of glycoproteins the most commonly seen pattern. In the study, the team used LCA-affinity chromatography with SDS-PAGE and mass spectrometry to identify the protein...
Physical map of potato created
Despite the importance of the potato as one of the world's most commonly eaten crops, so far little genomic research has been done due to the heterozygous and tetraploid nature of its genome. A team of scientists from Scotland and the Netherlands explained that due to these difficulties, the development of physical map resources that can facilitate genomic analyses has been limited. In a study published by BMC Genomics, the team used quantitative analysis processes to create the first two geno...
Quantitative analysis used in CAC study
Scientists have used quantitative analysis processes to determine whether the haptoglobin (Hp) genotype could predict coronary artery calcification (CAC) progression. A team from the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes in the US and Technion Faculty of Medicine in Israel hypothesised that as coronary artery disease has been linked with Hp genotypes, which modulate extracorpuscular haemoglobin, they could predict the progression of CAC, which is a marker of subclinical atherosclerosis. In...
Quantitative analysis highlights cancer markers
Scientists have used quantitative analysis processes to detect proteins associated with cancer. In a study published by BMC Research Notes, a team from University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, noted that increased levels of S100A7 (Psoriasin), which is a small protein responsible for calcium-binding, is associated with the development of several types of cancer. However, despite its close link, it has not yet been fully defined as a diagnostic or prognostic marker for cancer. The team used quantitative...
Quantitative analysis used for insecticide resistance study
Scientists have used quantitative analysis processes to try and uncover a way to prevent the emergence of strains of mosquito resistant to insecticides. Published in the journal Parasites & Vectors, the team from Jining Medical University in China noted that insecticide resistance is a major concern for global health, as it jeopardises the control of mosquito populations and the diseases they carry. Two-dimensional electrophoresis identified one protein segment with high sequence homology to par...
Biomarkers for PLCH are a possibility
Two-dimensional electrophoresis and mass spectrometry processes have helped to shed light on bronchoalveolar lavage in Pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis (PLCH). In a report published by the Journal of Clinical Bioinformatics, scientists from institutions across Europe noted that PLCH, a rare interstitial lung disease characterised by clusters of Langerhans cells in the walls of distal bronchioles, is known to be related to smoking tobacco, but other than that its causes and development are...
Two-component empirical Bayes (EB) model tested
Quantitative analysis processes have been used to test microarray data analysis processes. In a study published by BMC Bioinformatics, a team from organisations in the US, implemented two-component empirical Bayes (EB) models for the differential analysis of two-dimensional polyacrylomide gel electrophoresis (2D gel, 2D PAGE, 2-DE) data. The team noted in the report that EB models have been widely discussed for large-scale hypothesis testing and applied in the context of genomic data, but added...
LAMP identified as more sensitive method
Posted by Fiona Griffiths Quantitative analysis processes have been used to determine the best method for rapid detection of porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2). According to teams of scientists from China, in a study published by the Virology Journal, PCV2 is the primary causative agent of the emerging swine disease known as postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS), with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) the most commonly used method to test for it. However, the team suggested that loop-med...
Saliva used to identify disease biomarkers
Posted by Neil Clark Scientists have used quantitative analysis processes to clarify the clinical and functional changes of the salivary glands driven by autoimmune and lymphoproliferative processes. In a study published by the Journal of Translational Medicine, scientists from the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Pisa, noted that human proteomic has represented a promising tool to promote the communication between basic and clinical science for several years. As part of the...
Thai folklore unveils anticancer drug
Posted by Ben Evans Scientists have used quantitative analysis processes to determine the effect six natural plants have on liver cancer, known as human hepatocarcinoma (HepG2). The study, which was undertaken by a team from Thailand and published in the Chinese Medicine journal, was prompted by 28 plants and recipes from Thai folklore medicine traditionally described as potential treatments for the disease. Using quantitative analysis processes the scientists evaluated the cytotoxicity and apop...
Faster infection diagnosis method identified
Scientists have determined that electrophoretic separation techniques can be used in the field of microbiological diagnostics. The study, published by BMC Research Notes, and undertaken by a team from the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Poland, showed that there is a clinical application for a rapid microbiological test based on capillary zone electrophoresis, in this case used to assess local skin infection. Investigation was prompted, the scientists noted, by the basic clinical problem with...