Analysis of the enzymatic degradation of lysozyme fibrils using a combination method of non-denaturing gel electrophoresis and double staining with Coomassie Brilliant Blue G-250 and R-250 dyes.

The Amyloid fibrils of proteins are involved in various diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease. To suppress such amyloid fibrils, it is essential to develop methods to elucidate their enzymatic degradation process. Lysozyme in egg white has been well studied as a model protein of amyloid fibrils. Here, we establish a method for separating and evaluating both lysozyme fibrils and their enzymatic degradation products by combining non-denaturing gel electrophoresis and anionic dye staining with Congo red and two Coomassie brilliant blue (CBB) dyes. By combining non-denaturing gel electrophoresis and amyloid-specific Congo red staining, the separation site of lysozyme fibril was stained explicitly by Congo red and identified on the gel, and the amount of lysozyme fibrils decreased following the enzymatic degradation of lysozyme fibrils. Both lysozyme fibrils and their enzymatic degradation products were separated and examined by combining non-denaturing gel electrophoresis and double staining with CBB G-250 and R-250 dyes. Protein stained with negatively charged colloidal CBB G-250 could migrate to the anode side of electrophoresis. Following gel electrophoresis, noncolloidal CBB R-250 was used to detect lysozyme fibrils and the enzymatic degradation products. This method can be applied to investigate the enzymatic degradation process of amyloid fibrils.

Electrophoretic injection and reaction of dye-bound enzymes to protein and bacteria within gel.

Three-dimensional (3D) cell cultures within gels are used to examine physiological reactions between cells, including bacteria and macromolecules such as enzymes. Using non-denaturing electrophoresis, an anionic Coomassie Brilliant Blue (CBB) dye successfully bound to enzymes such as trypsin and lysozyme, and reacted with a protein and a bacterium within a gel. Both CBB-bound trypsin and lysozyme retained their enzymatic activities and migrated toward the anode in non-denaturing electrophoresis. CBB-bound trypsin successfully digested the iron-binding protein, transferrin, within the gel. Furthermore, the activity of esterase extracted from the bacteria, Bacillus subtilis was analyzed by the non-denaturing electrophoresis containing both the bacteria and the CBB-bound lysozyme after the bacteriolysis of the bacteria by the addition of CBB-bound lysozyme. This method can be applied to deliver enzymes to organisms including bacteria within 3D cell cultures.

Removal of Copper in Microdroplets by Ovomucoid Hydrolysates Bound to Reverse-Phase Chromatography Media Within Pipette Tips.

Ovomucoid (OVM) is a protein found in chicken egg white. When it is hydrolyzed by a protease, subtilisin A from Bacillus licheniformis, it possesses Cu2+-chelating activity. In the present work, we demonstrate that the resulting OVM hydrolysates bind to reverse-phase chromatography media in pipette tips and can be applied to remove Cu2+ within microdroplets. 1.4 nmol of purified OVM was digested in the presence of 17 pmol of subtilisin A at 55 °C for 3 h. The OVM hydrolysates efficiently removed 2.1 and 2.4 nmol of Cu2+ in the droplets by binding to the C4 and C18 chromatography media, respectively. Conversely, 0.6 and 1.0 nmol of Cu2+ were removed by the non-digested OVM bound to the C4 and C18 media, respectively. The removal ratio of Cu2+ increased as more OVM was digested by subtilisin A. The digested OVM polypeptides were stained with Cu2+ after they were separated by non-denaturing electrophoresis. These results indicate that OVM hydrolysates bound to chromatography media in a pipette tip can be applied to remove Cu2+ within microdroplets of biological samples.

Antibacterial activity of lysozyme-binding proteins from chicken egg white.

The purpose of this study was to establish a method for determining the bacteriolytic activity after separation of lysozyme-binding proteins from egg white. Lysozyme-binding proteins such as ovotransferrin and ovalbumin were separated by non-denaturing two-dimensional electrophoresis (2DE) and transferred to a membrane. The lysozyme activity of the separated and immobilized egg white proteins was assessed directly to produce a non-denaturing 3D map of the egg white proteins by incorporating an axis that combined each spot's lysozyme-activity with the non-denaturing 2DE pattern. Lysozyme-ovotransferrin and lysozyme-ovalbumin complexes could be reconstructed in vitro after the cathode end fraction containing lysozyme was added to purified ovotransferrin and ovalbumin, respectively. These complexes retained lysozyme activity even after separation by non-denaturing 2DE. Furthermore, when the lysozyme-ovotransferrin complex from egg white was extracted after separation by isoelectric focusing by replacing the cathodic sodium hydroxide solution with phosphoric acid solution, the complex possessed bacteriolytic activity against both Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli. These methods can be applied to investigate protein complexes possessing bacteriolytic activity against a wide range of both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.

Microscale isolation of native forms of lysozyme from chicken egg white by gel isoelectric focusing.

To separate and extract the native states of lysozyme from chicken egg white, a hybrid method for the mobilization of proteins after non-denaturing gel isoelectric focusing (IEF) combined with detection of lysozyme activity was developed. When the proteins in the chicken egg white were first separated using non-denaturing gel IEF, a lysozyme was obtained at the top of the gel column at the cathode end of the IEF. And, when the IEF-separated proteins of the egg white were mobilized by replacing the cathodic sodium hydroxide solution with phosphoric acid solution, an additional active state of the lysozyme that could be bound to proteins, such as ovotransferrin, was extracted from the solution. Furthermore, it was shown that the addition of lysozyme, obtained via IEF, to pure ovotransferrin generated a complex manifesting lysozyme activity, clearly indicating a successful reconstruction of the lysozyme-ovotransferrin complex in vitro. Therefore, the obtained results demonstrated that the native states of lysozymes, such as lysozyme and the lysozyme-ovotransferrin complex, can be effectively separated and extracted using non-denaturing gel IEF. Thus, this method can be applied to separate and extract different charge states of native proteins that retain their biological activities.

Hydrolytic Activity of Esterase-Antibody Complexes Retained Within Gel Capsules After Complex Isolation.

Delipidation in biological samples is important for some diagnostic tests and protein analyses. Lipids in the samples can be hydrolyzed by native esterases (ESs) within gel capsules after ES, and ES-antibody complexes are specifically trapped, extracted, and separated. Acrylamide and agarose gel capsules containing complexes of ES antibody were produced after the complexes were extracted using protein A-immobilized membranes, separated by non-denaturing electrophoresis, and stained by colloidal silver using glucose as a reductant. ES activity of ES-antibody complexes within the gel capsule was significantly higher than that in the complexes with the control antibodies upon isolation, separation, and detection of the complex. In addition, lipids bound to human serum albumin decreased after human plasma was treated with gel capsules containing ES-antibody complexes. We demonstrate that the gel capsule containing ES-antibody complexes can be successfully isolated using techniques described in this study. Furthermore, delipidation of human plasma is obtained by incubation with the gel capsule. These results indicate that surplus materials such as lipids in biological samples can be removed or reduced by gel capsule containing enzymes.

Retaining activity of enzymes after capture and extraction within a single-drop of biological fluid using immunoaffinity membranes.

The purpose of this study was the measurement of enzyme activity within a single-drop of biological fluid after micropurification. Esterase and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) retained their enzymatic activities after being captured by membrane-immobilized antibodies, which were prepared by non-denaturing two-dimensional electrophoresis, transferred to polyvinylidene difluoride and then stained by Ponceau S. The activities of both enzymes were also measured after being captured by antibodies and biotinylated antibodies bound to membrane-immobilized protein A or avidin, respectively. After esterase and LDH were captured from biological samples by membrane-immobilized protein A or avidin, their activities were semi-quantitatively measured on the surface of the membrane using fluorescence determination. More than 51% of enzyme activities were retained even after the enzymes were captured by biotinylated antibody bound to membrane-immobilized avidin and eluted by rinsing with 5µL of 1% Triton X-100, compared with the activities of the enzyme on the immunoaffinity membrane.

Combined method of immunoaffinity membrane within tubes and MALDI-TOF MS for capturing and analyzing amyloid beta.

Amyloid beta 1-40 peptide was specifically isolated and analyzed from human plasma spiked with amyloid beta using a combined method of biotinylated anti-amyloid beta antibody binding to membrane-immobilized avidin (immunoaffinity membrane) and matrix-assisted laser desorption /ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). A solution of 10 µL containing 13.6 ng to 2.9 µg of amyloid beta peptide was examined in this method. After the isolated amyloid beta peptide from the spiked human plasma containing 2.9 µg of amyloid beta peptide was incubated in the presence of trifluoroacetic acid, fibrillization of the peptides was observed using a thioflavin T assay. Furthermore, an immunoaffinity membrane present on the inner wall of a tube (diameter 2 mm) captured the amyloid beta peptide from the spiked human plasma. Our results indicate that the combination of the immunoaffinity membrane procedure and MALDI-TOF MS can be used to capture and analyze the target antigens such as amyloid beta in micro-spaces.

Isolation and analysis of amyloid-ß 1-42 monomer and oligomers in liquid droplets using an immunoaffinity membrane.

Monomeric molecules such as amyloid-ß can aggregate and transform into oligomeric and fibrous forms, which are implicated in the development and progression of Alzheimer's disease. Novel analytical techniques for the formation of oligomers are required to examine the neurotoxic amyloid-ß oligomers involving fibrils. After isolating amyloid-ß monomer 1-42 using a biotinylated antibody bound to membrane-immobilized avidin (immunoaffinity membrane), their masses were determined by MALDI-TOF MS. Fluorometric determination of more than 0.5µM of aggregated amyloid-ß in pipette droplets was performed after aggregation and dilution of 1mM amyloid-ß. Thus, large (>105nm) amyloid-ß oligomers in microliter volumes of fluids were isolated using the immunoaffinity membrane and quantitatively analyzed after removal of amyloid-ß monomers and small oligomers by non-denaturing electrophoresis. In addition, amyloid-ß oligomers were specifically isolated from a mixture of human plasma and aggregated amyloid-ß and then fluorometrically analyzed. Our results show that the combination of immunoaffinity membrane-binding and fluorescence determinations together with one drop analysis could be used to isolate and detect huge neurotoxic amyloid-ß oligomers such as fibrils in plasma samples.

A microfluidic device containing membrane-immobilized antibodies for successively capturing cytosolic enzymes.

A microfluidic device containing membrane-immobilized anti-esterase (ES) antibodies and anti-lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) antibodies was prepared. The membrane was prepared by transferring antibodies that had been separated by non-denaturing two-dimensional electrophoresis to a polyvinylidene difluoride membrane, which was then stained and cut into small pieces (16 mm(2)). In this microfluidic device, >0.014 Unit mL(-1) of the purified porcine carboxylesterase was specifically captured by membrane-immobilized anti- ES antibodies and >147 Unit mL(-1) of purified porcine LDH was specifically captured by membrane-immobilized anti-LDH antibodies. Furthermore, ES and LDH in micro-scale aliquots of porcine liver cytosol were successively captured by membrane-immobilized antibodies in the device, and the enzyme activities were quantitatively analyzed by spectrofluorometry. The results indicate that the microfluidic device containing membrane-immobilized antibodies can be used to investigate the activities of several types of intact enzymes.

Micro-scale extraction and analysis of intact carboxylesterase after trapping on an immunoaffinity membrane surface.

Porcine liver carboxylesterase was captured using an immunoaffinity membrane, which was prepared by separating an anti-porcine esterase antibody using non-denaturing two-dimensional electrophoresis, followed by transfer to a polyvinylidene difluoride membrane and staining. The activity of this esterase was 0.008 units after it was captured in the tiny spaces (4 mm(2)) of this membrane and eluted by rinsing with 5 µL of aspartic acid solution. The molecular mass of the eluted esterase was m/z 61,885 according to matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry after the purification of this enzyme from the porcine liver cytosol. The purified enzyme's activity was inhibited by 6,9-diamino-2-ethoxyacridine, and this inhibition was retained even after extracting the enzyme from the immunoaffinity membrane. These results indicate that micro-scale extraction and analysis of a carboxylesterase are possible when the enzyme is trapped using an immunoaffinity membrane and eluted with aspartic acid.

Analysis of trypsin inhibition activity in human plasma proteins after separation by non-denaturing two-dimensional electrophoresis.

BACKGROUND: The functions of proteins can be retained following separation by non-denaturing two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE). The trypsin inhibition activities can then be examined following the separation and immobilization of the proteins under non-denaturing conditions. METHODS: Human plasma proteins were separated using 2-DE and transferred onto a polyvinylidene difluoride membrane and stained using Ponceau S. The trypsin inhibition activity of the membrane-bound proteins was qualitatively examined using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The activities were also quantitatively examined by analyzing the release of the azo-chromophore when azocasein was the substrate. RESULTS: Trypsin activity was inhibited by the haptoglobin and α2-macroglobulin spots located on the membrane, whereas the protease activity was retained for the spots containing albumin and transferrin. The inhibition activities of the α2-macroglobulin and haptoglobin spots were 4.81- and 4.83-fold higher, respectively, when compared with the inhibition activity of the albumin spot. An axis of the relative activities of trypsin inhibition was added to the 2-DE pattern of human plasma proteins to construct a non-denaturing 3-D map of human plasma proteins. CONCLUSION: This 3-D map should represent a suitable diagnostic tool for the qualitative and quantitative analyses of the trypsin inhibition activities of proteins.

Antigen digestion on the target plate of MALDI-TOF MS after isolation using an immunoaffinity membrane.

A combination of methods is required to achieve separation of intact proteins and subsequently perform structure analysis to examine their unstable or external structures. The aim of this study was to develop a method of structure analysis in intact proteins after purification. Transferrin from human plasma was trapped by membrane-immobilized anti-transferrin antibody, which was produced by non-denaturing two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE), and transferred to a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane and stained with Ponceau S. The antigen transferrin was eluted by rinsing the membrane with trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) or aspartic acid. In addition, a method was established by which the purified human transferrin was enzymatically digested on a matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) target plate. Thus, after purification of the human transferrin antigen from tens of microlitres of human plasma using an immunoaffinity membrane, transferrin polypeptide fragments were obtained on the plate following digestion with pepsin in the presence of 0.1% TFA or endoproteinase Lys-C or Lys-C/trypsin with 0.001% sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS). The results indicated that the combined methods of isolation using an immunoaffinity membrane and enzymatic digestion on a MALDI-TOF MS plate could be applied to the purification and microanalysis of antigens. This approach would be particularly applicable to the analysis of the primary structure and the less stable and highly accessible regions of antigens from limited sample volumes.

Analysis of enzyme activity regulation by non-denaturing electrophoresis and application of this regulation for enzyme reactor production.

Non-denaturing electrophoresis can be used to screen enzymes that self-regulate their activities by using a combination of enzymes and their inhibitors. Furthermore, this technique can be applied to develop enzyme reactors that self-regulate their activities. After separation of proteins from mouse liver cytosol by non-denaturing isoelectric focusing, lactate dehydrogense (LDH) and esterase activities were qualitatively and quantitatively examined using a combination of two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) and non-denaturing stacking gel electrophoresis. Activities of mouse liver-derived LDH and carboxylesterase were reversibly inhibited by oxamate and 6,9-diamino-2-ethoxyacridine (acrinol), respectively, in the stacking gels and recovered when the enzymes migrated towards the separation gels. After separation and immobilization of the enzymes, their activities were inhibited by inhibitors and recovered after inhibitor removal. These results indicate that non-denaturing electrophoresis can be applied to select enzymes that self-regulate their activities and subsequently aid in the development of enzyme reactors that can control the enzyme activities.

Enzymolysis of high density lipoprotein with a combination of membrane-immobilized esterase and trypsin.

Apolipoprotein A-1 (apo A-1), a major component of high density lipoprotein (HDL), was efficiently digested by membrane-immobilized trypsin after HDL was treated with membrane-immobilized esterase. Compared to treatment with membrane-immobilized trypsin alone, the relative amounts of apo A-1 polypeptides, m/z 1723.78 and m/z 1568.82, increased by 2.7- and 3.9-fold, respectively, when HDL was treated with membrane-immobilized esterase and trypsin. Furthermore, the efficient digestion of apo A-1 by trypsin was inhibited when HDL was treated with membrane-immobilized esterase in the presence of an esterase inhibitor, 6,9-diamino-2-ethoxyacridine (acrinol). The data indicate that the lipid components of lipoproteins are released by membrane-immobilized esterase. This method can be used to investigate the structure and function of other apolipoproteins.

Epitope analysis using membrane-immobilized avidin and protein A.

Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and transferrin were trapped by biotinylated anti-ACTH antibody and anti-transferrin antibody, respectively, bound to membrane-immobilized avidin. Polypeptides with the sequences SYSMEHFR, SYSMEHFRWGKPVGK and SYSMEHFRWGKPVGKK were bound to the biotinylated anti-ACTH antibody on the membrane-immobilized avidin after the trapped ACTH was digested with trypsin on the membrane and non-binding polypeptides were washed from the membrane. Further, the polypeptides with the sequence SYSMEHFRWGKPVGK and SYSMEHFRWGKPVGKK were trapped by anti-ACTH antibody bound to membrane-immobilized protein A. The antibody recognized the WGKPVGK region of the antigen, ACTH. Polypeptide with the sequence SMGGKEDLIWELLNQAQEHFGKDK was bound to the biotinylated anti-transferrin antibody on the membrane-immobilized avidin after the trapped transferrin was digested with trypsin on the membrane and non-binding polypeptides were washed from the membrane. Further, the polypeptide with the sequence SMGGKEDLIWELLNQAQEHFGKDK was trapped by anti-transferrin antibody bound to membrane-immobilized protein A. The antibody recognized the SMGGKEDLIWELLNQAQEHFGKDK region of the antigen, transferrin. These results thus indicate that the combined methods of membrane-immobilized avidin and protein A can be applied to examine the epitopes of antigens.

Successive analysis of antigen trapping and enzymatic digestion on membrane-immobilized avidin.

Avidin from egg white was migrated toward a cathode of nondenaturing electrophoresis and then immobilized on a polyvinylidene difluoride membrane. Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) was specifically captured after the biotinylated anti-ACTH antibody was bound to the membrane-immobilized avidin, and the captured ACTH was digested by the biotinylated trypsin on the membrane after extraction. The digested polypeptides from the ACTH were analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). These results indicate that target substances can be specifically trapped and digested on membrane-immobilized avidin.

Analysis of activity of esterase captured onto an immunoaffinity membrane.

BACKGROUND: Specific proteins in biological fluids can be captured on an immunoaffinity membrane after polyclonal anti-porcine liver esterase antibodies are separated by non-denaturing 2-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) and transferred onto the membrane. The enzymatic activities of these captured proteins can then be monitored by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). METHODS: Polyclonal anti-porcine liver esterase antibody was separated by non-denaturing 2-DE, transferred onto a polyvinylidene difluoride membrane and stained with Ponceau S. Esterase activity was examined by enzyme activity staining and MALDI-TOF MS after antigens, including purified carboxylesterase from porcine liver and cytosolic esterase from porcine retina, were captured on the immunoaffinity membrane. RESULTS: Esterase activity was detected on the immunoaffinity membrane after the enzyme was captured. Phosphatidylcholine hydrolysis by the esterase was monitored after the esterase was captured onto the membrane and attached to the target plate for MALDI-TOF MS. CONCLUSIONS: This method could be used to analyze changes in enzymatic activity under biological conditions such as health and disease conditions using immunoaffinity membranes and MALDI-TOF MS.

Direct trapping and analysis of hemoglobin in flowing fluid using membrane-immobilized anti-haptoglobin antibody.

Haptoglobin is known to bind to hemoglobin during intravascular hemolysis. Membrane-immobilized anti-haptoglobin antibody, which was produced after antibody was isolated by non-denaturing two-dimensional electrophoresis, was transferred to a polyvinylidene difluoride membrane and was stained using Ponceau S. The proteins bound to the membrane-immobilized anti-haptoglobin antibody were analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization/time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Hemoglobin was specifically obtained when the membrane-immobilized anti-haptoglobin antibody was incubated with human serum obtained from hemolysis blood. Furthermore, hemoglobin in the flowing fluid was captured by the membrane-immobilized anti-haptoglobin antibody and analyzed directly. The results indicate that hemolysis can be examined by direct trapping and analysis of hemoglobin under physiological conditions.

Reversible inhibition of esterase activity after separation and immobilization.

An inhibitor, 9-amino-1,2,3,4-tetra hydroacridine (tacrine), is a reversible inhibitor of esterases. The reversible inhibition of the enzyme activity is thought to be examined after separation and immobilization of the enzyme under non-denaturing conditions. Hydrolytic changes of phosphatidylcholine by carboxylesterase were obtained using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry after the esterase was separated by non-denaturing two-dimensional electrophoresis, was immobilized to membranes and was stained by Ponceau S. The changes were inhibited after the enzyme on the membrane was treated by tacrine. Furthermore, the hydrolytic activity of the esterase was recovered after the inhibitor was washed with aspartic acid solution. These results indicate that the phosphatidylcholine hydrolysis activity of the isolated and immobilized enzyme is reversibly inhibited under non-denaturing conditions. Furthermore, this method can be developed to the production of an enzyme reactor able to regulate amounts of lipids.