Using gold nanoclusters as selective luminescent probes for phosphate-containing metabolites.

Glutathione-bound gold nanoclusters (AuNCs@GSH) can emit reddish photoluminescence under illumination of ultraviolet light. The luminescence of the AuNCs@GSH is quenched when chelating with iron ions (AuNCs@GSH-Fe(3+)), presumably resulting from the effective electron transfer between the nanoclusters and iron ions. Nevertheless, we found that the luminescence of the gold nanoclusters can be restored in the presence of phosphate-containing molecules, which suggested the possibility of using AuNCs@GSH-Fe(3+) complexes as the selective luminescent switches for phosphate-containing metabolites. Phosphate-containing metabolites such as adenosine-5'-triphosphate (ATP) and pyrophosphate play an important role in biological systems. In this study, we demonstrated that the luminescence of the AuNCs@GSH-Fe(3+) is switched-on when mixing with ATP and pyrophosphate, which can readily be observed by the naked eye. It results from the high formation constants between phosphates and iron ions. When employing fluorescence spectroscopy as the detection tool, quantitative analysis for phosphate-containing metabolites such as ATP and pyrophosphate can be conducted. The linear range for ATP and pyrophosphate is 50 µM to sub-millimolar, while the limit of detection for ATP and pyrophosphate are ∼43 and ∼28 µM, respectively. Additionally, we demonstrated that the luminescence of the AuNCs@GSH-Fe(3+) can also be turned on in the presence of phosphate-containing metabolites from cell lysates and blood plasma.

Functional magnetic nanoparticle-based label free fluorescence detection of phosphorylated species.

A label free fluorescence method for rapid detection of the presence of phosphorylated peptides/proteins in sample solutions using functional magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) as the detection probes is demonstrated.

Glutathione-bound gold nanoclusters for selective-binding and detection of glutathione S-transferase-fusion proteins from cell lysates.

A straightforward method for the rapid detection of the presence of glutathione S-transferase (GST)-tagged proteins from sample solutions using glutathione (GSH)-bound gold nanoclusters (Au@GSH NCs) with luminescence properties as the detection probes by simple observation with the naked eye was proposed in this study.

Surface-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry on titania nanotube arrays.

Titania nanotube arrays (NTA) generated from anodizing processes are tested as the substrate for surface-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (SALDI MS). The background generated from titania NTA is very low, making the approach suitable for the analysis of small molecules. The upper detectable mass is approximately 29 kDa. Homogeneous sample deposition leads to good shot-to-shot reproducibility and suitability for quantitative analysis. Additionally, phosphopeptides can be selectively trapped on the titania NTA substrate, as illustrated by simply depositing a tryptic digest of beta-casein followed by titania NTA SALDI MS analysis. The detection limit for small organics and peptides is in low fmol.

Nitrilotriacetic acid-coated magnetic nanoparticles as affinity probes for enrichment of histidine-tagged proteins and phosphorylated peptides.

We herein demonstrate superparamagnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles coated with nitrilotriacetic acid derivative (NTA) that can bind with different immobilized metal ions are capable of probing diverse target species. Immobilized Ni(II) on the surfaces of the NTA-magnetic nanoparticles have the capability of selectively trapping histidine (His)-tagged proteins such as a mutated streptopain tagged with 6x His, i.e., C192S (MW approximately 42 kDa), from cell lysates. Enrichment was achieved by vigorously mixing the sample solution and the nanoparticles by pipetting in and out of a sample vial for only 30 s. After enrichment, the probe-target species could be readily isolated by magnetic separation. We also characterized the proteins enriched on the affinity probes using on-probe tryptic digestion under microwave irradiation for only 2 min, followed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry analysis. Using this enrichment and tryptic digestion, the target species can be rapidly enriched and characterized, reducing the time required for carrying out the complete analysis to less than 10 min. Furthermore, when either Zr(IV) or Ga (III) ions are immobilized on the surfaces of the NTA-magnetic nanoparticles, the nanoparticles have the capability of selectively enriching phosphorylated peptides from tryptic digests of alpha-, beta-caseins, and diluted milk. The detection limit for the tryptic digests of alpha- and beta-caseins is approximately 50 fmol.

Rapid enrichment of phosphopeptides from tryptic digests of proteins using iron oxide nanocomposites of magnetic particles coated with zirconia as the concentrating probes.

Iron oxide nanocomposites of magnetic particles coated with zirconia were used as affinity probes to selectively concentrate phosphopeptides from tryptic digests of alpha- and beta-caseins, milk, and egg white to exemplify the enrichment of phosphopeptides from complex samples. Phosphopeptides, in quantities sufficient for characterization by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI MS), were enriched by the affinity probes within only 30 s. The affinity probe-target species conjugates were separated from the sample solution simply by applying an external magnetic field. The detection limit for tryptic digest of beta-casein using this approach is approximately 45 fmol. Furthermore, we combined this enrichment method with a rapid enzymatic digestion method, that is, microwave-assisted enzymatic digestion using magnetic particles as the microwave absorbers, to speed up the tryptic digest reactions. Thus, we alternatively enriched phosphoproteins on the zirconia-coated particles followed by mixing with trypsin and heated the mixture in a microwave oven for 1 min. The particles remaining in the mixture were used as affinity probes to selectively enrich phosphopeptides from the tryptic digestion product by pipetting, followed by characterization using MALDI MS. Using the bifunctional zirconia-coated magnetic particles as both the affinity probes and the microwave absorbers could greatly reduce the time for the purification and characterization of phosphopeptides from complex samples.

Rapid enrichment of phosphopeptides and phosphoproteins from complex samples using magnetic particles coated with alumina as the concentrating probes for MALDI MS analysis.

In this study, we used nanocomposite magnetic particles coated with alumina as the affinity probes to selectively concentrate phosphorylated peptides and proteins from a low volume of sample solution. Tryptic digest products of phosphoproteins including alpha and beta-caseins, human protein phosphatase inhibitor 1, nonfat milk, egg white, and a cell lysate were used as the samples to demonstrate the feasibility of this approach. In only 30 and 90 s, phosphopeptides and phosphoproteins sufficient for characterization by MALDI-MS were enriched by the particles, respectively. Proteins trapped on the particles could be directly digested on the particles. The same particles in the digest solution were employed for enrichment of phosphopeptides. We estimated the required time for performing the enrichment of phosphopeptides from complex samples and characterization by MALDI MS was within 5 min. A small volume (50 microL) and a low concentration (5 x 10(-10) M) of tryptic digest product of a phosphoprotein sample could be dramatically enriched and characterized using this approach.

Detection of phosphopeptides by localized surface plasma resonance of titania-coated gold nanoparticles immobilized on glass substrates.

We herein demonstrate a new sensing method for phosphopeptides by localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) using titania-coated gold nanoparticles immobilized on the surface of a glass slide as the sensing substrate and using UV-visible spectrophotometry as the detection tool. Titania has been known to be an effective substrate for binding with phosphorylated species. The detection principle is the shift of wavelength of optical absorption due to SPR of the gold nanoparticles induced by binding of phosphorylated species with titania on the surface of the gold nanoparticles. The feasibility of the approach is demonstrated by detection of tryptic digest products of beta-casein and milk. Gold nanoparticles coated with thin films of titania, immobilized on a glass slide, can selectively bind traces of phosphopeptides from complex samples, resulting in a wavelength shift of the absorption band in the SPR spectrum with good reproducibility. The LSPR results are confirmed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry. The detection limit for the tryptic digest product of beta-casein is 50 nM.

Fe3O4/TiO2 core/shell nanoparticles as affinity probes for the analysis of phosphopeptides using TiO2 surface-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry.

Columns packed with microsized titanium dioxide particles have been used effectively as precolumns for enriching phosphopeptides from complex mixtures. Nanosized titanium dioxide particles have a higher specific surface area and, hence, potentially higher trapping capacities toward phosphopeptides than do microsized particles. Thus, in this study, we employed TiO2-coated magnetic (Fe3O4/TiO2 core/shell) nanoparticles to selectively concentrate phosphopeptides from protein digest products. Because of their magnetic properties, the Fe3O4/TiO2 core/shell nanoparticles that are conjugated to the target peptides can be isolated readily from the sample solutions by employing a magnetic field. In this paper, we also demonstrate that the Fe3O4/TiO2 core/shell nanoparticles behave as an effective SALDI matrix: our upper detectable mass limit was approximately 24 000 Da, whereas the detection limit for peptides was in the low-femtomole range. That is to say, the target analytes trapped by the Fe3O4/TiO2 nanoparticles can be identified by introducing the particles directly into the mass spectrometer for TiO2-SALDI-MS analysis without the need for any further treatment. For example, elution steps are not necessary when using this approach. In addition, the trapping selectivity of these Fe3O4/TiO2 nanoparticles toward phosphopeptides was quite good. These properties combine to result in the low detection limits. The lowest detectable concentration of phosphopeptides that we analyzed using this approach was 500 pM for a 100-microL tryptic digest solution of beta-casein; this level is much lower than that which can be obtained using any other currently available method.

Desorption/ionization mass spectrometry on nanocrystalline titania sol-gel-deposited films.

This paper describes a matrix-free method for performing desorption/ionization directly from mesoporous nanocrystalline titania sol-gel thin films, which have good absorption capacity in the ultraviolet (UV) range and can act as assisting materials during UV matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometric (MALDI-MS) analysis. A high concentration of citrate buffer was added into this system to provide the proton source and to reduce the presence of alkali cation adducts of the analytes. The analyte signals appear uniformly over the whole sample deposition area. Protonated molecules (MH(+) ions) of analytes dominate the titania MALDI mass spectra. Surfactants, peptides, tryptic digest products, and small proteins with molecular weights below ca. 24 000 Da, are observed in the titania MALDI mass spectra. Detection limits for insulin are as low as ca. 2 fmol with mass resolution of ca. 660.

Molecularly imprinted TiO2-matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry for selectively detecting alpha-cyclodextrin.

This study describes a new means to conduct molecular recognition-based analysis using mass spectrometry. Taking advantage of the unique characteristic of the absorption capacity of the TiO(2) sol-gel material in the UV region, a TiO(2) sol-gel-deposited thin film was employed as the sample substrate to assist in UV laser desorption/ionization of analytes. Sol-gels are polymeric materials that are easy to prepare and modify at low temperatures. Molecularly imprinted TiO(2) sol-gels were generated for molecular recognition-based analysis. alpha-Cyclodextrin (CD) was selected as the template molecule and doped into TiO(2) in a sol-gel reaction. The molecularly imprinted TiO(2) sol was spin-coated on a glass slide, and appropriate template cavities in the TiO(2) sol-gel material were formed after the template molecules were removed. We demonstrate that this modified glass slide can be used to select alpha-CD from a sample solution containing equal amounts of alpha-, beta-, and gamma-CD (50 ppb each, 18 mL); alpha-CD was directly detected from the modified glass slide by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry without the addition of extra matrix. This approach provides a new detection method for molecular recognition-based analysis.