A chromosome-scale reference genome assembly of the great sand eel, Hyperoplus lanceolatus.

Despite increasing sequencing efforts, numerous fish families still lack a reference genome, which complicates genetic research. One such understudied family is the sand lances (Ammodytidae, literally: "sand burrower"), a globally distributed clade of over 30 fish species that tend to avoid tidal currents by burrowing into the sand. Here, we present the first annotated chromosome-level genome assembly of the great sand eel (Hyperoplus lanceolatus). The genome assembly was generated using Oxford Nanopore Technologies long sequencing reads and Illumina short reads for polishing. The final assembly has a total length of 808.5 Mbp, of which 97.1% were anchored into 24 chromosome-scale scaffolds using proximity-ligation scaffolding. It is highly contiguous with a scaffold and contig N50 of 33.7 and 31.3 Mbp, respectively, and has a BUSCO completeness score of 96.9%. The presented genome assembly is a valuable resource for future studies of sand lances, as this family is of great ecological and commercial importance and may also contribute to studies aiming to resolve the suprafamiliar taxonomy of bony fishes.

Evaluation of ion mobility in capillary electrophoresis coupled to mass spectrometry for the identification in metabolomics.

Currently, feature annotation remains one of the main challenges in untargeted metabolomics. In this context, the information provided by high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) in addition to accurate mass can improve the quality of metabolite annotation, and MS/MS fragmentation patterns are widely used. Accurate mass and a separation index, such as retention time or effective mobility (µeff ), in chromatographic and electrophoretic approaches, respectively, must be used for unequivocal metabolite identification. The possibility of measuring collision cross-section (CCS) values by using ion mobility (IM) is becoming increasingly popular in metabolomic studies thanks to the new generation of IM mass spectrometers. Based on their similar separation mechanisms involving electric field and the size of the compounds, the complementarity of DT CCSN2 and µeff needs to be evaluated. In this study, a comparison of DT CCSN2 and µeff was achieved in the context of feature identification ability in untargeted metabolomics by capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) coupled with HRMS. This study confirms the high correlation of DT CCSN2 with the mass of the studied metabolites as well as the orthogonality between accurate mass and µeff , making this combination particularly interesting for the identification of several endogenous metabolites. The use of IM-MS remains of great interest for facilitating the annotation of neutral metabolites present in the electroosmotic flow (EOF) that are poorly or not separated by CZE.

Microchip capillary gel electrophoresis combined with lectin affinity enrichment employing magnetic beads for glycoprotein analysis.

Due to the constant search for reliable methods to investigate glycoproteins in complex biological samples, an alternative approach combining affinity enrichment with rapid and sensitive analysis on-a-chip is presented. Glycoproteins were specifically captured by lectin-coated magnetic beads, eluted by competitive sugars, and investigated with microchip capillary gel electrophoresis (MCGE), i.e., CGE-on-a-chip. We compared our results to sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) data, which turned out to be in very good agreement. While SDS-PAGE offers the possibility of subsequent mass spectrometric analysis of captured and separated analytes, MCGE scores with time savings, higher throughput, and lower sample consumption as well as quality control (QC) and process analytical technology (PAT) applicability. Due to these advantages, a lectin-based glycoprotein capture protocol can easily be optimized. In our case, two different types of magnetic beads were tested and compared regarding lectin binding. The selectivity of our strategy was demonstrated with a set of model glycoproteins, as well as with human serum and serum depleted from high-abundance proteins. The specificity of the capturing method was investigated revealing to a certain degree an unspecific binding between each sample and the beads themselves, which has to be considered for any specific enrichment and data interpretation. In addition, two glycoproteins from Trichoderma atroviride, a fungus with mycoparasitic activity and only barely studied glycoproteome, were enriched by means of a lectin and so identified for the first time. Graphical abstract Glycoproteins from biological samples were detected by microchip capillary gel electrophoresis after lectin affinity enrichment using magnetic beads and elution with respective competitive monosaccharides.

Interlaboratory study to evaluate the robustness of capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry for peptide mapping.

A collaborative study on the robustness and portability of a capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry method for peptide mapping was performed by an international team, consisting of 13 independent laboratories from academia and industry. All participants used the same batch of samples, reagents and coated capillaries to run their assays, whereas they utilized the capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry equipment available in their laboratories. The equipment used varied in model, type and instrument manufacturer. Furthermore, different types of sheath-flow capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry interfaces were used. Migration time, peak height and peak area of ten representative target peptides of trypsin-digested bovine serum albumin were determined by every laboratory on two consecutive days. The data were critically evaluated to identify outliers and final values for means, repeatability (precision within a laboratory) and reproducibility (precision between laboratories) were established. For relative migration time the repeatability was between 0.05 and 0.18% RSD and the reproducibility between 0.14 and 1.3% RSD. For relative peak area repeatability and reproducibility values obtained were 3-12 and 9-29% RSD, respectively. These results demonstrate that capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry is robust enough to allow a method transfer across multiple laboratories and should promote a more widespread use of peptide mapping and other capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry applications in biopharmaceutical analysis and related fields.

Challenges of glycoprotein analysis by microchip capillary gel electrophoresis.

Glycosylations severely influence a protein's biological and physicochemical properties. Five exemplary proteins with varying glycan moieties were chosen to establish molecular weight (MW) determination (sizing), quantitation, and sensitivity of detection for microchip capillary gel electrophoresis (MCGE). Although sizing showed increasing deviations from literature values (SDS-PAGE or MALDI-MS) with a concomitant higher degree of analyte glycosylation, the reproducibility of MW determination and accuracy of quantitation with high sensitivity and reliability were demonstrated. Additionally, speed of analysis together with the low level of analyte consumption render MCGE attractive as an alternative to conventional SDS-PAGE.

Sensitive detection of C-reactive protein in serum by immunoprecipitation-microchip capillary gel electrophoresis.

Sepsis represents a significant cause of mortality in intensive care units. Early diagnosis of sepsis is essential to increase the survival rate of patients. Among others, C-reactive protein (CRP) is commonly used as a sepsis marker. In this work we introduce immune precipitation combined with microchip capillary gel electrophoresis (IP-MCGE) for the detection and quantification of CRP in serum samples. First high-abundance proteins (HSA, IgG) are removed from serum samples using affinity spin cartridges, and then the remaining proteins are labeled with a fluorescence dye and incubated with an anti-CRP antibody, and the antigen/antibody complex is precipitated with protein G-coated magnetic beads. After precipitation the complex is eluted from the beads and loaded onto the MCGE system. CRP could be reliably detected and quantified, with a detection limit of 25 ng/µl in serum samples and 126 pg/µl in matrix-free samples. The overall sensitivity (LOQ = 75 ng/µl, R(2) = 0.9668) of the method is lower than that of some specially developed methods (e.g., immune radiometric assay) but is comparable to those of clinically accepted ELISA methods. The straightforward sample preparation (not prone to mistakes), reduced sample and reagent volumes (including the antibodies), and high throughput (10 samples/3 h) are advantages and therefore IP-MCGE bears potential for point-of-care diagnosis.

Immunoprecipitation combined with microchip capillary gel electrophoresis: Detection and quantification of ß-galactosidase from crude E. coli cell lysate.

A sensitive and selective analytical method for the determination and quantification of endogenous ß-galactosidase in crude E. coli cell lysates by immunoprecipitation combined with automated microchip capillary gel electrophoresis (IP-MCGE) with laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) detection was developed. Total cell lysates were derivatized minimally with a fluorescence dye, incubated with anti-ß-galactosidase antibodies, and the antigen/antibody complex was precipitated with protein G-coated magnetic beads. After capturing the complex, it was eluted from the beads under denaturing conditions and loaded directly onto a multisample microchip for analysis. The effects of antibody selection and the importance of preclearing steps were studied in detail. For quantification, an external calibration through spiking pure ß-galactosidase into E. coli lysate was performed. Recovery rates of immunoprecipitation after spiking experiments and the amount of unknown endogenous ß-galactosidase in E. coli lysates were determined. As proof of principle, E. coli cultures grown on nutrition media with several glucose/lactose ratios were analyzed. Differences in the expression level of ß-galactosidase could be detected and measured with the developed method. Detected amounts of ß-galactosidase in different culture media correlated with the ß-galactosidase activities in these cultures.

High-throughput profiling of the serum N-glycome on capillary electrophoresis microfluidics systems: toward clinical implementation of GlycoHepatoTest.

We developed a 3 h procedure for preparing serum N-glycans and labeling them with 8-aminopyrene-1,3,6-trisulfonic acid (APTS) by sequential addition of reagents to the serum and incubation in a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) thermocycler. Moreover, we succeeded in analyzing these samples by capillary electrophoresis on three commercial microfluidics-based platforms: the MCE-202 MultiNA, the 2100 Bioanalyzer, and a modified prototype of the eGene system which were originally designed for nucleic acid separation and detection. Although these instruments use short separation channels, our technical improvements made it possible to reliably measure the N-glycans constituting GlycoHepatoTest. This test comprises a panel of biomarkers that allows follow-up of liver fibrosis patients starting from the early stage. In this way and for the first time, we demonstrate a clinical glycomics assay on an affordable, robust platform so that clinical chemistry laboratories can exploit glycomics in the diagnosis and monitoring of chronic liver disease. Another potential application is the rapid screening of the N-glycosylation of recombinant glycoproteins produced for pharmaceutical use.

A fluorescent derivatization method of proteins for the detection of low-level impurities by microchip capillary gel electrophoresis.

A novel pre-chip fluorescent derivatization method is presented for protein sizing and quantification by microchip CGE. The derivatization reaction employed a water-soluble and stable fluorescent dye and was performed under conditions that favored the formation of homogeneous reaction products. The method delivered in terms of protein sizing similar results as microchip CGE with on-chip staining but showed an extended linear dynamic range for protein quantification encompassing four orders of magnitude. The sensitivity of the method was similar to standard silver-stained planar gels. The characterization of derivatization reaction products by MS and preparative isoelectric focusing indicated that a constant degree of dye molecule tagging was obtained over a broad range of protein/dye ratios. The method allowed detecting and quantifying an impurity spiked into an antibody preparation down to a level of 0.05%. Advantages of this method compared with CGE approaches with pre-column derivatization include a shorter analysis time and an increased robustness and ease of use.

Microchip CGE linked to immunoprecipitation as an alternative to Western blotting.

A novel approach for protein identification is presented, which combines the specificity of an immunoprecipitation approach with the sensitivity of protein detection in microchip CGE. This method involves derivatization of the sample proteins with a fluorescent dye, target protein isolation with specific antibodies and Protein A coated magnetic beads, and automated sizing and quantification of the eluted samples on microchips. The performance of the new technique was demonstrated with glutathion-S-transferase- and polyHistidine-tagged target proteins in an Escherichia coli background. A specific detection of target proteins was possible down to 0.001% or 1 ng target protein in a background of 100 microg E. coli protein. With this approach, proteins ranging from 10 to 220 kDa could be identified with a panel of different target-specific antibodies. The reproducibility of the method was very similar to standard microchip CGE methods. In a direct comparison to Western blotting, a similar sensitivity and specificity of both techniques was observed. However, the new approach compares favorably to Western blotting in terms of time-to-result, usability and labor intensity, antibody consumption and access to quantitative data.

Metrological sharp shooting for plasma proteins and peptides: The need for reference materials for accurate measurements in clinical proteomics and in vitro diagnostics to generate reliable results.

Reliable study results are necessary for the assessment of discoveries, including those from proteomics. Reliable study results are also crucial to increase the likelihood of making a successful choice of biomarker candidates for verification and subsequent validation studies, a current bottleneck for the transition to in vitro diagnostic (IVD). In this respect, a major need for improvement in proteomics appears to be accuracy of measurements, including both trueness and precision of measurement. Standardization and total quality management systems (TQMS) help to provide accurate measurements and reliable results. Reference materials are an essential part of standardization and TQMS in IVD and are crucial to provide metrological correct measurements and for the overall quality assurance process. In this article we give an overview on how reference materials are defined, prepared and what role they play in standardization and TQMS to support the generation of reliable results. We discuss how proteomics can support the establishment of reference materials and biomarker tests for IVD applications, how current reference materials used in IVD may be beneficially applied in proteomics, and we provide considerations on the establishment of reference materials specific for proteomics. For clarity, we solely focus on reference materials related to serum and plasma.

Efficient fractionation and improved protein identification by peptide OFFGEL electrophoresis.

The sample fractionation steps conducted prior to mass detection are critically important for the comprehensive analysis of complex protein mixtures. This paper illustrates the effectiveness of OFFGEL electrophoresis with the Agilent 3100 OFFGEL Fractionator for the fractionation of peptides. An Escherichia coli tryptic digest was separated in 24 fractions, and peptides were identified by reversed-phase liquid chromatography on a microfluidic device with mass spectrometric detection. About 90% of the identified individual peptides were found in only one or two fractions. The distribution of the calculated isoelectric points for the peptides identified in each fraction was especially narrow in the acidic pH range. Standard deviations approached the size of the pH segment covered by the respective fraction. The experimental peptide isoelectric point measured by OFFGEL electrophoresis was used as an additional filter for validation of peptide identifications.

Two-stage Off-Gel isoelectric focusing: protein followed by peptide fractionation and application to proteome analysis of human plasma.

This paper presents the recently introduced Off-Gel electrophoresis (OGE) technology as a versatile tool to reproducibly fractionate intact proteins and peptides into discrete liquid fractions. The coupling of two stages of OGE, i.e., the separation of intact proteins in a first-stage followed by fractionation of peptides derived from each protein fraction after proteolysis in a second stage, results in an array of 15 x 15 fractions that are directly amenable to additional peptide fractionation like reverse-phase liquid chromatography (RPC). The analysis of all second-stage peptide fractions from only the first-stage protein fraction representing pH 5.0 -5.15 by on-line reverse-phase LC-tandem mass spectrometry resulted in the identification of 53 proteins (337 peptides), of which 10 were on different immunoglobulin (Ig) chains, with an input of only 1.5 mg human blood plasma proteins. Increasing the protein load to approximately 12 mg increased the number of identified proteins in the same protein fraction to 73 proteins (449 peptides), of which 15 were Ig-related. Immunodepletion of six of the most abundant proteins (albumin, transferrin, haptoglobin, IgG, IgA, and alpha-1-antitrypsin) prior to first-stage OGE with an input of 1.5 mg of protein (equivalent to approximately 10 mg nondepleted plasma) resulted in the identification of 81 proteins (660 peptides), of which three were still Ig fragments. The pI-based separation of peptides appears to be nonuniform based on the theoretically determined pI values of identified peptides. This observation specifically accounts for the neutral zone (pI 5-8) and can be accounted for by the physicochemical properties of the peptides given by their amino acid composition. The power of OGE separation of proteins and peptides is discussed with a focus on the use of the knowledge about the pI of proteins and peptides that assist the validation of correct identifications together with the retention time of peptides on RPC.

Mechanism of human telomerase inhibition by BIBR1532, a synthetic, non-nucleosidic drug candidate.

Telomerase, a ribonucleoprotein acting as a reverse transcriptase, has been identified as a target for cancer drug discovery. The synthetic, non-nucleosidic compound, BIBR1532, is a potent and selective telomerase inhibitor capable of inducing senescence in human cancer cells (). In the present study, the mode of drug action was characterized. BIBR1532 inhibits the native and recombinant human telomerase, comprising the human telomerase reverse transcriptase and human telomerase RNA components, with similar potency primarily by interfering with the processivity of the enzyme. Enzyme-kinetic experiments show that BIBR1532 is a mixed-type non-competitive inhibitor and suggest a drug binding site distinct from the sites for deoxyribonucleotides and the DNA primer, respectively. Thus, BIBR1532 defines a novel class of telomerase inhibitor with mechanistic similarities to non-nucleosidic inhibitors of HIV1 reverse transcriptase.