Using receptor conformational change to detect low molecular weight analytes by surface plasmon resonance.

Small molecules are difficult to directly detect using commercially available surface plasmon resonance (SPR) instruments. This is because low molecular weight compounds do not have sufficient mass to cause a measurable change in refractive index. Refractive index is sensitive, however, to other properties besides the mass of the analyte. Recently the detection of substantial conformational changes for immobilized proteins using SPR has been reported. However, this property has not yet been exploited for the detection of low molecular weight ligand binding to immobilized protein receptors. Here we demonstrate that ligand-induced conformational changes can be used to monitor the binding of small molecules to immobilized maltose-binding protein and tissue transglutaminase. Ligand binding to a receptor that decreases in hydrodynamic radius yielded a net decrease in refractive index. A net positive change in refractive index was observed for a receptor that increases in hydrodynamic radius. Refractive index changes could not be explained by addition of analyte molecular mass to the surface. These SPR responses were a result of specific receptor-ligand interactions, as judged by the reversibility of the response and the similarities between the SPR-determined equilibrium dissociation constants and reported dissociation constants. Additionally, this technique proved to be effective at detecting specific ligands from a panel of small molecules. This SPR method required no alterations in widely used and commercially available instrumentation yet allowed direct detection of very small molecules such as calcium ions (40 Da). Use of receptor conformation to detect low molecular weight analytes has potential applications in the high-throughput screening of small molecule drug libraries and the development of biosensors.

Measurement of Clostridium perfringens beta-toxin production by surface plasmon resonance immunoassay.

A rapid and sensitive assay using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) immunoassay has been developed for the detection of Clostridium perfringens beta-toxin. The SPR immunoassay was conducted off-line by passing fermentation broth by a sensor chip coated with a monoclonal antibody specific for C. perfringens beta-toxin. Quantitation of toxin using SPR immunoassay was achieved by mass transport analysis; results were obtained within 20 min. The SPR immunoassay was compared with an ELISA and the traditional bioassay for C. perfringens beta-toxin. The SPR immunoassay and ELISA detected at least twofold differences in toxin levels at 95% confidence over a broad range of toxin concentrations. The traditional bioassay did not produce the resolution observed with the immunoassays. The SPR immunoassay allows for real-time monitoring of beta-toxin accumulation during production and permits the bioengineer to harvest C. perfringens fermentations when toxin is most concentrated. The SPR methodology may be applied to other fermentations to enhance and optimize toxin yields.

Dissociation kinetics between a mouse Fc receptor (Fc gamma RII) and IgG: measurement by total internal reflection with fluorescence photobleaching recovery.

Total internal reflect with fluorescence photobleaching recovery (TIR-FPR) has been used to examine the dissociation kinetics between monomeric mouse IgG and a mouse Fc receptor (moFc gamma RII) reconstituted into substrate-supported planar membranes. IgG1, IgG2a, and IgG2b exhibited similar dissociation kinetics, whereas IgG3 did not bind. The fluorescence recovery curves for the IgG-moFc gamma RII interactions were best described by two reversible components (1.4 s-1, 66% and 0.06 s-1, 18%) and an irreversible component ( < 0.01 s-1, 16%). The kinetic parameters for a mouse anti-dinitrophenyl (DNP) IgG1 antibody were equivalent in the absence and presence of saturating amounts of DNP-glycine, demonstrating that possible allosteric changes which might occur in IgG1 upon hapten binding do not appreciably affect the kinetic characteristics of moFc gamma RII binding. The fluorescence recovery curves for polyclonal mouse IgG Fc were similar to those for intact IgG, showing that decreasing the size of the IgG 3-fold does not alter the dissociation rate. The dissociation kinetics of IgG1 decreased considerably in a low ionic strength buffer, indicating that the IgG1-moFc gamma RII interaction has significant electrostatic components.

Theory for measuring bivalent surface binding kinetics using total internal reflection with fluorescence photobleaching recovery.

Total internal reflection with fluorescence photobleaching recovery (TIR-FPR) is a method for experimentally examining coupled diffusion and reaction kinetics at surfaces. In a previous work (Thompson et al. 1981. Biophys. J. 33:435-454), a theoretical basis for interpreting TIR-FPR data was described for monovalent ligands that undergo a reversible reaction with monovalent surface sites in a single step. Here, the theory for TIR-FPR has been extended to two different surface binding mechanisms that involve sequential, bivalent surface attachment. Methods for obtaining the intrinsic surface association and dissociation kinetic rates from measured fluorescence photobleaching recovery curves are described. The new theory should be applicable to the association of bivalent protein ligands such as antibodies with supported planar model membranes.

Total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy: application to substrate-supported planar membranes.

The use of total internal reflection illumination in fluorescence microscopy (TIRFM) is reviewed with emphasis on application to fluorescent macromolecules that specifically and reversibly bind to planar model membranes supported on glass or quartz substrates. Several methods for characterizing macromolecular motion and organization are discussed: the measurement of equilibrium binding curves to obtain values for equilibrium binding constants; the measurement of fluorescence photobleaching recovery curves to obtain values of kinetic rate constants and surface diffusion coefficients; and the measurement of fluorescence intensities as a function of the evanescent field polarization to characterize orientational order. Applications to cell-substrate contact regions are summarized and future directions of TIRFM are outlined.

Direct measurement of the weak interactions between a mouse Fc receptor (Fc gamma RII) and IgG1 in the absence and presence of hapten: a total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy study.

Total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIRFM) has been used to directly measure the weak dissociation constants of IgG with a mouse IgG receptor (moFc gamma RII) that has been purified and reconstituted into substrate-supported planar membranes. Dissociation constants were measured for three different mouse monoclonal anti-dinitrophenyl (DNP) IgG1 antibodies and for polyclonal mouse IgG, in the absence and presence of saturating amounts of hapten (DNP-glycine). The dissociation constant for polyclonal mouse IgG was 3 microM, which agrees well with previous results. The dissociation constants for the three monoclonal antibodies with moFc gamma RII ranged from 2 microM to 3 microM and were not statistically different, suggesting that changes in moFc gamma RII dissociation constants which may exist within the IgG1 subclass are less than the error of the TIRFM measurements (approximately 20%). The measured IgG1-moFc gamma RII dissociation constants were not different for individual monoclonal antibodies in the absence or presence of saturating concentrations of DNP-glycine, directly showing that possible allosteric changes which might occur upon hapten binding and affect the equilibrium characteristics of Fc receptor binding are small. This work demonstrates a new approach for quantitatively examining the effects of solution components on weak receptor-ligand interactions.