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At least 271 records · Page 15Linked to original sources

Two-dimensional protein analysis at high resolution on a microscale.

Proteins from small amounts of biological material are separated at high resolution by micro two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Under nonequilibrium conditions, proteins are focused in 10-microliters capillaries and separated on ultrathin slab gels. Our device allows simultaneous focusing of up to 10 samples which can be processed in the second dimension on a single gel. Several hundred protein spots from less than a total of 300 ng of protein are resolved on an area the size of a postage stamp. A single spot containing less than 10 pg of protein or 1 cpm can be detected by silver staining or autoradiography, respectively. Our system allows inexpensive, simultaneous, rapid analysis of proteins when only a limited amount of biological material is available for investigation. A detailed description of the equipment, the methods, and the characteristics of this microanalysis are presented.

Animals↗

Nanometer-scale heat-conductivity measurements on biological samples.

With semiconductor structures reaching the nanometer scale, heat conductivity measurements on the mesoscopic range of some tens of nanometers become an increasingly important aspect for the further improvement in digital processing and storage. Also the attempt to use atomic-force microscopy (AFM) technology for high-density data storage by writing information bits as nanometer-sized indentations into a polymer substrate with a heated cantilever tip asks for a careful investigation of the nano-scale heat-conductivity properties of polymers. Furthermore, in many AFM imaging applications, heat conductivity can provide additional information about the material the imaged structures consist of. In this respect, heat conductivity can also become very interesting in studies of usually quite heterogeneous biological samples, if the resolution can attain the nanometer range. In standard scanning thermal microscopy application, the tip forms a thermocouple, which precludes high-resolution imaging, as thermocouples cannot be made sufficiently small. In this paper, which focuses on biological applications, we demonstrate that by using an ultra sharp AFM cantilever with a Joule heating element above the tip structure different molecular components can be distinguished thanks to their different heat-conductivity properties. In this case, the resolution is determined by the actual tip size, and it can reach 10nm.

Collagen↗

Heteronuclear spin decoupling in solid-state NMR under magic-angle sample spinning.

Achieving high spectral resolution is an important prerequisite for the application of solid-state NMR to biological molecules. Higher spectral resolution allows to resolve a larger number of resonances and leads to higher sensitivity. Among other things, heteronuclear spin decoupling is one of the important factors which determine the resolution of a spectrum. The process of heteronuclear spin decoupling under magic-angle sample spinning is analyzed in detail. Continuous-wave RF irradiation leads only in a zeroth-order approximation to a full decoupling of heteronuclear spin systems in solids under magic-angle spinning (MAS). In a higher-order approximation, a cross-term between the dipolar-coupling tensor and the chemical-shielding tensor is reintroduced, providing a scaled coupling term between the heteronuclear spins. In strongly coupled spin systems this second-order recoupling term is partially averaged out by the proton spin-diffusion process, which leads to exchange-type narrowing of the line by proton spin flips. This process can be described by a spin-diffusion type superoperator, allowing the efficient simulation of strongly coupled spin systems under heteronuclear spin decoupling. Low-power continuous-wave decoupling at fast MAS frequencies offers an alternative to high-power irradiation by reversing the order of the averaging processes. At fast MAS frequencies low-power continuous-wave decoupling leads to significantly narrower lines than high-power continuous-wave decoupling while at the same time reducing the power dissipated in the sample by several orders of magnitude. The best decoupling is achieved by multiple-pulse sequences at high RF fields and under fast MAS. Two such sequences, two-pulse phase-modulated decoupling (TPPM) and X-inverse-X decoupling (XiX), are discussed and their properties analyzed and compared.

Ammonium Chloride↗

Suspected brucellosis case prompts investigation of possible bioterrorism-related activity--New Hampshire and Massachusetts, 1999.

Brucella species, particularly B. melitensis and B. suis, are potential agents of biological terrorism (1,2). This report describes the public health and law enforcement assessment of a suspected case of brucellosis in a woman, in which the atypical clinical presentation and suspicious circumstances surrounding the case raised the possibility of biological terrorism. Although the investigation did not identify evidence of biological terrorism, the safe resolution of the case illustrates the value of integrated clinical, public health, and law enforcement biological terrorism preparedness and response.

Adult↗

Resolution of psoriasis upon blockade of IL-15 biological activity in a xenograft mouse model.

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the skin characterized by epidermal hyperplasia, dermal angiogenesis, infiltration of activated T cells, and increased cytokine levels. One of these cytokines, IL-15, triggers inflammatory cell recruitment, angiogenesis, and production of other inflammatory cytokines, including IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, and IL-17, which are all upregulated in psoriatic lesions. To investigate the role of IL-15 in psoriasis, we generated mAb's using human immunoglobulin-transgenic mice. One of the IL-15-specific antibodies we generated, 146B7, did not compete with IL-15 for binding to its receptor but potently interfered with the assembly of the IL-15 receptor alpha, beta, gamma complex. This antibody effectively blocked IL-15-induced T cell proliferation and monocyte TNF-alpha release in vitro. In a human psoriasis xenograft model, antibody 146B7 reduced the severity of psoriasis, as measured by epidermal thickness, grade of parakeratosis, and numbers of inflammatory cells and cycling keratinocytes. These results obtained with this IL-15-specific mAb support an important role for IL-15 in the pathogenesis of psoriasis.

Animals↗

[High resolution gas phase chromatography-mass spectrometry of polychlorinated biphenyl congener residues in samples of biologic origin].

A study is performed on polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congener residues in samples of human blood and milk as well as in falcon and pigeon eggs. Most of the PCB congeners found in these biological samples were quantified by high-resolution gas chromatography (HRGC). A PCB technical mixture--namely, DP6 (Phenochlor)--was used for the calibration as its composition was previously determined by HRGC-mass spectrometry. The usefulness of such a congener analysis is outlined. It is the first time to the best of our knowledge that a Phenochlor mixture is used for standardization.

Animals↗

Scanning ion microprobe assessment of biological sample preparation techniques.

Different preparation techniques for high lateral resolution scanning ion microprobe imaging of biological samples have been investigated. The sharpest histological maps are obtained from chemically fixed and plastic embedded specimens. It is often problematic to correlate ultrastructure and bioaccumulation from analysis of frozen cut and lyophilized sections. The best compromise is to resin-embed frozen samples in order to get a perfectly flat section from tissue where the in vivo ion distribution is maintained. Use of the University of Chicago Ion Microprobe gave us the ability to observe the relative ion translocations induced during sample preparation. As an example, we show the rapid decrease of intracellular K+/Na+ ratio through a fast frozen blood droplet.

Blood Cells↗

Flow cytometry in oceanography 1989--1999: environmental challenges and research trends.

BACKGROUND: The present review is based on the identification of four major environmental crises that have been approached from a biological oceanographic viewpoint. These crises are the release of contaminants in near shore marine waters, the collapse of marine resources that were renewable until recently, the loss of biodiversity, and global climate change METHODS: The review examines the contribution of cytometry-based biological oceanography to the resolution of the four environmental crises. Using a database of 302 papers, flow cytometric (FCM) studies in biological oceanography over the 1989--1999 decade are examined. Future biological oceanographic applications of FCM are discussed. RESULTS: Most of the published FCM oceanographic studies focus on phytoplankton and bacterioplankton. Analysis of our 1989-1999 database shows the predominance of studies dedicated to phytoplankton (77%), followed by heterotrophic bacteria (21%). The latter progressively increased over the last decade, together with the improved understanding of the biogeochemical and trophic roles of marine bacteria. Most studies on these two microorganisms were conducted in vitro until 1996, after which the trend reversed in favor of in situ research. The most investigated areas were those with major international sampling efforts, related to the changing climate. Concerning environmental topics, 62% of papers on phytoplankton and bacterioplankton focused on the structure of microbial communities and fluxes (e.g., production, grazing); this provides the basis for biological oceanographic studies on resources and climate change. CONCLUSIONS: Future progress in the biological oceanographic use of FCM will likely fall into two categories, i.e., applications where FCM will be combined with the development of other methods and those where FCM will be the main analytical tool. It is expected that FCM and other cytometric approaches will improve the ability of biological oceanography to address the major environmental challenges that are confronting human societies.

Animals↗

Magic angle spinning carbon-13 NMR of tobacco mosaic virus. An application of the high-resolution solid-state NMR spectroscopy to very large biological systems.

Magic angle spinning 13C NMR was used to study tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) in solution. Well-resolved 13C NMR spectra were obtained, in which several carbon resonances of amino acids of the TMV coat protein subunits that are not observable by conventional high-resolution NMR spectroscopy can be designed. RNA resonance were absent, however, in the magic angle spinning 13C NMR spectra. Since three different binding sites are available for each nucleotide of the RNA, this is probably due to a line broadening caused by distributions of isotropic chemical shift values. In 13C-enriched TM 13C-13C dipolar interactions also gave rise to line broadening. By suitable pulse techniques that discriminate carbon resonances on the basis of their T1 and T1 rho values, it was possible to select particular groups of carbon nuclei with characteristic motional properties. Magic angle spinning 13C NMR spectra obtained with these pulse techniques are extremely well resolved.

Carbon Isotopes↗

The interior of a whole and unmodified biological object--the zymogen granule--viewed with a high-resolution X-ray microscope.

We report the ability of focused soft X-rays to visualize at spatial resolution well beyond that of the optical microscope (less than 100 nm) the interior of a small, whole biological object without fixation, staining, dehydration or sectioning. Quantitative estimation of its protein content with unique femtogram sensitivity is also reported. The present results represent a significant step towards the goals of natural imaging and chemical mapping of biological structures with soft X-rays.

Animals↗

Combining X-ray crystallography and electron microscopy.

The combination of cryo-electron microscopy to study large biological assemblies at low resolution with crystallography to determine near atomic structures of assembly fragments is quickly expanding the horizon of structural biology. This technique can be used to advantage in the study of large structures that cannot be crystallized, to follow dynamic processes, and to "purify" samples by visual selection of particles. Factors affecting the quality of cryo-electron microscopy maps and limits of accuracy in fitting known structural fragments are discussed.

Cryoelectron Microscopy↗