Current Opinion in Chemical Biology

Array-based sensing with nanoparticles: 'Chemical noses' for sensing biomolecules and cell surfaces.

Publication Date: 2010 Aug 27 PMID: 20801707
Authors: Miranda, O. R. - Creran, B. - Rotello, V. M.
Journal: Curr Opin Chem Biol

Nanoparticle-based arrays have been used to distinguish a wide range of biomolecular targets through pattern recognition. In this report, we highlight new 'chemical nose' methodologies that use nanoparticle systems to provide high sensitivity sensing of biomolecular targets, including fluorescent polymer/gold nanoparticle complexes that can discriminate between different bioanalytes including proteins, bacteria, and mammalian cells as well as dye-based micellar systems for the detection of clinically important metalloproteins and nonmetalloproteins.

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A general approach to differential sensing using synthetic molecular receptors.

Publication Date: 2010 Aug 26 PMID: 20801075
Authors: Umali, A. P. - Anslyn, E. V.
Journal: Curr Opin Chem Biol

Differential sensing is continuing to develop as an alternative to traditional, selective chemosensing techniques. This technique takes a cue from how the human senses of taste and smell operate in order to obtain qualitative and even quantitative data on single analytes and mixtures. Whereas classical chemosensing techniques inspired by the 'lock-and-key' approach depend on the development of a selective receptor for a target analyte, pattern-based sensing depends on the development of an array of cross-reactive receptors, which produce a collection of responses upon the array's interaction with a target analyte. This review focuses on an approach to differential sensing that diversifies synthetic receptors to be used in an array via appending combinatorial peptidic arms, metal ions, and indicators to a core binding unit.

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Microfluidic landscapes for evolution.

Publication Date: 2010 Aug 25 PMID: 20800535
Authors: Paegel, B. M.
Journal: Curr Opin Chem Biol

Evolution at its heart is an iterative algorithm composed of three steps: selection, amplification and mutagenesis. This algorithm can be applied to complex inputs such as populations of whole organisms and viruses, or mixtures of bare nucleic acids and proteins. The output is the same: evolutionary adaptation of new and improved function subject to selection. Recent breakthroughs in microfluidic technology have introduced automation and process monitoring to in vitro evolution, and reproducible preparation of emulsions and other multi-phase reaction landscapes. It is at this intersection of compartmentalization and in vitro evolution where miniaturization is again redefining experimental design in contemporary chemistry and biology.

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Coupled motions in enzyme catalysis.

Publication Date: 2010 Aug 20 PMID: 20729130
Authors: Nashine, V. C. - Hammes-Schiffer, S. - Benkovic, S. J.
Journal: Curr Opin Chem Biol

Recently, the hypothesis that protein motions are involved in enzymatic turnover has gained significant attention. We review cases where there is evidence that protein motions are rate-limiting in the overall catalytic cycle and examine experimental and theoretical evidence for how such motions enhance the probability of sampling the transition state configurations relative to the ground state. The impact of tunneling, the possible role of vibrational coupling and the value of conformational chemical landscapes are also scrutinized.

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Detecting hydrophobic molecules with nucleic acid-based receptors.

Publication Date: 2010 Aug 19 PMID: 20727817
Authors: Stojanovic, M. N. - Worgall, T. S.
Journal: Curr Opin Chem Biol

We will argue for applications of crossreactive arrays of solution-phase sensors in urinalysis, wherein these can be useful for screening, as well as monitoring of disease progress or treatment compliance. For our first demonstration we focus on the detection and classification process of the predominant hydrophobic molecules in urine, steroids, while taking advantage of a variety of differentially crossreactive DNA-based hydrophobic receptors, three-way junctions. We discuss our progress in addressing some of the traditional limitations of crossreactive arrays and what remains to be done to move these systems into clinical applications.

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Differential sensing of sugars by colorimetric arrays.

Publication Date: 2010 Aug 5 PMID: 20692199
Authors: Musto, C. J. - Suslick, K. S.
Journal: Curr Opin Chem Biol

While the complexes between boronic acids and diols have been studied for decades, researchers continue to design new and interesting methods to use these interactions to produce saccharide sensors that are more sensitive and selective. Herein we discuss how the use of pattern-based colorimetric arrays from a collection of crossreactive sensors have been developed as new differential sensing platforms for sugars and related saccharides.

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Pattern-based sensing with simple metal-dye complexes.

Publication Date: 2010 Aug 3 PMID: 20688560
Authors: Severin, K.
Journal: Curr Opin Chem Biol

Different strategies for the creation of optical sensors with metal-dye complexes are discussed. The focus is on sensors, which are used in conjunction with pattern recognition protocols. It is shown that remarkably powerful sensors can be obtained by combining commercially available dyes with simple transition metal complexes.

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