Biopharmaceuticals Biotechnology and Protein Analysis

This review highlights very recent advancements in several key spectroscopic methods, including atomic, vibrational, molecular, electronic, and diffraction techniques.

Scientists from the Czech Republic recently created new practices to study different Tröger’s base isomers.

Henan University scientists recently developed a new deep learning-based prediction model for classifying nonclassical secreted proteins.

Howard University scientists recently analyzed tryptophan (Trp) networks and conditions under ultraviolet superradiance.

Scientists from the University of Utretcht in The Netherlands recently created a new autoantibody analysis system based around antigen-binding fragments.

Scientists from Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi, India recently studied how acarbose (ACA) and quercetin (QUE) can help prevent conditions like Type 2 diabetes.

Scientists from Duke University in Durham, North Carolina recently tested a surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy system for detecting the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Scientists from the Lodz University of Technology in Lodz, Poland created a new system to analyze normal and cancer human colon cells.

Chinese scientists recently created a dual-response fluorescent probe to better understand the pathological mechanisms of depression disorder.

Scientists in Poland recently tested how multidimensional discriminant analysis and reflectance spectroscopy can help identify species within fungi strains.

In a recent study from Ghent University and Charles University, scientists analyzed layered manganese oxide structures using different Raman spectroscopy techniques.

A recent study explores the use of another fluorescent probe that can be used in targeted protein degradation.

In a new study, scientists are investigating Raman spectroscopy as a technique for monitoring postmenopausual osteoporosis.

Scientists from Hirosaki University Graduate School of Science and Technology in Japan evaluated the eating quality of white rice samples using Raman spectroscopy.

High-resolution magnetic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (HRMAS NMR) spectroscopy in particular can be applied to nonconventional solvents, helping to obtain information about protein crystal structures while also adhering to green analytical chemistry tenets.

Scientists from the University of Jinan developed a new fluorescent probe to better understand the relationship between certain lipids.

A team of scientists created a portable infrared attenuated total reflection (IR-ATR) spectrometer and tested its food analysis capabilities against similar systems.

Mathew Horrocks, the 2023 recipient of The Joseph Black Prize, shares his thoughts about his current work developing and using single-molecule and super-resolution microscopy techniques to study amyloid oligomers and their commonality regarding a variety of neurodegenerative disorders.

Researchers have developed a non-destructive method for identifying monoclonal antibody drug substances using Raman spectroscopy.

This interview with Young Jong Lee highlights the work he and his team have done to reinvent solvent absorption compensation (SAC), and the potential it has across multiple forms of spectroscopy.

Raman spectra can help determine protein structure. Here’s how.

Using Raman imaging, wild-type and engineered yeast cells were compared for their ability to produce bioactive compounds. Raman imaging microscopy is able to visualize locales, relative abundance, and production efficiencies of biologically active compounds for the individual yeast cells.

Raman spectra were measured in combination with 2D-COS analysis to understand how the addition of propyl side groups to a biopolymer backbone influences the structure of the polymer at the atomic level.

There is growing interest in the determination of endogenous proteins in biological samples for diagnostic purposes, because a concentration increase or decrease of such proteins can allows us to monitor the state of a pathological condition such as cancer. Immunocapture LC–MS/MS analysis combines the workflow of conventional immunological assays with LC–MS analysis. This article describes typical challenges, such as cross reactivity and the mass spectrometer’s dynamic range, as well as the advantages of isoform differentiation and multiplexing.

Proteomics and structural biology require specialized mass spectrometry methods for characterizing protein structures and conformations. Jennifer S. Brodbelt, a professor of chemistry at the University of Texas at Austin, focuses on the development and application of photodissociation mass spectrometry for studying biological molecules such as peptides, proteins, nucleic acids, oligosaccharides, and lipids. She recently spoke with Spectroscopy about her work with this technique. She is the winner of the 2017 ANACHEM Award, which will be presented at the SciX meeting in October 2017. The award is presented annually to an outstanding analytical chemist based on activities in teaching, research, administration, or other activities that have advanced the art and science of the field.

Despite all of the recent advances in analytical technologies dedicated to biotherapeutics, accurate protein quantification remains a challenge for the biopharmaceutical industry. UV spectrophotometry is commonly used for batch testing, but it requires the knowledge of the extinction coefficient of the protein, whose experimental determination requires the accurate concentration of a reference standard obtained by an absolute quantification method. To address the need for a fast analytical method capable of accurately quantifying a protein without any specific reference substance, an isotope dilution ICP-MS method was developed and validated, based on sulfur determination, allowing very accurate determination of a single protein in solution after microwave digestion.

The accurate determination of protein structure is integral to the medical and pharmaceutical communities’ ability to understand disease, and develop drugs. Current techniques (CD, IR, Raman) for protein structure prediction provide results that can be poorly resolved, while high resolution techniques (NMR, X-ray crystallography) can be both costly and time-consuming. This work proposes the use of drop coat deposition confocal Raman spectroscopy (DCDCR), coupled with peak fitting of the Amide I spectral region (1620–1720 cm-1) for the accurate determination of protein secondary structure. Studies conducted on BSA and ovalbumin show that the predictions of secondary structure content within 1% of representative crystal structure data is possible for model proteins. The results clearly demonstrate that DCDCR has the potential to be effectively used to obtain accurate secondary structure distributions for proteins.

Joanna Szpunar of the National Research Council of France discusses her use of ICP-MS methods to detect trace levels of human selenoproteins in cell extracts and for the identification of selenium containing proteins in rice.

Selenoproteins play an important role in human physiology and health, and as a result, sensitive methods are needed for their analysis. Joanna Szpunar of the National Research Council of France has been working with bioinorganic speciation analysis and hyphenated techniques for metallomics studies for some time. She recently spoke to Spectroscopy about using laser-ablation inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) to detect trace levels of human selenoproteins in cell extracts and about her work with ICP-MS-assisted electrospray tandem MS for the identification of selenium-containing proteins in rice grown on seleniferous soils.

UV resonance Raman spectroscopy examines how UV light interacts with the electrons of samples and provides information about their molecular structure and dynamics. Sanford A. Asher, Distinguished Professor of Chemistry at the University of Pittsburgh, is using the technique to study peptide excited states and conformations and protein folding, with the ultimate goal of helping to advance research into the mechanisms of disease. He recently spoke to us about this work.