Kevin J. Luebke

Correlation of anisotropic cell behaviors with topographic aspect ratio.

In this study, we have used nanoimprinting to create a range of micro- and nanoscale gratings, or their combination, in bulk polystyrene plates to investigate anisotropic cell behaviors of human dermal fibroblasts with respect to the aspect ratio (depth/width) of gratings. The depth and width of the polystyrene gratings both show strong effects individually on cell alignment and elongation that are qualitatively similar to the results of other studies. However, consistent quantitative comparison of these individual parameters with different studies is complicated by the diversity of combinations of width and depth that have been tested. Instead, the aspect ratio of the gratings as a unified description of grating topography is a more consistent parameter to interpret topographic dependence of cell morphology. Both cell alignment and elongation increase with increasing aspect ratio, and even a shallow grating (aspect ratio of approximately 0.05) is sufficient to induce 80% cell alignment. Re-plotting data recently published by other groups vs. aspect ratio shows a similar dependence, despite differences in cell types and surface structures. This consistency indicates that aspect ratio is a general factor to characterize cell behaviors. The relationship of cell elongation and alignment with topographic aspect ratio is interpreted in terms of the theory of contact guidance. This model provides simplicity and flexibility in geometry design for devices and materials that interface with cells.

Discovering ligands for a microRNA precursor with peptoid microarrays

We have screened peptoid microarrays to identify specific ligands for the RNA hairpin precursor of miR-21, a microRNA involved in cancer and heart disease. Microarrays were printed by spotting a library of 7680 N-substituted oligoglycines (peptoids) onto glass slides. Two compounds on the array specifically bind RNA having the sequence and predicted secondary structure of the miR-21 precursor hairpin and have specific affinity for the target in solution. Their binding induces a conformational change around the hairpin loop, and the most specific compound recognizes the loop sequence and a bulged uridine in the proximal duplex. Functional groups contributing affinity and specificity were identified, and by varying a critical methylpyridine group, a compound with a dissociation constant of 1.9 μM for the miR-21 precursor hairpin and a 20-fold discrimination against a closely-related hairpin was created. This work describes a systematic approach to discovery of ligands for specific pre-defined novel RNA structures. It demonstrates discovery of new ligands for an RNA for which no specific lead compounds were previously known by screening a microarray of small molecules.

Association of a peptoid ligand with the apical loop of pri-miR-21 inhibits cleavage by Drosha

We have found a small molecule that specifically inhibits cleavage of a precursor to the oncogenic miRNA, miR-21, by the microprocessor complex of Drosha and DGCR8. We identified novel ligands for the apical loop of this precursor from a screen of 14,024 N-substituted oligoglycines (peptoids) in a microarray format. Eight distinct compounds with specific affinity were obtained, three having affinities for the targeted loop in the low micromolar range and greater than 15-fold discrimination against a closely related hairpin. One of these compounds completely inhibits microprocessor cleavage of a miR-21 primary transcript at concentrations at which cleavage of another miRNA primary transcript, pri-miR-16, is little affected. The apical loop of pri-miR-21, placed in the context of pri-miR-16, is sufficient for inhibition of microprocessor cleavage by the peptoid. This compound also inhibits cleavage of pri-miR-21 containing the pri-miR-16 apical loop, suggesting an additional site of association within pri-miR-21. The reported peptoid is the first example of a small molecule that inhibits microprocessor cleavage by binding to the apical loop of a pri-miRNA.

Manipulating cell migration and proliferation with a light-activated polypeptide.

Remote control of cells: A polypeptide has been made that stimulates proliferation and migration of cells upon photochemical activation. This light‐activated polypeptide enables spatially defined control of cell populations at the scale of tissue organization; this is accomplished without physically contacting the cells or modifying their substrate.

NMR Characterization of an Oligonucleotide Model of the MiR-21 Pre-Element.

We have used NMR spectroscopy to characterize an oligonucleotide stem loop structure based on the pre-element of an oncogenic microRNA, miR-21. This predicted stem-loop structure is cleaved from the precursor of miR-21 (pre-miR-21) by the nuclease Dicer. It is also a critical feature recognized by the protein complex that converts the primary transcript (pri-miR-21) into the pre-miRNA. The secondary structure of the native sequence is poorly defined by NMR due to rapid exchange of imino protons with solvent; however, replacement of two adjacent putative G•U base pairs with G•C base pairs retains the conformation of the hairpin observed by chemical probing and stabilizes it sufficiently to observe most of the imino proton resonances of the molecule. The observed resonances are consistent with the predicted secondary structure. In addition, a peak due to a loop uridine suggests an interaction between it and a bulged uridine in the stem. Assignment of non-exchangeable proton resonances and characterization of NOEs and coupling constants allows inference of the following features of the structure: extrahelicity of a bulged adenosine, deviation from A-form geometry in a base-paired stem, and consecutive stacking of the adenosines in the 5′ side of the loop, the guanosine of the closing base pair, and a cross-strand adenosine. Modeling of the structure by restrained molecular dynamics suggests a basis for the interaction between the loop uridine, the bulged uridine in the stem, and an A•U base pair in the stem.

The evolution of custom microarray manufacture

Given the enormous size of the genome and that there are potentially many other types of measurements we need to do to understand it, it has become necessary to pick and choose ones targets to measure because it is still impossible to evaluate the entire genome all at once. What has emerged is a need to have rapidly customizable microarrays. There are two dominant methods to accomplish custom microarray synthesis, Affymetrix-like microarrays manufactured using light projection rather than semiconductor-like masks used by Affymetrix to mass manufacture their GeneChip/sup TM/ arrays now, or the ink-jet printing method employed by Agilent. The manufacture of these custom Affymetrix-like microarrays can now be done on a digital optical chemistry (DOC) machine developed at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, and this method offers much higher feature numbers and feature density than is possible with ink-jet printed arrays. On a microarray, each feature contains a single genetic measurement. The initial DOC prototype has been described in several publications, but that has now led to a second-generation machine. This machine reliably produces a number of arrays daily, has been deployed against a number of biomedical questions, is being used in new ways and has also led to a number of spin-off technologies.

A FLASH of insight into cellular chemistry: genetically encoded labels for protein visualization in vivo

Genetically encoded fluorescent labels, such as green fluorescent protein, make it possible to visualize a proteins natural distribution and environment in living cells. A new approach to protein labeling in living cells has been devised in which a small, membrane-permeable ligand binds with high affinity and specificity to a short peptide motif that can be incorporated into the protein of interest; the ligand becomes brightly fluorescent after binding to the peptide.

A simple method to make a membrane with regions of differential permeability

We describe a method of using heat to produce any pattern of differential permeability in commercially available fluid permeable membranes. An aluminum heating block is machined with specific patterns, heated, and placed in contact with a continuous sheet of polypropylene membrane in order to create impermeable regions in the otherwise permeable membrane. The permeability of the membrane to fluid can be altered by this method in any pattern chosen. Such differentially permeable membranes can be used in high-density, multi-well filtration plates for chemical syntheses or biological assays.

Glycan specificity of neuraminidases determined in microarray format

Neuraminidases hydrolytically remove sialic acids from glycoconjugates. Neuraminidases are produced by both humans and their pathogens, and function in normal physiology and in pathological events. Identification of neuraminidase substrates is needed to reveal their mechanism of action, but high-throughput methods to determine glycan specificity of neuraminidases are limited. Here we use two glycan labeling reactions to monitor neuraminidase activity toward glycan substrates. While both periodate oxidation and aniline-catalyzed oxime ligation (PAL) and galactose oxidase and aniline-catalyzed oxime ligation (GAL) can be used to monitor neuraminidase activity toward glycans in microtiter plates, only GAL accurately measured neuraminidase activity toward glycans displayed on a commercial glass slide microarray. Using GAL, we confirm known linkage specificities of three pneumococcal neuraminidases and obtain new information about underlying glycan specificity.