Petri Saviranta

ProteomeBinders: planning a European resource of affinity reagents for analysis of the human proteome

ProteomeBinders is a new European consortium aiming to establish a comprehensive resource of well-characterized affinity reagents, including but not limited to antibodies, for analysis of the human proteome. Given the huge diversity of the proteome, the scale of the project is potentially immense but nevertheless feasible in the context of a pan-European or even worldwide coordination.

A cell spot microarray method for production of high density siRNA transfection microarrays

BackgroundHigh-throughput RNAi screening is widely applied in biological research, but remains expensive, infrastructure-intensive and conversion of many assays to HTS applications in microplate format is not feasible.ResultsHere, we describe the optimization of a miniaturized cell spot microarray (CSMA) method, which facilitates utilization of the transfection microarray technique for disparate RNAi analyses. To promote rapid adaptation of the method, the concept has been tested with a panel of 92 adherent cell types, including primary human cells. We demonstrate the method in the systematic screening of 492 GPCR coding genes for impact on growth and survival of cultured human prostate cancer cells.ConclusionsThe CSMA method facilitates reproducible preparation of highly parallel cell microarrays for large-scale gene knockdown analyses. This will be critical towards expanding the cell based functional genetic screens to include more RNAi constructs, allow combinatorial RNAi analyses, multi-parametric phenotypic readouts or comparative analysis of many different cell types.

Quantitative multianalyte microarray immunoassay utilizing upconverting phosphor technology.

A quantitative multianalyte immunoassay utilizing luminescent upconverting single-crystal nanoparticles as reporters on an antibody array-in-well platform was demonstrated. Upconverting nanoparticles are inorganic rare earth doped materials that have the unique feature of converting low energy infrared radiation into higher energy visible light. Autofluorescence, commonly limiting the sensitivity of fluorescence-based assays, can be completely eliminated with photon upconversion technology because the phenomenon does not occur in biological materials. Biotinylated antibodies for three analytes (prostate specific antigen, thyroid stimulating hormone, and luteinizing hormone) were printed in an array format onto the bottom of streptavidin-coated microtiter wells. Analyte dilutions were added to the wells, and the analytes were detected with antibody-coated upconverting nanoparticles. Binding of the upconverting nanoparticles was imaged with an anti-Stokes photoluminescence microwell imager, and the standard curves for each analyte were quantified from the selected spot areas of the images. Single analyte and reference assays were also carried out to compare with the results of the multianalyte assay. Multiplexing did not have an effect on the assay performance. This study demonstrates the feasibility of upconverting single-crystal nanoparticles for imaging-based detection of quantitative multianalyte assays.

Oligonucleotide array-in-well platform for detection and genotyping human adenoviruses by utilizing upconverting phosphor label technology.

We have developed a robust array-in-well test platform based on an oligonucleotide array, combining advantages of simple instrumentation and new upconverting phosphor reporter technology. Upconverting inorganic lanthanide phosphors have a unique property of photoluminescence emission at visible wavelengths under near-infrared excitation. No autofluorescence is produced from the sample or support material, enabling a highly sensitive assay. In this study, the assay is performed in standard 96-well microtiter plates, making the technique easily adaptable to high-throughput analysis. The oligonucleotide array-in-well assay is employed to detect a selection of ten common adenovirus genotypes causing human infections. The study provides a demonstration of the advantages and potential of the upconverting phosphor-based reporter technology in multianalyte assays and anti-Stokes photoluminescence detection with an anti-Stokes photoluminescence imaging device.

Genotyping of clinically relevant human adenoviruses by array-in-well hybridization assay

n Abstractn n A robust oligonucleotide array-in-well hybridization assay using novel up-converting phosphor reporter technology was applied for genotyping clinically relevant human adenovirus types. A total of 231 adenovirus-positive respiratory, ocular swab, stool and other specimens from 219 patients collected between April 2010 and April 2011 were included in the study. After a real-time PCR amplification targeting the adenovirus hexon gene, the array-in-well assay identified the presence of B03 (n = 122; 57.5% of patients), E04 (29; 13.7%), C02 (21; 9.9%), D37 (14; 6.6%), C01 (12; 5.7%), C05 (5; 2.4%), D19 (4; 1.9%), C06 (2; 0.9%), D08 (1; 0.5%), A31 (1; 0.5%) and F41 (1; 0.5%) genotypes among the clinical sample panel. The typing result was obtained for all specimens that could be amplified (n = 223; 97%), and specificity of the typing was confirmed by sequencing specimens representing each of the different genotypes. No hybridization signal was obtained in adenovirus-negative specimens or specimens with other viruses (n = 30). The array-in-well hybridization assay has great potential as a rapid and multiplex platform for the typing of clinically relevant human adenovirus genotypes in different specimen types.n n

Typing of enteroviruses by use of microwell oligonucleotide arrays.

ABSTRACT We have developed a straightforward assay for the rapid typing of enteroviruses using oligonucleotide arrays in microtiter wells. The viral nucleic acids are concomitantly amplified and labeled during reverse transcription-PCR, and unpurified PCR products are used for hybridization. DNA strands are separated by alkaline denaturation, and hybridization is started by neutralization. The microarray hybridization reactions and the subsequent washes are performed in standard 96-well microtiter plates, which makes the method easily adaptable to high-throughput analysis. We describe here the assay principle and its potential in clinical laboratory use by correctly identifying 10 different enterovirus reference strains. Furthermore, we explore the detection of unknown sequence variants using serotype consensus oligonucleotide probes. With just two consensus probes for the coxsackievirus A9 (CVA9) serotype, we detected 23 out of 25 highly diverse CVA9 isolates. Overall, the assay involves several features aiming at ease of performance, robustness, and applicability to large-scale studies.

Spatio-temporal composition of the mitotic Chromosomal Passenger Complex detected using in situ proximity ligation assay

Cell division is orchestrated by a complex protein network that aims to maintenance of genomic stability. Visualisation of mitotic protein–protein associations in space and time has been limited due to the lack of proper biochemical and easy‐to‐use imaging tools. Here we report adaptation of the in situ proximity ligation assay (is‐PLA) to study mitotic protein interactions with spatio‐temporal resolution. We examined the composition of the Chromosomal Passenger Complex (CPC) at various mitotic phases and after chemical treatments using is‐PLA with antibodies against the core CPC subunits Aurora B, INCENP, Survivin and Borealin. Our results support the notion that the core CPC functions as a single structural unit at centromeres in early mitosis and at central spindle after the onset of anaphase. Treatment of cells with the Aurora B inhibitor ZM447439 diminished the is‐PLA signals at centromeres suggesting that Aurora B activity contributes to structural maintenance and/or proper subcellular localization of the core CPC. Is‐PLA‐based analysis of interaction between INCENP and Polo‐like kinase 1 (Plk1) proposes that the kinase co‐travels with CPC during late mitosis. The data illustrates both the strengths and limitations of the is‐PLA in the analysis of mitotic macromolecule associations at sub‐organelle level.

Array-in-well binding assay for multiparameter screening of phage displayed antibodies

Phage display is a well-established and powerful tool for the development of recombinant antibodies. In a standard phage display selection process using a high quality antibody phage library, a large number of unique antibody clones can be generated in short time. However, the pace of the antibody discovery project eventually depends on the methodologies used in the next screening phase to identify the clones with the most promising binding characteristics e.g., in terms of specificity, affinity and epitope. Here, we report an array-in-well binding assay, a miniaturized and multiplexed immunoassay that integrates the epitope mapping to the evaluation of the binding activity of phage displayed antibody fragments in a single well. The array-in-well assay design used here incorporates a set of partially overlapping 15-mer peptides covering the complete primary sequence of the target antigen, the intact antigen itself and appropriate controls printed as an array with 10×10 layout at the bottom of a well of a 96-well microtiter plate. The streptavidin-coated surface of the well facilitates the immobilization of the biotinylated analytes as well-confined spots. Phage displayed antibody fragments bound to the analyte spots are traced using anti-phage antibody labelled with horseradish peroxidase for tyramide signal amplification based highly sensitive detection. In this study, we generated scFv antibodies against HIV-1 p24 protein using a synthetic antibody phage library, evaluated the binders with array-in-well binding assay and further classified them into epitopic families based on their capacity to recognize linear epitopes. The array-in-well assay enables the integration of epitope mapping to the screening assay for early classification of antibodies with simplicity and speed of a standard ELISA procedure to advance the antibody development projects.

Array-in-well platform-based multiplex assay for the simultaneous detection of anti-HIV- and treponemal-antibodies, and Hepatitis B surface antigen.

Multiplex assays detecting sets of related clinical analytes simultaneously can save considerable amount of time and resources. Array-in-well (AIW) is a powerful platform for the multiplex detection of different analytes where microarrays can be printed at the bottom of microtiter wells, thus combining the potential of microarrays with the ease of handling microtiter wells. We have developed a single-step AIW assay for the simultaneous screening of HIV, Treponema pallidum subspecies pallidum (causing syphilis) and Hepatitis B virus infections targeting the specific detection of anti-HIV- and treponemal-antibodies and Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), respectively, using two different fluorescent label technologies i.e. DyLight 633 and europium nanoparticle. Double-antigen assay formats were used for anti-HIV- and treponemal-antibody detection that can simultaneously detect both IgG and IgM, and thus reduce the window period of detection. AIW assay was evaluated with well characterized serum/plasma samples (n=111), and the qualitative results were in near complete agreement with those of the reference assays. The AIW assay exhibited 100% sensitivities for all three analytes, and 100% specificities for anti-HIV antibodies and HBsAg, and 98.6% specificity for treponemal antibodies. The limit of detection of HBsAg in AIW assay was 0.18 ng/ml. This high performing AIW assay has the potential to be used as a multiplex screening test for these three infections.

Real-time wash-free detection of unlabeled PNA-DNA hybridization using discrete FET sensor

We demonstrate an electrochemical sensor for detection of unlabeled single-stranded DNA using peptide nucleic acid (PNA) probes coupled to the field-effect transistor (FET) gate. The label-freexa0detection relies on the intrinsic charge of the DNA backbone. Similar detection schemes have mainly concentrated on sensitivity improvement with an emphasis on new sensor structures. Our approach focuses on using an extended-gate that separates the FET and the sensing electrodexa0yielding a simple and mass fabricable device. We used PNA probes for efficient hybridization in low salt conditions that is required to avoid the counter ion screening. As a result, significant part of the target DNA lies within the screening length of the sensor. With this, we achieved a wash-free detection wherexa0 typicalxa0gate potential shifts are more than 70u2009mV with 1u2009µM target DNA. We routinely obtained a real-time, label- and wash-free specific detection of target DNA in nanomolar concentration with low-cost electronics and the responses were achieved within minutes after introducing targets to the solution. Furthermore, the results suggest that the sensor performance is limited by specificity rather than by sensitivity and using low-cost electronics does not limit the sensor performance in the presented sensor configuration.