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A Toby A Jenkins

Publications and source records attributed to A Toby A Jenkins.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Fluorophore-encapsulated solid-supported bilayer vesicles: a method for studying membrane permeation processes.

This letter describes a new method for studying the interaction of the membrane-lysing enzyme phospholipase A(2) (PLA(2)) with phospholipid bilayers by simultaneous measurements of enzyme binding and vesicle lysis using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and permeabilization using surface plasmon field-enhanced fluorescence spectroscopy (SPFS). The PLA(2) inhibitor dimethyl-eicosadienoic acid was incorporated into the surface-bound vesicles and support bilayer in order to study its role in preventing PLA(2)-mediated vesicle lysis. This methodology has a generic applicability for the study of a range of membrane-disrupting agents.

Fatty Acids, Unsaturated↗
PubMed2005

Control of attachment of bovine serum albumin to pulse plasma-polymerized maleic anhydride by variation of pulse conditions.

This letter describes how the irreversible attachment of bovine serum albumin (BSA) to films of plasma-polymerized maleic anhydride can be measured by an indirect antibody-binding assay and how this attachment appears to be strongly affected by the polymerization conditions. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) was used to follow the binding of the antibody, anti-bovine serum albumin (aBSA), to protein-modified plasma-polymerized maleic anhydride films. It was found that BSA could be irreversibly bound to polymers made under pulse plasma conditions, but BSA did not bind to polymers made under continuous wave conditions. Moreover, the degree of antibody binding, which is directly related to the quantity of BSA on the polymer, correlated with the plasma duty cycle (t(on)/t(on) + t(off)): lower duty cycle pulse plasma conditions gave greater BSA attachment. We speculate that BSA is being covalently bound to the polymer via the reaction of amine groups on lysine residues in BSA with the retained anhydride group functionality in the polymer.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Surface plasmon resonance shows that type IV pili are important in surface attachment by Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Type IV pili have been shown to play a role in the early stages of bacterial biofilm formation, but not in initial bacterial attachment. Here, using the surface analytical technique, surface plasmon resonance (SPR), we follow the attachment of the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa in real time. In contrast to previous studies, we show that type IV pili mutants are defective in attachment. Both mutants lacking pili (pilA), and those possessing an overabundance of pili (pilT), showed reduced SPR measured attachment compared with the wild-type PAO1 strain. Both pil mutants also showed reduced pathogenicity in a model insect host, as measured by percentage mortality after 24h. SPR revealed differences in the kinetics of attachment between pilA and pilT, differences obscured by endpoint assays using crystal violet stain. These results highlight the power of SPR in monitoring bacterial attachment in real time and also demonstrate an additional role for type IV pili beyond bacterial aggregation and micro-colony formation.

Fimbriae, Bacterial↗
PubMed2005

Methoxy-resorufin ether as an electrochemically active biological probe for cytochrome P450 O-demethylation.

This paper describes the utilisation of methoxy-resorufin ether as an electrochemical probe for studying cytochrome P450 CYP6G1. Methoxy-resorufin ether is well established as a versatile substrate for cytochrome P450, as its demethylated product, resorufin, is a fluorophore. We show that in addition to these established properties, methoxy-resorufin ether also exhibits reversible two electron transfer on glassy carbon and edge plane graphite electrodes. Cyclic voltammetry measurements and differential pulse voltammetry measurements show that methoxy-resorufin ether can be easily detected at low concentrations (down to 200 nM) in a conventional three electrode electrochemical cell. These properties of methoxy-resorufin ether mean that it could be used as an electrochemical probe, to follow the rate of its demethylation by CYP6G1. We show that electrochemical measurements could discriminate between the enzyme activity of protein microsomes taken from two strains of Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly).

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Surface plasmon fluorescence measurements of human chorionic gonadotrophin: role of antibody orientation in obtaining enhanced sensitivity and limit of detection.

This paper describes the determination of limits of detection (LODs) of interactions between an antigen, human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG), and antibodies, anti-alpha-hCG and anti-beta-hCG, using a sandwich assay by surface plasmon field-enhanced fluorescence spectroscopy (SPFS). Randomly biotinylated antibodies were adsorbed onto a structured self-assembled monolayer (SAM)-streptavidin matrix, tethered to gold via a SAM consisting of biotinylated thiol molecules interspersed with hydroxyalkanethiol molecules. The influence of the concentration of biotinylated thiol on the binding of biotinylated antibody and its functionality, in terms of its ability to bind to the hCG antigen, was studied. This allowed determination of the optimum biotin-thiol mole fraction in the mixed thiol solution and consequently in the SAM, to maximize binding of hCG of the streptavidin-bound antibody. SPFS studies of the binding of a secondary fluorescently labeled antibody to hCG immobilized on the optimized SAM-streptavidin-antibody layer showed that a LOD of hCG of 2 mIU mL(-1) (4 x 10(-12) mol L(-1)) could be realized. The system was further optimized by using a more oriented and organized surface by adsorbing monobiotinylated Fab-hCG in place of the whole antibody. A LOD of 0.3 mIU mL(-1) (6 x 10(-13) mol L(-1)) was achieved for this system. This work illustrates the importance of antibody orientation, both on the planar surface and in terms of position of binding site, in maximizing sensor sensitivity.

Antibodies↗
PubMed2004

An electrochemical study of enzymatic oligonucleotide digestion.

This paper describes the synthesis and application of a novel ferrocene (Fc) label that can be efficiently attached to oligonucleotides. We demonstrate how pulse electrochemical methods can be used to measure very low concentrations of ferrocene label and, importantly, show good electroanalytical discrimination between a labelled oligonucleotide and an enzyme digested labelled oligonucleotide, in which the ferrocene label nucleotide conjugate has been released. Real time in situ analysis gives a much greater understanding of the process. Potential applications include the detection of specific nucleic acid sequences and measurement of nuclease activity.

Biosensing Techniques↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Study of the attachment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa on gold and modified gold surfaces using surface plasmon resonance.

This paper describes how the technique of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) can be utilized to follow (in real time) the attachment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria on bare gold and gold modified with a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of mercaptounadecanoic acid. We show that SPR is able to discriminate between the adsorption of live versus dead (thermally shocked) bacteria. Moreover, the SPR distinguishes between the adsorption of wild-type versus mutant bacteria (single gene knockouts), the concentration of the bacterial suspension, and between bacteria adsorbing on SAM-modified and bare gold. SPR is able to measure bacterial adsorption within seconds of the bacterial suspension being introduced. Finally, a qualitative correlation between results from SPR with a crystal violet staining assay for different mutant bacteria was observed.

Bacterial Adhesion↗