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Juan Astorga-Wells

Publications and source records attributed to Juan Astorga-Wells.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

Microfluidic electrocapture for separation of peptides.

A separation method based on electroimmobilization and sequential release of captured molecules is reported. A microfluidic electrocapture device is utilized to immobilize peptides in a microflow stream. After capture, the electric field is decreased in a stepwise manner, causing sequential release of the captured peptides according to their electrophoretic mobility. Tryptic peptides were separated and analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry. The separation power was high enough to increase the ionization yield of several peptides not seen in the unprocessed sample. In addition to separation, simultaneous sample cleanup was demonstrated for peptides obtained by shotgun tryptic digestion of membrane protein extracts.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Multistep microreactions with proteins using electrocapture technology.

A method to perform multistep reactions by means of electroimmobilization of a target molecule in a microflow stream is presented. A target protein is captured by the opposing effects between the hydrodynamic and electric forces, after which another medium is injected into the system. The second medium carries enzymes or other reagents, which are brought into contact with the target protein and react. The immobilization is reversed by disconnecting the electric field, upon which products are collected at the outlet of the device for analysis. On-line reduction, alkylation, and trypsin digestion of proteins is demonstrated and was monitored by MALDI mass spectrometry.

Animals↗

Fluidic preconcentrator device for capillary electrophoresis of proteins.

A new preconcentration device was developed for analysis of proteins by capillary electrophoresis (CE). The microfluidic device uses an electric field to capture proteins that pass through the system. The capture zone is maintained in the flow stream by the interaction between hydrodynamic and electrical forces. The device consists of a flow channel made of PEEK tubing with two electrical junctions, each of which is covered with a conductive membrane. A syringe pump provides the flow stream and also allows the injection of up to 13.5 microL of a dilute sample. The system can be easily connected to a CE device postcapture for off-line preconcentration of proteins. For the proteins used in this study, preconcentration factors up to 40-fold can be achieved. CE detection limits for bovine carbonic anhydrase, alpha-lactalbumin and beta-lactoglobulins A and B were in the nanomolar range using UV detection at 200 nm. Preconcentration is dependent on both time and initial protein concentration. We show the possibility of using an off-line fluidic preconcentrator device employing counterflow capillary electrophoresis with minimum sample manipulation, achieving detection limits similar to on-line approaches.

Animals↗

A microfluidic electrocapture device in sample preparation for protein analysis by MALDI mass spectrometry.

The design and operation of a microfluidic device for sample preparation in MALDI mass spectrometry of peptides and proteins is described. It is particularly useful for proteomics applications and for mass determination of proteins in salt- and detergent-containing solutions. The system consists of a flow channel with two conductive areas or electrical junctions where proteins and peptides are retained by means of an electric field. The microfluidic device is made of PEEK tubing, and the junctions are covered with a conductive polymeric membrane. A syringe pump connected to the device produces a flow stream, and injection of sample is carried out manually via hydrodynamic pressure. Proteolytic peptides and intact proteins in salt- and detergent-containing acidic media were captured at the cathode junction followed by exchange of the original solution to a solvent suitable for subsequent mass spectrometry. Using this principle, a significant desalting effect was obtained for tryptic peptides in mass-mapping experiments. Protein sequence coverages were high (up to 40%) at subpicomole levels with results better than those obtained using reversed-phase solid-phase extraction. In contrast to the latter technique, the microfluidic device has the capacity to efficiently remove detergents such as CHAPS before peptide mapping and protein analysis.

Animals↗