Detection of Escherichia coli O157:H7 bacteria by a combination of immunofluorescent staining and capillary electrophoresis.

As the number of incidents of bacterial infections continues to rise around the globe, simpler, faster, and more sensitive diagnostic techniques are required to improve the safety of the food supply and to screen for potential bacterial infections in humans. We present here direct and indirect approaches for the detection of bacteria, which are based upon a combination of immunofluorescent staining and capillary electrophoresis. In the direct approach, Escherichia coli O157:H7 bacteria stained with fluorescein-tagged specific antibodies are detected by CE, while in the indirect approach fluorescein-tagged specific antibodies to E.

Critical factors for high-performance physically adsorbed (dynamic) polymeric wall coatings for capillary electrophoresis of DNA.

Physically adsorbed (dynamic) polymeric wall coatings for microchannel electrophoresis have distinct advantages over covalently linked coatings. In order to determine the critical factors that control the formation of dynamic wall coatings, we have created a set of model polymers and copolymers based on N,N-dimethylacrylamide (DMA) and N,N-diethylacrylamide (DEA), and studied their adsorption behavior from aqueous solution as well as their performance for microchannel electrophoresis of DNA. This study is revealing in terms of the polymer properties that help create an "ideal" wall coating.

Optimized sample preparation for tandem capillary electrophoresis single-stranded conformational polymorphism/ heteroduplex analysis.

Here we describe DNA sample preparation methods that allow the rapid, simultaneous generation of both single-stranded conformational polymorphism (SSCP) and heteroduplex DNA elements from a single sample in a single tube, which are suitable for direct injection into a capillary electrophoresis (CE) instrument with excellent sensitivity of genetic mutation detection. The p53 gene was used as a model DNA region for this study, which was performed on a high-throughput MegaBACE 96-capillary array electrophoresis instrument. We found that, contrary to the practice common in slab-gel SSCP analysis, denaturants such as formamide are incompatible with this novel technique because they result in homo- and heteroduplex peak broadening in CE (possibly as a result of incomplete dsDNA re-hybridization) that reduces the peak resolution and hence the sensitivity of mutation detection.

Technical challenges in applying capillary electrophoresis-single strand conformation polymorphism for routine genetic analysis.

Recent and future advances in population genetics will have a significant impact on health care practices and the economics of health care provision only if a spectrum of patient-tailored, effective methods of DNA screening for sequence alterations has been developed. Genetic screening by capillary electrophoresis-single strand conformation polymorphism (CE-SSCP), which is based upon the differences in electrophoretic mobilities of wild-type and mutant DNA species, offers an important complement to other presently available techniques such as Sanger sequencing and DNA hybridization arrays due to its simplicity, versatility, and low cost of analysis. A two-part review of CE-SSCP that discusses its advantages and limitations is presented.

High-throughput, high-sensitivity genetic mutation detection by tandem single-strand conformation polymorphism/heteroduplex analysis capillary array electrophoresis.

We present the first optimization of linear polyacrylamide (LPA)-based DNA separation matrixes for an automated tandem microchannel single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP)/heteroduplex analysis (HA) method, implemented in capillary arrays dynamically coated with poly(N-hydroxyethylacrylamide) (polyDuramide). An optimized protocol for sample preparation allowed both SSCP and HA species to be produced in one step in a single tube and distinguished in a single electrophoretic analysis. A simple, two-color fluorescent sample labeling and detection strategy enabled unambiguous identification of all DNA species in the electropherogram, both single- and double-stranded.

Metal Complexes of Mesitylphosphine: Synthesis, Structure, and Spectroscopy.

A series of primary phosphine homoleptic complexes [ML(4)](n)()(+)X(n)() (1, M = Ni, n = 0; 2, M = Pd, n = 2, X = BF(4); 3, M = Cu, n = 1, X = PF(6); 4, M = Ag, n = 1, X = BF(4); L = PH(2)Mes, Mes = 2,4,6-Me(3)C(6)H(2)] was prepared from mesitylphosphine and Ni(COD)(2), [Pd(NCMe)(4)][BF(4)](2), [Cu(NCMe)(4)]PF(6), and AgBF(4), respectively. Reactions of 1-4 with MeC(CH(2)PPh(2))(3) (triphos) or [P(CH(2)CH(2)PPh(2))(3)] (tetraphos) afforded the derivatives [M(L')L](n)()(+)X(n)() (L' = triphos; 6, M = Ni, n = 0; 7, M = Cu, n = 1, X = PF(6); 8, M = Ag, n = 1, X = BF(4); L' = tetraphos; 9, M = Pd, n = 2, X = BF(4)). Addition of NOBF(4) to 1 yielded the nitrosyl compound [NiL(3)(NO)]BF(4), 5.

Synthesis and Ligand Substitution Reactions of a Mesitylphosphido-Bridged Platinum(II) Dimer.

The stable primary phosphine complexes trans-M(PH(2)Mes)(2)Cl(2) (1, M = Pd; 2, M = Pt; Mes = 2,4,6-(t-Bu)(3)C(6)H(2)) were prepared from Pd(PhCN)(2)Cl(2) and K(2)PtCl(4), respectively. Reaction of Pt(COD)Cl(2) (COD = 1,5-cyclooctadiene) with less bulky arylphosphines gives the unstable cis-Pt(PH(2)Ar)(2)Cl(2) (3, Ar = Is = 2,4,6-(i-Pr)(3)C(6)H(2); 4, Ar = Mes = 2,4,6-Me(3)C(6)H(2)). Spontaneous dehydrochlorination of 4 or direct reaction of K(2)PtCl(4) with 2 equiv of PH(2)Mes gives the insoluble primary phosphido-bridged dimer [Pt(PH(2)Mes)(&mgr;-PHMes)Cl](2) (5), which was characterized spectroscopically, including solid-state (31)P NMR studies.