Assay for spermidine synthase activity by micellar electrokinetic chromatography with laser-induced fluorescence detection.

An assay for spermidine synthase (SPDS) activity in rat liver has been developed using micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) with laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) detection to enable the discovery of SPDS inhibitors. The assay was established by estimating the amount of spermidine (SPD) produced from the putrescine (PUT) present by SPDS. The SPD in an enzyme reaction mixture of homogenized rat liver could directly react with 7-fluoro-4-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole (NBD-F) as a fluorescence derivatization reagent.

Assay of collagenase activity for native triple-helical collagen using capillary gel electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection.

Three collagenase assays for two native triple-helical collagens have been developed using capillary gel electrophoresis (CGE) with laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) detection in order to discover the matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) inhibitors. These collagenase assays include measurement of the activities of interstitial collagenase (MMP-1) and neutrophil collagenase (MMP-8) against type I collagen, and collagenase-3 (MMP-13) against type II collagen, and the enzyme activities could be readily measured by determining the 3/4 fragments produced from the cleavage of the native collagens. The highly desired sensitivity of the assays could be achieved, employing a dynamic fluorescence labeling technique with the running buffer containing 0.

Enzyme assay for protein kinase using micellar electrokinetic chromatography with laser-induced fluorescence detection.

Micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) with laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) detection has been developed for a protein kinase assay. This protein kinase assay could readily determine the phosphorylation activity of substrate peptide kemptide using cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) as a model enzyme. Kemptide and phosphorylated kemptide could be reacted with 7-fluoro-4-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole (NBD-F) as a fluorescence derivatization reagent for LIF detection by directly adding NBD-F into the PKA enzymatic reaction mixture.