Isolation of a mutant auxotrophic for L-alanine and identification of three major aminotransferases that synthesize L-alanine in Escherichia coli.

For Escherichia coli, it has been assumed that L-alanine is synthesized by alanine-valine transaminase (AvtA) in conjunction with an unknown alanine aminotransferase(s). We isolated alanine auxotrophs from a prototrophic double mutant deficient in AvtA and YfbQ, a novel alanine aminotransferase, by chemical mutagenesis. A shotgun cloning experiment identified two genes, uncharacterized yfdZ and serC, that complemented the alanine auxotrophy.

Reporter gene expression at single-cell level characterized with real-time RT-PCR, chemiluminescence, fluorescence, and electrochemical imaging.

mRNA from single cells was quantified using real-time RT-PCR after recording the address and reporter protein activity with chemiluminescence, fluorescence, and electrochemical techniques, using luciferase, green fluorescent protein, and secreted alkaline phosphatase. mRNA copy number ranging from below 10(3) to 10(7) in single cells showed a lognormal distribution for both externally introduced reporter genes and internally expressed genes. The fluctuation in the gene expression decreased with the increase of the number of cells picked but did not decrease with the increase of mRNA copy number per cell.

Transfected single-cell imaging by scanning electrochemical optical microscopy with shear force feedback regulation.

Gene-transfected single HeLa cells were characterized using a scanning electrochemical/optical microscope (SECM/OM) system with shear-force-based probe-sample distance regulation to simultaneously capture electrochemical, fluorescent, and topographic images. The outer and inner states of single living cells were obtained as electrochemical and fluorescent signals, respectively, by using an optical fiber-nanoelectrode probe. A focused ion beam (FIB) was used to mill the optical aperture and the ring electrode at the probe apex (the inner and outer radii of the ring electrode were 37 and 112 nm, respectively).

Electrochemical single-cell gene-expression assay combining dielectrophoretic manipulation with secreted alkaline phosphatase reporter system.

Scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) was used for the analysis of single-cell gene-expression signals on the basis of a reporter system. We microfabricated a single-cell array on an Indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode comprising 4 x 4 SU-8 microwells with a diameter of 30microm and a depth of 25microm. HeLa cells transfected with plasmid vectors encoding the secreted alkaline phosphatase (SEAP) were seeded in the microwell at a concentration of 1 cell per well by positive-dielectrophoresis (pDEP).

Entrapment and measurement of a biologically functionalized microbead with a microwell electrode.

A chip with integrated electrophoretic and electrochemical systems was developed to manipulate either an individual microbead or a cell inside a microwell electrode (MWE) for electrochemical measurement. The optimal MWE geometry (30 microm diameter and 25 microm depth) was designed to accommodate the micro particles according to the simulated results. A chip device was sequentially built from a slide patterned with Pt electrodes, an adhesive tape defined with a flow channel (200 microm in width and 25 microm in height), and an indium tin oxide (ITO) cover.

Development of electrochemical reporter assay using HeLa cells transfected with vector plasmids encoding various responsive elements.

Electrochemical assay using HeLa cell lines transfected with various plasmid vectors encoding SEAP (secreted alkaline phosphatase) as the reporter has been performed by using SECM (scanning electrochemical microscopy). The plasmid vector contains different responsive elements that include GRE (glucocorticoid response elements), CRE (cAMP responsive elements), or kappaB (binding site for NFkappaB (nuclear factor kappa B)) upstream of the SEAP sequence. The transfected HeLa cells were patterned on a culture dish in a 4x4 array of circles of diameter 300 microm by using the PDMS (poly(dimethylsiloxane)) stencil technique.

Electrochemical gene-function analysis for single cells with addressable microelectrode/microwell arrays.

To each his own: An addressable electrochemical device consisting of orthogonally arranged rows and columns of electrodes has been constructed to monitor protein expression in genetically engineered cells at the single-cell level. The response based on redox cycling reflected the different expression levels of the enzyme from individual HeLa cells transfected with a plasmid vector including secreted alkaline phosphatase.