Development of specific l-methionine sensors by FRET-based protein engineering.

Amino acids are essential nutrients that are not only used as protein building blocks but are also involved in various biochemical processes and in the development of human diseases. Quantitative analysis of amino acids in complex biological samples is an important analytical process used for understanding amino acid biochemistry and diagnosis of human diseases. In this study, a protein sensor based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) was designed for the quantitative analysis of l-Met, in which a fluorescent unnatural amino acid (CouA) and YFP were used as a FRET pair.

The TFG-TEC fusion gene created by the t(3;9) translocation in human extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcomas encodes a more potent transcriptional activator than TEC.

The t(3;9)(q11-q12;q22) translocation associated with human extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcomas results in a chimeric molecule in which the N-terminal domain (NTD) of the TFG (TRK-fused gene) is fused to the TEC (Translocated in Extraskeletal Chondrosarcoma) gene. Little is known about the biological function of TFG-TEC. Because the NTDs of TFG-TEC and TEC are structurally different, and the TFG itself is a cytoplasmic protein, the functional consequences of this fusion in extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcomas were examined.

Detection of beta-amyloid (1-42) on protein array based on electrical detection technique using scanning tunneling microscopy.

In this study an immuno-array for Abeta42 based on scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) was developed using conjugated gold nanoparticle (Au-NP) and antibody (Ab) complex. Fragmented monoclonal Ab against Abeta42 was allowed to immobilize on the Au-dot arrays followed by its target protein Abeta42 and Au NP and Ab complex. The surface structure of Au-NP and Ab complex on Au-dots was investigated with Atomic Force Microscopy and the current profile of fabricated immunosensing element was investigated with STM.

Linkage-nondestructive surface migration of zeolite microcrystals during monolayer assembly on glass through ionic linkages.

Monolayers of zeolite microcrystals were prepared on glass plates with three different types of linkage between zeolite crystals and the substrate, namely, (a) covalent, (b) ionic, and (c) poly electrolyte-mediated ionic linkages using sonication with stacking (SS) as the method. The required periods for the coverage to reach 100% were 2, 3, and 7 min, respectively, upon changing the linkage from (a) to (b) and to (c), respectively, indicating that the surface migration becomes slower as the binding strength increases. The coverage, binding strength, and degree of close packing gradually decreased with reaction time with (a) as the linkage while those with (b) and (c) as the linkages remain essentially unaltered.

Study of the magnetic phase of Fe-Pt alloy nanoparticles.

High temperature solution phase decomposition of Fe(CO)5 and reduction of Pt(acac)2 in the presence of stabilizers of oleic acid and oleyl amine are employed to produce Fe(1-x)Pt(x) alloy nanoparticles. The Fe and Pt composition of the nanosized materials can be tuned by adjusting the molar ratio of Fe(CO)5 to Pt(acac)2, and the compositions ranging from Fe40Pt60 to Fe80Pt20 are obtained. This study is to investigate the influence of the composition on Curie temperature (Tc) of Fe(1-x)Pt(x) nanoparticles monitored by thermomagnetic analysis (TMA).