Rapid protein expression analysis with an interferometric biosensor for monitoring protein production

Anal Bioanal Chem. 2007 Mar;387(5):1921-32. doi: 10.1007/s00216-006-1073-2. Epub 2007 Jan 25.

Abstract

The concentration of a recombinantly expressed protein has to be monitored to select optimal expression conditions throughout the protein production process. Today this is usually achieved semiquantitatively with sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis/western blotting or with ELISAs, which are time- and labor-intensive methods. In this paper the applicability of a label-free sensor system based on a Young interferometer is presented as an alternative for the monitoring of recombinant protein production. Once a protein is successfully produced, the interferometric biosensor allows any protein-protein interaction to be characterized in a label-free manner. This is demonstrated with an antibody/antigen pair, where the antibody is directed against a four-amino-acid tag used for protein expression analysis as well as purification during recombinant protein production. Label-free detection of the tagged protein is shown both in buffer and in bacterial cell lysate as a sample matrix. The system exhibiting a low limit of detection, low drift and reliable operation is compared with a commercial surface plasmon resonance sensor and a competitive ELISA.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biosensing Techniques / instrumentation*
  • Biosensing Techniques / methods
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / instrumentation*
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / methods
  • Equipment Design
  • Equipment Failure Analysis
  • Gene Expression Profiling / instrumentation*
  • Gene Expression Profiling / methods
  • Interferometry / instrumentation*
  • Interferometry / methods
  • Recombinant Proteins / analysis*
  • Surface Plasmon Resonance / instrumentation*
  • Surface Plasmon Resonance / methods

Substances

  • Recombinant Proteins