Bioanalytical chemistry articles within Nature Communications

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  • Article
    | Open Access

    Simultaneously quantifying mitochondrial Cu+ and Cu2+ levels is vital for understanding the molecular mechanism of mitochondria-related biological events. Here the authors report an alkynyl-labeled SERS probe to simultaneously monitor free Cu+ and Cu2+ in mitochondria, and unveil their roles during ischemia and cuproptosis processes.

    • Sihan Zhang
    • , Yuxiao Mei
    •  & Yang Tian

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Manual data mining for HDX-MS restricts the use of this biophysical technique to a small number of samples run by specialty labs. Enabled by data-independent acquisition methodology, the authors describe an approach that fully automates and standardizes the information extraction process, opening the door to new and challenging applications.

    • Frantisek Filandr
    • , Vladimir Sarpe
    •  & David C. Schriemer

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Natural herbs, which contain pharmacologically active compounds, have been historically used as medicines but the analysis of their chemical components is time-consuming and complex. Here, the authors report a phenylboronic acid appended Mycobacterium smegmatis porin A (MspA) nanopore for sensing a variety of bioactive compounds based on salvianolic acid, without the need for sample separation or purification.

    • Pingping Fan
    • , Shanyu Zhang
    •  & Shuo Huang

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Fruits contain a large variety of cis-diols but their rapid and direct analysis without complex sample pretreatment was not achieved. Here, the authors report a Mycobacterium smegmatis porin A nanopore modified with a phenylboronic acid adapter for recognition of 1,2-diphenols, alditols, α-hydroxy acids and saccharides in fruits.

    • Pingping Fan
    • , Zhenyuan Cao
    •  & Shuo Huang

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Integrated structural data show that the MAP7 microtubule binding domain stabilizes the microtubule lattice through binding along protofilaments. Both strong and weak interactions between MAP7 and the lattice extend beyond a single tubulin dimer and include the tubulin C-terminal tails.

    • Agnes Adler
    • , Mamata Bangera
    •  & Marc Baldus

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Protein corona is crucial for the safety and efficacy of nanomedicines, and the protein composition of the corona layer is typically analysed using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Here the authors report that the use of a uniform database search provides an opportunity for taking measures in good practice and quality control in protein corona research using mass spectroscopy technique.

    • Hassan Gharibi
    • , Ali Akbar Ashkarran
    •  & Morteza Mahmoudi

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The binding of small molecules to the double stranded DNA may significantly alter its stability and functionality, which is the basis for many therapeutic and sensing applications. Here, the authors report that DNA binders can be used to program reaction pathways of a dynamic DNA reaction, where DNA strand displacement can be tuned quantitatively according to the affinity, charge, and concentrations of a given DNA binder.

    • Junpeng Xu
    • , Guan Alex Wang
    •  & Feng Li

  • Article
    | Open Access

    It remains challenging to gauge the gas-phase structure of biomolecular ions and assess to what extent native-like structures are maintained. Here, the authors utilize Förster resonance energy transfer and ion mobility spectrometry for more stringent structural characterization of biomolecular ions.

    • Ri Wu
    • , Jonas B. Metternich
    •  & Renato Zenobi

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The structural complexity of glycans seriously challenges the currently available analytical methods. Here, the authors report the identification of glycan isomers, glycans with varying chain lengths, and distinct branched glycans, via a glycan derivatization strategy and nanopore sensing.

    • Minmin Li
    • , Yuting Xiong
    •  & Guangyan Qing

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Simple methods for attaching polynucleotides to gold nanoparticles are of interest for simplifying conjugation in a range of applications. Here, the authors report a microwave heating-based method for the fast, one-step attachment of a range of thiolated or non-thiolated DNA and RNA to gold nanoparticles.

    • Mengqi Huang
    • , Erhu Xiong
    •  & Xiaoming Zhou

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Patients with pancreatic cancer have a poor prognosis, more research is required to identify the disease at an earlier stage. Here, the authors use lipid profiles of blood samples and show that they can distinguish patients with pancreatic cancer from healthy controls.

    • Denise Wolrab
    • , Robert Jirásko
    •  & Michal Holčapek

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Monitoring single molecule chemical reactions can be difficult and nanopore based strategies which have shown promise are technically challenging. Here, the authors report on a technique which allows for the direct observation of different reactions and demonstrate the ability to distinguish clinically relevant analogues.

    • Wendong Jia
    • , Chengzhen Hu
    •  & Shuo Huang

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Ligand-oligonucleotide interactions can integrate both small molecules and proteins into nucleic acid-based circuits. Here the authors design ligand-aptamer complexes to control strand-displacement reactions for versatile ligand transduction.

    • Qiu-Long Zhang
    • , Liang-Liang Wang
    •  & Liang Xu

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Many current immunoassays require multiple washing, incubation and optimization steps. Here the authors present Ratiometric Plug-and-Play Immunodiagnostics (RAPPID), a generic assay platform that uses ratiometric bioluminescent detection to allow sandwich immunoassays to be performed directly in solution.

    • Yan Ni
    • , Bas J. H. M. Rosier
    •  & Maarten Merkx

  • Article
    | Open Access

    SERS assays have potential for multiplexed detection of biomarkers but differentiation of SERS tags remains a challenge. Here, the authors report the creation of 14 distinct geometrically controlled metal carbonyl tags and demonstrate multiplexed detection of nasopharyngeal carcinoma biomarkers from patient blood.

    • Duo Lin
    • , Chang-Lin Hsieh
    •  & Kien Voon Kong

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Analyzing the lipidomes of single cells remains a challenge. Here, the authors present a strategy to identify class, fatty acyl-chain, C=C locations and sn-positions of lipids in single cells, and use their method to identify individual gefitinib-resistant cells in a wild-type lung cancer cell population.

    • Zishuai Li
    • , Simin Cheng
    •  & Zheng Ouyang

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Investigation of spatial organization and relationships of biomolecules in cellular nanoenvironments is necessary to understand essential biological processes, but methodologically challenging. Here, the authors report cellular macromolecules-tethered DNA walking indexing (Cell-TALKING) to probe the nanoenvironments of DNA modifications around histone post-translational modifications, and explore the nanoenvironments in different cancer cell lines and clinical specimens.

    • Feng Chen
    • , Min Bai
    •  & Yongxi Zhao

  • Article
    | Open Access

    It is currently challenging to identify protein structures at low concentrations. Here the authors report optical tweezers-coupled Raman spectroscopy to generate tunable and reproducible SERS enhancements with single-molecule level sensitivity and use the method to detect protein structural features.

    • Xin Dai
    • , Wenhao Fu
    •  & Jinqing Huang

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Myo-Inositol phosphates (InsPs) and pyrophosphates (PP-InsPs) are important second messengers but their analysis remains challenging. Here, the authors develop a capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry method for the identification and quantitation of InsP and PP-InsP isomers in cells and tissues.

    • Danye Qiu
    • , Miranda S. Wilson
    •  & Henning J. Jessen

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Membrane-less organelles or compartments are considered to be dynamic reaction centers for spatiotemporal control of diverse cellular processes. Here authors report quantitative measurements of changes in protein interactions for the proteins recruited into membrane-less compartments (termed client proteins) in living cells.

    • Daesun Song
    • , Yongsang Jo
    •  & Yongwon Jung

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Native mass spectrometry allows monitoring the folding and interactions of multiple coexisting species but its temporal resolution is traditionally limited. Here, the authors develop a temperature-jump electrospray source for mass spectrometry that enables fast kinetics experiments at different temperatures.

    • Adrien Marchand
    • , Martin F. Czar
    •  & Renato Zenobi

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Coupling photochemical derivatization with tandem mass spectrometry enables C=C-isomer resolved lipidomics. Here, the authors further develop this approach into a shotgun lipidomics workflow that allows simultaneous characterization of lipid C=C locations and sn-positions in complex biological samples.

    • Wenbo Cao
    • , Simin Cheng
    •  & Xiaoxiao Ma

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Trapped ion mobility (TIMS)-mass spectrometry with parallel accumulation-serial fragmentation (PASEF) facilitates high-sensitivity proteomics experiments. Here, the authors expand TIMS and PASEF to small molecules and demonstrate fast and comprehensive lipidomics of low biological sample amounts.

    • Catherine G. Vasilopoulou
    • , Karolina Sulek
    •  & Florian Meier

  • Comment
    | Open Access

    John Fenn’s electrospray mass spectrometry (ESMS) was awarded the chemistry Nobel Prize in 2002 and is now the basis of the entire field of MS-based proteomics. Technological progress continues unabated, enabling single cell sensitivity and clinical applications.

    • Matthias Mann

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Nanopore detection of small molecules can be improved using molecular carriers, but separating a small analyte from the carrier signal can be challenging. Here the authors address this challenge using simultaneous electrical and optical readout in nanopore sensing to detect small molecules and quantify binding affinities.

    • Shenglin Cai
    • , Jasmine Y. Y. Sze
    •  & Joshua B. Edel

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Dissolution-dynamic nuclear polarization is able to enhance nuclear magnetic resonance signals, but requires complex procedures to generate hyperpolarized nuclear spins. Here the authors establish a fast and facile method to transfer hyperpolarized samples into the liquid solution where the measurement is performed.

    • Karel Kouřil
    • , Hana Kouřilová
    •  & Benno Meier

  • Article
    | Open Access

    DNA hydrogels have received considerable attention in analytical science but limitations still exist in the applications of intelligent hydrogels. Here, the authors describe a DNA hydrogel sensor for quantitative detection of cocaine based on the permeability change in a DNA hydrogel film.

    • Yansheng Li
    • , Yanli Ma
    •  & Yongqiang Wen

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The biological functions of lipids critically depend on their highly diverse molecular structures. Here, the authors determine the mass-resolved collision cross sections of 456 sphingolipid and glycerophospholipid species, providing a reference for future structural lipidomics studies.

    • Katrina L. Leaptrot
    • , Jody C. May
    •  & John A. McLean

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Electrochromic technology has diverse cutting-edge applications, but it has never been used to overcome the critical problems in the field of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). Here, the authors demonstrate a generic electrochromic strategy for ensuring the reproducibility and renewability of SERS substrates.

    • Shan Cong
    • , Zhen Wang
    •  & Zhigang Zhao

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Label-free molecular-level quantification of MicroRNA (miRNA) remains challenging. Here, the authors develop a new surface plasmon resonance sensor based on two-dimensional nanomaterial of antimonene for the specific label-free detection of clinically relevant biomarkers such as miRNA-21 and miRNA-155.

    • Tianyu Xue
    • , Weiyuan Liang
    •  & Qiaoliang Bao

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The design and application of a liquid interfacial plasmonic platform promises for practical applications of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). Here, the authors report a reversible chloroform/water encasing strategy to self-assemble metal liquid-like 3D gold nanorod arrays with attractive SERS capability.

    • Li Tian
    • , Mengke Su
    •  & Weihong Tan

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The complexity of polysaccharides significantly complicates their analysis in comparison to other biopolymers. Here, the authors demonstrate that solid-state silicon nitride nanopore sensors can be used to reliably detect native polysaccharides and to perform a simple quality assurance assay on a polysaccharide therapeutic, heparin.

    • Buddini Iroshika Karawdeniya
    • , Y. M. Nuwan D. Y. Bandara
    •  & Jason R. Dwyer

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Chemically synthesized DNA oligonucleotides (oligos) require purification to remove truncated species. Here, the authors developed a high-throughput method for oligo purification that also normalises the concentrations of the oligos in the final samples.

    • Alessandro Pinto
    • , Sherry X. Chen
    •  & David Yu Zhang

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Photobiodevices use photosynthetic proteins such as those of the photosystem 1 (PS1) to enable light-induced charge separation, but they suffer from limited long-term stability. Here authors employ scanning photoelectrochemical microscopy on a PS1 biocathode and find that several pathways generate oxygen radicals.

    • Fangyuan Zhao
    • , Steffen Hardt
    •  & Felipe Conzuelo

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