We thank the Australian Research Council (ARC) for ARC Future Fellowship (FT120100101) and ARC Centre of Excellence CE140100036) grants to P.T. and the Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre at UNSW for access to mass spectrometry and NMR facilities.

Note: The following protocol is designed for the synthesis of a protein-dye bioconjugate as shown in Figure 1. It is a general protocol for the reaction of a maleimide with free surface cysteine containing proteins, with notes inserted where applicable to assist with membrane protein bioconjugates, protein-polymer bioconjugates, and synthetic protein dimer (protein-protein) bioconjugates. In this particular case, the protein iso-1 cytochrome c has one surface cysteine residue available to react which allows a highly...

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Chem. 16, 113-121 (2005).</li><li>Hvasanov, D., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=One-Pot+Synthesis+of+High+Molecular+Weight+Synthetic+Heteroprotein+Dimers+Driven+by+Charge+Complementarity+Electrostatic+Interactions.">One-Pot Synthesis of High Molecular Weight Synthetic Heteroprotein Dimers Driven by Charge Complementarity Electrostatic Interactions.</a> J. Org. Chem. 79, 9594-9602 (2014).</li><li>Thordarson, P., Le Droumaguet, B., Velonia, K. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Well-defined+protein-polymer+conjugates--synthesis+and+potential+applications.">Well-defined protein-polymer conjugates--synthesis and potential applications.</a> Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 73, 243-254 (2006).</li><li>Lutz, J. F., B&#246;rner, H. G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Modern+trends+in+polymer+bioconjugates+design.">Modern trends in polymer bioconjugates design.</a> Prog. Polym. Sci. 33, 1-39 (2008).</li><li>Nicolas, J., Mura, S., Brambilla, D., Mackiewicz, N., Couvreur, P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Design,+functionalization+strategies+and+biomedical+applications+of+targeted+biodegradable/biocompatible+polymer-based+nanocarriers+for+drug+delivery.">Design, functionalization strategies and biomedical applications of targeted biodegradable/biocompatible polymer-based nanocarriers for drug delivery.</a> Chem. Soc. Rev. 42, 1147-1235 (2013).</li><li>Wong, C. 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M., Perozo, E., Laskey, A., Karlin, A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Reactions+of+cysteines+substituted+in+the+amphipathic+N-terminal+tail+of+a+bacterial+potassium+channel+with+hydrophilic+and+hydrophobic+maleimides.">Reactions of cysteines substituted in the amphipathic N-terminal tail of a bacterial potassium channel with hydrophilic and hydrophobic maleimides.</a> Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 99 (18), 11605-11610 (2002).</li><li>Peterson, J. R., Smith, T. A., Thordarson, P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Synthesis+and+room+temperature+photo-induced+electron+transfer+in+biologically+active+bis(terpyridine)ruthenium(II)-cytochrome+c+bioconjugates+and+the+effect+of+solvents+on+the+bioconjugation+of+cytochrome+c.">Synthesis and room temperature photo-induced electron transfer in biologically active bis(terpyridine)ruthenium(II)-cytochrome c bioconjugates and the effect of solvents on the bioconjugation of cytochrome c.</a> Org. Biomol. Chem. 8, 151-162 (2010).</li><li>Borges, C. R., Sherma, N. D. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Techniques+for+the+Analysis+of+Cysteine+Sulfhydryls+and+Oxidative+Protein+Folding.">Techniques for the Analysis of Cysteine Sulfhydryls and Oxidative Protein Folding.</a> Antioxid. Redox Signal. 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Chem. 11 (28), 4602-4612 (2013).</li><li>Signor, L., Boeri Erba, E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Matrix-assisted+Laser+Desorption/Ionization+Time+of+Flight+(MALDI-TOF)+Mass+Spectrometric+Analysis+of+Intact+Proteins+Larger+than+100+kDa.">Matrix-assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time of Flight (MALDI-TOF) Mass Spectrometric Analysis of Intact Proteins Larger than 100 kDa.</a> J. Vis. Exp. , e50635 (2013).</li><li>Foucher, M., Verdi&#232;re, J., Lederer, F., Slonimski, P. P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=On+the+presence+of+a+non-trimethylated+iso-1+cytochrome+c+in+a+wild-type+strain+of+Saccharomyces+cerevisiae).">On the presence of a non-trimethylated iso-1 cytochrome c in a wild-type strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae).</a> Eur. J. Biochem. 31, 139-143 (1972).</li><li>M&#252;ller, M., Azzi, A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Selective+labeling+of+beef+heart+cytochrome+oxidase+subunit+III+with+eosin-5-maleimide.">Selective labeling of beef heart cytochrome oxidase subunit III with eosin-5-maleimide.</a> FEBS Lett. 184 (1), 110-114 (1985).</li><li>Shen, B. Q., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Conjugation+site+modulates+the+in+vivo+stability+and+therapeutic+activity+of+antibody-drug+conjugates.">Conjugation site modulates the in vivo stability and therapeutic activity of antibody-drug conjugates.</a> Nat. Biotechnol. 30 (2), 184-189 (2012).</li></ol>

The authors have nothing to disclose.

Purification of the starting materials before a bioconjugation is of utmost importance. Proteins obtained from commercial recombinant sources often contain other isoforms of the protein of interest, which can have different surface chemistry and reactivity. For example, in the described bioconjugation, the commercially available cyt c contains a mixture of both iso-1 and iso-2 cyt c12,14,17. Iso-2 and iso-1 forms of cytochrome c are largely homologous, with the main difference being ...

Bioconjugation involves covalently linking one biomolecule with another or with a synthetic molecule such as a dye, drug or a polymer. Protein bioconjugation methods are now extensively used in many chemistry, biology and nanotechnology research groups with applications ranging from fluorescent dye labelling1,2, making of protein (antibody)-prodrugs3 (antibody drug conjugates &#8212; ADCs) synthesis of protein dimers4,5, through to self-assembling protein-polymer hybrids6,7 used in nanomedicine8 and systems chemistry9.
Specificity of the chemistry used for bioconjugation, while not always critical, is of utmost importance for most functional protein bioconjugates, so as to not interfere with the active site of the target protein. The ideal bioconjugation reaction needs to fulfill several criteria, including: i) targeting rare or unique sites on the protein of interest, ii) be selective towards this target, iii) proceed under non-denaturing conditions to avoid protein unfolding and iv) be high-yielding as the target protein is usually only available at sub-millimolar concentration. The maleimide - cysteine Michael addition comes close to fulfilling all these criteria, and has for that reason long claimed a special status in the field of bioconjugate chemistry10. This is because i) many proteins containing only one cysteine residue on their surface can be genetically engineered there, ii) at the correct pH the reaction is highly selective towards cysteine, iii) it proceeds smoothly in aqueous buffers and iv) it is very fast with the second order rate constant of maleimides to cysteine-containing proteins reported to exceed 5,000 M-1 sec-1 in some cases11. Provided the protein of interest can tolerate a small (&#8776; 5-10%) amount of organic co-solvent12, almost any maleimide-functionalized dye, polymer, surface or another protein can be linked to proteins. In addition, maleimides are more specific for cysteines on proteins than iodoacetamides, which are more prone to reacting with other nucleophiles at elevated pH; and more stable than disulfide-based conjugations which need to be kept at acidic pH to prevent disulfide exchange13.
Here we report a generic protocol for the conjugation of maleimide-functionalized molecules to a protein containing a single cysteine residue using the reaction between a Ru(II)-based chromophore and the redox protein cytochrome c as an example. This protocol is equally applicable to most other proteins containing an accessible surface cysteine residue and the corresponding maleimide-functionalized target, be it another protein, a fluorescent dye, a chromophore or a synthetic polymer.

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="913">
	<tbody>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:304px;">sodium dihydrogen phosphate</td>
			<td style="width:196px;">Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td style="width:151px;">71496</td>
			<td style="width:263px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:304px;">sodium hydroxide</td>
			<td style="width:196px;">Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td style="width:151px;">71691</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:304px;">sodium chloride</td>
			<td style="width:196px;">Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td style="width:151px;">73575</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:304px;">cytochrome c, from saccaromyces cerevisiae</td>
			<td style="width:196px;">Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td style="width:151px;">C2436</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:304px;">dithiothreitol</td>
			<td style="width:196px;">Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td style="width:151px;">43819</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:304px;">TSKgel SP-5PW</td>
			<td style="width:196px;">Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td style="width:151px;">Tosoh SP-5PW, 07161</td>
			<td>3.3 mL strong cation exchange column</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Amicon Ultra-15&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:196px;">Merck-Millipore</td>
			<td style="width:151px;">UFC900308</td>
			<td>3.5 kDa spin filter</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Slide-A-Lyzer mini dialysis units</td>
			<td style="width:196px;">Thermo Scientific</td>
			<td style="width:151px;">66333</td>
			<td>3.5 kDa dialysis cassetes</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:304px;">Ru(II) bisterpyridine maleimide</td>
			<td style="width:196px;">Lab made</td>
			<td style="width:151px;"></td>
			<td>see ref (14)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:304px;">acetonitrile</td>
			<td style="width:196px;">Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td style="width:151px;">A3396</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:304px;">ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid</td>
			<td style="width:196px;">Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td style="width:151px;">03609</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">tris(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine hydrochloride&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:196px;">Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td style="width:151px;">93284</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:304px;">imidazole</td>
			<td style="width:196px;">Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td style="width:151px;">56749</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:304px;">nickel acetate</td>
			<td style="width:196px;">Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td style="width:151px;">244066</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:304px;">AcroSep IMAC Hypercell column</td>
			<td style="width:196px;">Pall</td>
			<td style="width:151px;">via VWR: 569-1008</td>
			<td>1 mL IMAC column</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:304px;">0.2 micron cellulose membrane filter</td>
			<td style="width:196px;">Whatman</td>
			<td style="width:151px;">Z697958</td>
			<td>47 mm filter for buffers</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:304px;">0.2 micron PVDF membrane filter</td>
			<td style="width:196px;">Merck-Millipore</td>
			<td style="width:151px;">SLGV013SL</td>
			<td>syringe filters for proteins</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:304px;">hydrochloric acid</td>
			<td style="width:196px;">Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td style="width:151px;">84426</td>
			<td>extremely corrosive! Use caution</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:304px;">caffeic acid</td>
			<td style="width:196px;">Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td style="width:151px;">60018</td>
			<td>MALDI matrix</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:304px;">trifluoroacetic acid</td>
			<td style="width:196px;">Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td style="width:151px;">91707</td>
			<td>extremely corrosive! Use caution</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">SimplyBlue SafeStain</td>
			<td style="width:196px;">Thermo Scientific</td>
			<td style="width:151px;">LC6060</td>
			<td>Coomassie blue solution</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:304px;">NuPAGE Novex 12% Bis-Tris Gel</td>
			<td style="width:196px;">Thermo Scientific</td>
			<td style="width:151px;">NP0342BOX</td>
			<td>precast protein gels</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:304px;">SeeBlue Plus2 Pre-stained Protein Standard</td>
			<td style="width:196px;">Thermo Scientific</td>
			<td style="width:151px;">LC5925</td>
			<td>premade protein ladder</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:304px;">NuPAGE LDS Sample Buffer (4X)</td>
			<td style="width:196px;">Thermo Scientific</td>
			<td style="width:151px;">NP0008</td>
			<td>premade gel sample buffer</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:304px;">NuPAGE Sample Reducing Agent (10X)</td>
			<td style="width:196px;">Thermo Scientific</td>
			<td style="width:151px;">NP0004</td>
			<td>premade gel reducing agent</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:304px;">NuPAGE MES SDS Running Buffer (20X)</td>
			<td style="width:196px;">Thermo Scientific</td>
			<td style="width:151px;">NP0002</td>
			<td>premade gel running buffer</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:304px;">Voyager DE STR MALDI reflectron TOF MS</td>
			<td style="width:196px;">Applied Biosystems</td>
			<td style="width:151px;"></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:304px;">Acta FPLC</td>
			<td style="width:196px;">GE</td>
			<td style="width:151px;"></td>
			<td>Fast Protein Liquid Chromatography</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:304px;">Cary 50 Bio Spectrophotometer</td>
			<td style="width:196px;">Varian-Agilent</td>
			<td style="width:151px;"></td>
			<td>UV-Vis</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:304px;">Milli-Q ultrapure water dispenser</td>
			<td style="width:196px;">Merck-Millipore</td>
			<td style="width:151px;"></td>
			<td>ultrapure water</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:304px;">Low volume UV-Vis Cuvette</td>
			<td style="width:196px;">Hellma</td>
			<td style="width:151px;">105-201-15-40</td>
			<td>100 microliter cuvette</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

synthesis of protein bioconjugates via cysteine-maleimide chemistry

The chemical linking or bioconjugation of proteins to fluorescent dyes, drugs, polymers and other proteins has a broad range of applications, such as the development of antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) and nanomedicine, fluorescent microscopy and systems chemistry. For many of these applications, specificity of the bioconjugation method used is of prime concern. The Michael addition of maleimides with cysteine(s) on the target proteins is highly selective and proceeds rapidly under mild conditions, making it one of the most popular methods for protein bioconjugation.
We demonstrate here the modification of the only surface-accessible cysteine residue on yeast cytochrome c with a ruthenium(II) bisterpyridine maleimide. The protein bioconjugation is verified by gel electrophoresis and purified by aqueous-based fast protein liquid chromatography in 27% yield of isolated protein material. Structural characterization with MALDI-TOF MS and UV-Vis is then used to verify that the bioconjugation is successful. The protocol shown here is easily applicable to other cysteine - maleimide coupling of proteins to other proteins, dyes, drugs or polymers.

The synthesis of bioconjugates is confirmed by three primary methods: Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS), polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and Ultraviolet-Visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, as shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4. A mass increase corresponding to the mass of the appended small molecule, and the lack of an unreacted protein demonstrates the successful covalent linkage of Ru(II) (tpy)2</su...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Synthesis of Protein Bioconjugates via Cysteine-maleimide Chemistry at JoVE.com

Synthesis of Protein Bioconjugates via Cysteine-maleimide Chemistry

This protocol details the important steps required for the bioconjugation of a cysteine containing protein to a maleimide, including reagent purification, reaction conditions, bioconjugate purification and bioconjugate characterization.

Synthesis of Protein Bioconjugates via Cysteine-maleimide Chemistry

The chemical linking or bioconjugation of proteins to fluorescent dyes, drugs, polymers and other proteins has a broad range of applications, such as the ...

The overall goal of synthesizing protein bioconjugates via cysteine-maleimide chemistry is to ensure specificity in the site of modification on the protein. Which in turn effects the activity of the resulting bioconjugate, for example, antibody drug conjugates. If you're interested in protein structure or function and you do research in nano-medicine, fluorescent microscopy, or systems chemistry, then this technique will help you answering your questions.The main advantage of this technique is that it is highly specific and high yielding under more conditions. To begin this procedure, dissolve 12 milligrams of lyophilized cytochrome C in six milliliters of 20 milimolar phosphate buffer. Pipette 16 microliters of freshly prepared one molar DTT solution into the protein solution to reduce the cytochrome C.After mixing the solution, filter it through a 0.22 micron low protein binding PBDF syringe filter before injecting onto any chromotographic media.Next purify the reduced crude cytochrome C solution by fast protein liquid chromotography or FPLC. After equilibrating a strong cationic strange column, load one milliliter of the solution into the injection loop of the instrument. Next start a gradient method from 328 for 450 millimolar sodium chloride, over five column volumes.Monitor the 280 and 410 nanometer channels of the UV viz detector and collect the largest peak. Now increase the salt concentration to one molar for two column volumes to loot ISO2 cytochrome C.After the column has been flushed, re-equilibrate with two column volumes of 20 millimolar phosphate buffer before injecting the next crude aliquot. At this point, dissolve 0.9 milligrams of the appropriate ruthenium maleimide complex in 600 microliters of acetonitrile.Prepare 10 millimolar TCEP solution by dissolving 2.87 milligrams of TCEP in one milliliter of ultra pure water. Mix 11.4 milliliters of ultra pure water three milliliters of a 100 millimolar phosphate-EDTA stock solution in a 50 milliliter plastic tube. Then add 0.15 micromoles of purified cytochrome C to the phosphate-EDTA solution.Add 7.5 microliters of the TCEP stock solution to the protein solution. And leave stirring for five minutes to reduce any protein that may have dimerized due to cysteine oxidation. Next add 600 microliters of the ruthenium maleimide complex solution to the reduced buffered cytochrome C solution, and leave the reaction mixture stirring in the dark at room temperature for 24 hours.The order of addition is of utmost importance. It's critical to add the protein first, reducing agent second, and maliemide last. On the following day, concentrate the reaction mixture by centrifugation using a 3.5 kilodalton molecular weight cut-off spin filter.Repeat the centrifugation two to three times with fresh 20 millimolar phosphate buffer until the filtrate is clear. For nickel based purification, wash a one milliliter of mobilized metal affinity chromotography column with three milliliters of ultra pure water, three milliliters of 100 millimolar nickel acetate solution, and six milliliters of ultra pure water. Following this, attach the nickel loaded column to the FPLC between the injection loop and UV viz detector.Then equilibrate the column with three column volumes of 20 millimolar phosphate, 0.5 molar sodium chloride buffer using a flow rate of 0.5 milliliters per minute. After filtering through a 0.22 micron syringe filter, load 100 microliters of the crude reaction mixture into the injection loop of the instrument. Wash the column with three column volumes of buffer to elute the unreacted cytochrome C.Then elute the cytochrome C bioconjugate using an Imidazole gradient from zero to 125 millimolar over three column volumes.Once the cytochrome C bioconjugate has eluted from the column, wash with 250 millimolar Imidazole buffer for five column volumes. Then re-equilibrate the column with 20 millimolar phosphate 0.5 molar sodium chloride buffer. Next pull the bioconjugate fractions.And concentrate by centrifugation using a 3.5 kilodalton molecular weight cut-off spin filter. After centrifugation, load the concentrated bioconjugate into 3.5 kilodalton molecular weight cut off dialysis cassettes and dialyze against ultra pure water overnight. On the following day, determine the concentration of the pure concentrated bioconjugate solution by UV-Vis spectroscopy.Using the same molar absorbtivity value as ISO1 cytochrome C at 410 nanometers. Store the remaining bioconjugate as 25 microliter aliquots at minus 20 degree celsius. For gel electrophoresis, prepare 10 microliters of each protein sample to be run by diluting the bioconjugate with pre-mixed lithium dodecyl sulfate buffer to a final concentration of approximately 20 micrograms per well.Then heat the samples to 70 degrees celsius for 10 minutes. After allowing the samples to cool to room temperature, load them carefully onto a pre-cast 12%bis tris, one millimeter 10 well gel using long pipette tips to assist in loading. Load a pre-stained 10 protein molecular weight marker into a middle well of the gel to aid analysis.Now run the gel at 200 volts for 35 minutes. Once the run is complete, stain the gel with a commercial Coomassie blue solution for two hours. After removing the Coomassie blue solution, wash the gel with ultra pure water for 48 hours.A mass increase in the absence of unreacted protein in the multi tof mass spectrum of the cytochrome C bioconjugate demonstrated the successful equivalent linkage of the ruthenium maleimide complex to cytochrome C.And subsequent purification of the bioconjugate. The yield of the cytochrome C bioconjugate is generally between 15 and 27%And can be calculated from the UV-Vis spectrum. The bioconjugate consists of a one to one attachment of the maleimide to protein.Which is inferred by comparing the spectrum of the bioconjugate to a predicted one to one addition spectrum of the starting materials. In addition, the appearance of a new peak in the chromatogram during purification confirms the synthesis of a new species. Once mastered, this procedure can be done in three days if performed properly.While attempting this procedure, it's important to treat your protein solutions carefully using gloves to prevent protein introduction into your samples. This procedure can be used for the conjugation of other maleimides to cysteine containing proteins. In order to answer additional questions, like if the membrane protein is in a live protozoal membrane.After it's development, this technique paved the way for researchers in the field of biomolecular to understand more about protein function and localization in viscal based constraints. After watching this video, you should have a good understanding of how to utilize cysteine maleimide chemistry in order to label biomacromolecules in high yields. Don't forget that working with research chemicals with unknown properties can be extremely hazardous.And that suitable precautions such as PPE should be undertaken while performing this procedure.

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37.5K visualizações.  The University of New South Wales. The overall goal of synthesizing protein bioconjugates via cysteine-maleimide chemistry is to ensure specificity in the site of modification on the protein. Which in turn effects the activity of the resulting bioconjugate, for example, antibody drug conjugates. If you're interested in protein structure or function and you do research in nano-medicine, fluorescent microscopy, or systems chemistry, then this technique will help you answering your questions.The main advantage of this tech...