This work was supported by the Lehigh University Start-up Package. We thank Dr. Walter Fast for providing the GST-PAD4 plasmid for protein expression.

1. PAD4 Transformation, Expression, and Purification
<ol>
	<li>For PAD4 Transformation, transform the pGEX plasmid containing PAD4 GST fusion into chemically competent E. Coli (BL21(DE3)) cells for protein expression using the following procedure. Prepare chemically competent (calcium chloride) E. Coli (BL21(DE3)) cells according to standard protocols.
	<ol>
		<li>Thaw 50 &#956;l of previously prepared chemically competent BL21(DE3) cells on ice and mix with 1 &#956;l of the pGEX plasmid containing PA...

<ol>
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R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Protein+arginine+deiminase+4:+a+target+for+an+epigenetic+cancer+therapy.">Protein arginine deiminase 4: a target for an epigenetic cancer therapy.</a> Cell. Mol. Life Sci. 68, 709-720 (2011).</li><li>Luo, Y., Knuckley, B., Lee, Y. H., Stallcup, M. R., Thompson, P. R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+fluoroacetamidine-based+inactivator+of+protein+arginine+deiminase+4:+design,+synthesis,+and+in+vitro+and+in+vivo+evaluation.">A fluoroacetamidine-based inactivator of protein arginine deiminase 4: design, synthesis, and in vitro and in vivo evaluation.</a> J. Am. Chem. Soc. 128, 1092-1093 (2006).</li><li>Knuckley, B., 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=Substrate+specificity+and+kinetic+studies+of+PADs.">Substrate specificity and kinetic studies of PADs.</a> Biochemistry. 1, 4852-4863 (2010).</li><li>Knipp, M., Vasak, M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+colorimetric+96-well+microtiter+plate+assay+for+the+determination+of+enzymatically+formed+citrulline.">A colorimetric 96-well microtiter plate assay for the determination of enzymatically formed citrulline.</a> Anal. Biochem. 286, 257-264 (2000).</li><li>Knuckley, B., 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=A+fluopol-ABPP+HTS+assay+to+identify+PAD+inhibitors.">A fluopol-ABPP HTS assay to identify PAD inhibitors.</a> Chem. Commun. 46, 7175-7177 (2010).</li><li>Bicker, K. L., Subramanian, V., Chumanevich, A. A., Hofseth, L. J., Thompson, P. R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Seeing+citrulline:+development+of+a+phenylglyoxal-based+probe+to+visualize+protein+citrullination.">Seeing citrulline: development of a phenylglyoxal-based probe to visualize protein citrullination.</a> J. Am. Chem. Soc. 134, 17015-17018 (2012).</li><li>Wang, Q., Priestman, M. A., Lawrence, D. 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Herein, a fluorescence based assay was successfully developed that monitors the activity of PAD4. The assay has proven to be incredibly robust in a number of high-throughput conditions and is also compatible with whole cell lysates37.
The affinity between the histone proteins and the DNA strands surrounding it loosens due the neutralization of the positive charge on the arginine side chain upon citrullination. It was envisioned that the neutralization of the arginine side-chain coul...

A large number of mammalian proteins are heavily modified by the action of enzymes following the biosynthesis of proteins by the ribosome. These post-translational modifications (PTMs) can greatly increase the functional diversity of the proteome by changing the size, charge, structure, and oligomerization state (amongst other features) of proteins1-3. As a result, the change in protein structure can lead to physiological consequences, such as protein degradation, cellular differentiation, signaling, modulation in gene expression, and protein-protein interactions. While these modifications are prevalent in a large percentage of all human proteins, the terminal ends on histone proteins undergo an unusually high number of covalent modifications4. Histone proteins are a family of structural proteins that facilitate the condensation of genomic DNA. Covalent modifications of the unstructured histone tails are carried out and regulated by a series of enzymes that can catalyze the covalent modification of residues (writers), reverse the same modifications (erasers), and distinguish among the changes being imprinted onto the histone tails (readers)5-7. In fact, most of the known PTMs can be observed within this short segment of the histone including methylation, phosphorylation, acetylation, sumoylation, ubiquitination, and citrullination8.
Citrullination involves the conversion of peptidyl-arginine to the non-tRNA encoded peptidyl-citrulline (Figure 1A). The proteins, responsible for this side chain neutralization, are members of the PAD (peptide arginine deiminase) protein family, all of which are calcium-dependent enzymes.9,10. To date, five members of the PAD family have been described (PAD1, PAD2, PAD3, PAD4, and PAD6). Each member of this family appears to target distinct cellular proteins and also displays unique tissue distribution profiles. PAD4 is the only member of this protein family known to be localized within the nucleus via a nuclear localization sequence11. Accordingly, it has been shown to deiminate a number of nuclear targets, including arginine side chains on the N-terminal tails of histones H2A arginine residue 3 (H2R3), H3 (H3R2, H3R17, and H3R26) and H4 (H4R3)12,13. While each of the PAD isozymes have specific and critical physiological functions, PAD4 has received considerably more attention due to its role in a number of human processes in both diseased and healthy cells. Recently, PAD4 was shown to be a member of the pluripotency transcriptional network14. Both PAD4 expression levels and activity were shown to be elevated during reprogramming and ground-state pluripotent states in mice. By controlling the regulation of stem-cell genes, PAD4 may retain a pivotal role in cellular reprogramming efficiency. PAD4 has also been implicated in the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps, which upon binding of pathogens enable their system clearance. The hypercitrullination of histone proteins by PAD4 induces decondensation of the chromatin, which serves as the base material for the encapsulation of pathogenic bacteria by the extracellular trap, thus warding off bacterial infections15,16.
Additionally, PAD4 has been found to play an active role in a number of human diseases. It has been previously shown that aberrant expression of PAD4 is associated with the onset and severity of rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer&#8217;s, Parkinson&#8217;s disease, and multiple sclerosis17. In fact, the presence of anti-citrullinated protein antibodies is one of the most reliable and definitive diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers of rheumatoid arthritis18. Likewise, dysregulated PAD4 activity has recently been observed in a number of human cancers including ovarian, breast, lung, and esophageal cancers19-22. The link between PAD4 and cancer has been shown to be mediated through the ELK1 oncogene or via the p53 tumor suppressor protein22,23 and previous work has suggested that PAD4 could be a novel anti-cancer therapeutic target17,24,25. As a proof of principle study, the depletion of PAD4 via shRNA in the colorectal cancer cell line HCT116 was revealed to be sufficient for inducing apoptosis and cell cycle arrest26. A recently developed irreversible PAD4 inhibitor led to a seventy percent reduction in tumor mass in mice27. Quite remarkably, PAD4 inhibition appeared to act as a targeted therapy that resulted in selective killing of cancerous cells while sparing untransformed cells.
The use of small molecules to turn off the function of PAD4 may prove to be a powerful new strategy to target cancer cells or to augment existing cancer chemotherapeutics28. Unfortunately, a potent reversible PAD4 inhibitor has yet to be discovered. A number of covalent inhibitors have been developed using the chloro/fluoro imidine handle that mimics the arginine substrate27,29,30 and have proven to be practical tools in understanding the role of PAD4 in both healthy and diseased state cells. However, these molecules inhibit all of the active PADs with similar potency. Therefore, the need for a facile assay that reports on the activity of PAD4 is crucial. To date, PAD4 assays have been described that link the release of ammonia from the reaction to a colorimetric readout31, utilize a fluorescently labeled chloroamidine substrate analog for fluorescence polarization assay32, rely on the acid-assisted reaction between glyoxal and citrulline33, and couple the PAD4 activity to a fluorescence dequenching step34. Of these, only the covalent modifier haloacetamidine strategy has proven to be compatible with high-throughput screening platforms32,35,36. We describe a facile fluorescence based assay that reliably measures the activity of PAD4. The assay, which displays a strong signal-to-noise ratio, speed of analysis, and robustness of measurement, has the potential to discover a truly potent and selective PAD4 inhibitor.

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="716">
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			<td height="46" style="height:46px;width:192px;">Name of the Material/Equipment</td>
			<td style="width:123px;">Company</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">Catalog Number</td>
			<td style="width:267px;">Comments/ Description</td>
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			<td height="66" style="height:66px;width:192px;">LB Broth, Miller (LURIA-BERTANI)</td>
			<td style="width:123px;">Amresco</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">J106-2KG</td>
			<td style="width:267px;"><a href="http://www.amresco-inc.com/">http://www.amresco-inc.com</a></td>
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		<tr height="63">
			<td height="63" style="height:63px;width:192px;">Ampicillin Trihydrate (Off-white Powder), Fisher BioReagents</td>
			<td style="width:123px;">Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>BP902-25&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:267px;"><a href="http://www.fishersci.com/">http://www.fishersci.com</a></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="68">
			<td height="68" style="height:68px;width:192px;">Isopropylthiagalactonse (IPTG)</td>
			<td style="width:123px;">Life Technogolies</td>
			<td>15529-019</td>
			<td style="width:267px;"><a href="http://www.lifetechnologies.com/">http://www.lifetechnologies.com</a></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="62">
			<td height="62" style="height:62px;width:192px;">All Buffer Salts&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:123px;">Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">N/A</td>
			<td style="width:267px;">Can purchase from Fisher Scieintifc; VWR; Acros; Sigma-Aldrich; etc.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="51">
			<td height="51" style="height:51px;width:192px;">Protino Glutathione (GSH) agarose&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:123px;">Machery-Nagel</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">745500.10</td>
			<td style="width:267px;">Store at 4 &#176;C; http://www.mn-net.com/</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="71">
			<td height="71" style="height:71px;width:192px;">Z-&#8203;Arg-&#8203;Arg-&#8203;7-&#8203;amido-&#8203;4-&#8203;methylcoumarin hydrochloride (Zcoum)</td>
			<td style="width:123px;">Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td>C5429</td>
			<td style="width:267px;"><a href="http://www.sigmaaldrich.com/">www.sigmaaldrich.com</a></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="58">
			<td height="58" style="height:58px;width:192px;">Chloroamidine&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:123px;">Cayman Chemical&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">10599</td>
			<td style="width:267px;">Store at -20 &#176;C; https://www.caymanchem.com/app/template/Home.vm</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="66">
			<td height="66" style="height:66px;width:192px;">Tris(2-&#8203;carboxyethyl)&#8203;phosphine hydrochloride (TCEP HCl)</td>
			<td style="width:123px;">Thermo Scientifc</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">20490</td>
			<td style="width:267px;"><a href="http://www.piercenet.com/">http://www.piercenet.com</a></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="50">
			<td height="50" style="height:50px;width:192px;">Triton X-100</td>
			<td style="width:123px;">Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">X100-100ML</td>
			<td style="width:267px;"><a href="http://www.sigmaaldrich.com/">www.sigmaaldrich.com</a></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="65">
			<td height="65" style="height:65px;width:192px;">Corning/Nunclon MicroWell plates (96 and 384)</td>
			<td style="width:123px;">N/A</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">N/A</td>
			<td style="width:267px;">Purchase from Corning; Sigma-Aldrich</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="71">
			<td height="71" style="height:71px;width:192px;">Tecan Infinite 200 / Tecan i-control microplate reader software</td>
			<td style="width:123px;">N/A</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">N/A</td>
			<td style="width:267px;"><a href="http://www.tecan.com/">www.tecan.com</a></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="65">
			<td height="65" style="height:65px;width:192px;">Europium Ex. 340/40 Em. 475/15 filter</td>
			<td style="width:123px;">N/A</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">N/A</td>
			<td style="width:267px;"><a href="http://www.perkinelmer.com/">http://www.perkinelmer.com</a></td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

fluorescence-based monitoring of pad4 activity via a pro-fluorescence substrate analog

Post-translational modifications may lead to altered protein functional states by increasing the covalent variations on the side chains of many protein substrates. The histone tails represent one of the most heavily modified stretches within all human proteins. Peptidyl-arginine deiminase 4 (PAD4) has been shown to convert arginine residues into the non-genetically encoded citrulline residue. Few assays described to date have been operationally facile with satisfactory sensitivity. Thus, the lack of adequate assays has likely contributed to the absence of potent non-covalent PAD4 inhibitors. Herein a novel fluorescence-based assay that allows for the monitoring of PAD4 activity is described. A pro-fluorescent substrate analog was designed to link PAD4 enzymatic activity to fluorescence liberation upon the addition of the protease trypsin. It was shown that the assay is compatible with high-throughput screening conditions and has a strong signal-to-noise ratio. Furthermore, the assay can also be performed with crude cell lysates containing over-expressed PAD4.

Initially, it was demonstrated that ZRcoum can report on the activity of PAD4 in a 96-well plate format. Wells were incubated with the substrate ZRcoum and in the presence/absence of PAD4. Following an incubation period of 45 min at 37 &#176;C, the fluorescence was measured with a 340/40 &#8211; 475/15 nm filter (Figure 2A). As expected, the fluorescence levels remained low as the fluorophore within ZRcoum (or the citrullinated ZRcoum) r...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Fluorescence-based Monitoring of PAD4 Activity via a Pro-fluorescence Substrate Analog at JoVE.com

Fluorescence-based Monitoring of PAD4 Activity via a Pro-fluorescence Substrate Analog

PAD4 is an enzyme responsible for the conversion of peptidyl-arginine to peptidyl-citrulline. Dysregulation of PAD4 has been implicated in a number of human diseases. A facile and high-throughput compatible fluorescence based PAD4 assay is described.

Post-translational modifications may lead to altered protein functional states by increasing the covalent variations on the side chains of many protein ...

fluorescence-based-monitoring-pad4-activity-via-pro-fluorescence

Research

JoVE Journal

Chemistry

Determining the Ice-binding Planes of Antifreeze Proteins by Fluorescence-based Ice Plane Affinity

Antifreeze proteins (AFPs) are expressed in a variety of cold-hardy organisms to prevent or slow internal ice growth. AFPs bind to specific planes of ice through their ice-binding surfaces. Fluorescence-based ice plane affinity (FIPA) analysis is a modified technique used to determine the ice planes to which the AFPs bind. FIPA is based on the original ice-etching method for determining AFP-bound ice-planes. It produces clearer images in a shortened experimental time. In FIPA analysis, AFPs are fluorescently labeled with a chimeric tag or a covalent dye then slowly incorporated into a macroscopic single ice crystal, which has been preformed into a hemisphere and oriented to determine the a- and c-axes. The AFP-bound ice hemisphere is imaged under UV light to visualize AFP-bound planes using filters to block out nonspecific light. Fluorescent labeling of the AFPs allows real-time monitoring of AFP adsorption into ice. The labels have been found not to influence the planes to which AFPs bind. FIPA analysis also introduces the option to bind more than one differently tagged AFP on the same single ice crystal to help differentiate their binding planes. These applications of FIPA are helping to advance our understanding of how AFPs bind to ice to halt its growth and why many AFP-producing organisms express multiple AFP isoforms.

Antifreeze proteins (AFPs) bind to specific planes of ice to prevent or slow ice growth. Fluorescence-based ice plane affinity (FIPA) analysis is a modification of the original ice-etching method for determination of AFP-bound ice planes. AFPs are fluorescently labeled, incorporated into macroscopic single ice crystals, and visualized under UV light.

Antifreeze proteins (AFPs) are expressed in a variety of cold-hardy organisms to prevent or slow internal ice growth. AFPs bind to specific planes of ice ...

Preparing Silica Aerogel Monoliths via a Rapid Supercritical Extraction Method

A procedure for the fabrication of monolithic silica aerogels in eight hours or less via a rapid supercritical extraction process is described. The procedure requires 15-20 min of preparation time, during which a liquid precursor mixture is prepared and poured into wells of a metal mold that is placed between the platens of a hydraulic hot press, followed by several hours of processing within the hot press. The precursor solution consists of a 1.0:12.0:3.6:3.5 x 10-3 molar ratio of tetramethylorthosilicate (TMOS):methanol:water:ammonia. In each well of the mold, a porous silica sol-gel matrix forms. As the temperature of the mold and its contents is increased, the pressure within the mold rises. After the temperature/pressure conditions surpass the supercritical point for the solvent within the pores of the matrix (in this case, a methanol/water mixture), the supercritical fluid is released, and monolithic aerogel remains within the wells of the mold. With the mold used in this procedure, cylindrical monoliths of 2.2 cm diameter and 1.9 cm height are produced. Aerogels formed by this rapid method have comparable properties (low bulk and skeletal density, high surface area, mesoporous morphology) to those prepared by other methods that involve either additional reaction steps or solvent extractions (lengthier processes that generate more chemical waste).The rapid supercritical extraction method can also be applied to the fabrication of aerogels based on other precursor recipes.

This article describes a rapid supercritical extraction method for fabricating silica aerogels. By utilizing a confined mold and hydraulic hot press, monolithic aerogels can be made in eight hours or less.

A procedure for the fabrication of monolithic silica aerogels in eight hours or less via a rapid supercritical extraction process is described. The ...

Real-time Monitoring of Reactions Performed Using Continuous-flow Processing: The Preparation of 3-Acetylcoumarin as an Example

By using inline monitoring, it is possible to optimize reactions performed using continuous-flow processing in a simple and rapid way. It is also possible to ensure consistent product quality over time using this technique. We here show how to interface a commercially available flow unit with a Raman spectrometer. The Raman flow cell is placed after the back-pressure regulator, meaning that it can be operated at atmospheric pressure. In addition, the fact that the product stream passes through a length of tubing before entering the flow cell means that the material is at RT. It is important that the spectra are acquired under isothermal conditions since Raman signal intensity is temperature dependent. Having assembled the apparatus, we then show how to monitor a chemical reaction, the piperidine-catalyzed synthesis of 3-acetylcoumarin from salicylaldehyde and ethyl acetoacetate being used as an example. The reaction can be performed over a range of flow rates and temperatures, the in-situ monitoring tool being used to optimize conditions simply and easily.

Real-time monitoring allows for fast optimization of reactions performed using continuous-flow processing. Here the preparation of 3-acetylcoumarin is used as an example. The apparatus for performing in-situ Raman monitoring is described, as are the steps required to optimize the reaction.

By using inline monitoring, it is possible to optimize reactions performed using continuous-flow processing in a simple and rapid way. It is also possible ...

A Colorimetric Assay that Specifically Measures Granzyme B Proteolytic Activity: Hydrolysis of Boc-Ala-Ala-Asp-S-Bzl

The serine protease Granzyme B (GzmB) mediates target cell apoptosis when released by cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) or natural killer (NK) cells. GzmB is the most studied granzyme in humans and mice and therefore, researchers need specific and reliable tools to study its function and role in pathophysiology. This especially necessitates assays that do not recognize proteases such as caspases or other granzymes that are structurally or functionally related. Here, we apply GzmB&#8217;s preference for cleavage after aspartic acid residues in a colorimetric assay using the peptide thioester Boc-Ala-Ala-Asp-S-Bzl. GzmB is the only mammalian serine protease capable of cleaving this substrate. The substrate is cleaved with similar efficiency by human, mouse and rat GzmB, a property not shared by other commercially available peptide substrates, even some that are advertised as being suitable for this purpose. This protocol is demonstrated using unfractionated lysates from activated NK cells or CTL and is also suitable for recombinant proteases generated in a variety of prokaryotic and eukaryotic systems, provided the correct controls are used. This assay is a highly specific method to ascertain the potential pro-apoptotic activity of cytotoxic molecules in mammalian lymphocytes, and of their recombinant counterparts expressed by a variety of methodologies.

We describe a simple, quantitative colorimetric assay that specifically measures the proteolytic activity of human, mouse or rat Granzyme B (GzmB). This protocol can be easily adapted for determining protease activity of other granule serine proteases by the hydrolysis of other synthetic peptide substrates with an appropriate recognition sequence.

The serine protease Granzyme B (GzmB) mediates target cell apoptosis when released by cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) or natural killer (NK) cells. GzmB is ...

A Method to Manipulate Surface Tension of a Liquid Metal via Surface Oxidation and Reduction

Controlling interfacial tension is an effective method for manipulating the shape, position, and flow of fluids at sub-millimeter length scales, where interfacial tension is a dominant force. A variety of methods exist for controlling the interfacial tension of aqueous and organic liquids on this scale; however, these techniques have limited utility for liquid metals due to their large interfacial tension.
Liquid metals can form soft, stretchable, and shape-reconfigurable components in electronic and electromagnetic devices. Although it is possible to manipulate these fluids via mechanical methods (e.g., pumping), electrical methods are easier to miniaturize, control, and implement. However, most electrical techniques have their own constraints: electrowetting-on-dielectric requires large (kV) potentials for modest actuation, electrocapillarity can affect relatively small changes in the interfacial tension, and continuous electrowetting is limited to plugs of the liquid metal in capillaries.
Here, we present a method for actuating gallium and gallium-based liquid metal alloys via an electrochemical surface reaction. Controlling the electrochemical potential on the surface of the liquid metal in electrolyte rapidly and reversibly changes the interfacial tension by over two orders of magnitude ( &#820;500 mN/m to near zero). Furthermore, this method requires only a very modest potential (&#60; 1 V) applied relative to a counter electrode. The resulting change in tension is due primarily to the electrochemical deposition of a surface oxide layer, which acts as a surfactant; removal of the oxide increases the interfacial tension, and vice versa. This technique can be applied in a wide variety of electrolytes and is independent of the substrate on which it rests.

We present a method to control the interfacial energy of a liquid metal in an electrolyte via electrochemical deposition (or removal) of a surface oxide layer. This simple method can control the capillary behavior of gallium-based liquid metals by tuning the interfacial energy rapidly, significantly, and reversibly using modest voltages.

Controlling interfacial tension is an effective method for manipulating the shape, position, and flow of fluids at sub-millimeter length scales, where ...

Simultaneous Measurement of HDAC1 and HDAC6 Activity in HeLa Cells Using UHPLC-MS

The search for new histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors is of increasing interest in drug discovery. Isoform selectivity has been in the spotlight since the approval of romidepsin, a class I HDAC inhibitor for cancer therapy, and the clinical investigation of HDAC6-specific inhibitors for multiple myeloma. The present method is used to determine the inhibitory activity of test compounds on HDAC1 and HDAC6 in cells. The isoform activity is measured using the ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography &#8211; mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS) analysis of specific substrates incubated with treated and untreated HeLa cells. The method has the advantage of reflecting the endogenous HDAC activity within the cell environment, in contrast to cell-free biochemical assays conducted on isolated isoforms. Moreover, because it is based on the quantification of synthetic substrates, the method does not require the antibody recognition of endogenous acetylated proteins. It is easily adaptable to several cell lines and an automated process. The method has already proved useful in finding HDAC6-selective compounds in neuroblasts. Representative results are shown here with the standard HDAC inhibitors trichostatin A (non-specific), MS275 (HDAC1-specific), and tubastatin A (HDAC6-specific) using HeLa cells.

The present method serves to identify isoform-specific inhibitors of histone deacetylases (HDAC) in HeLa cells by the UHPLC-MS analysis of multiple substrates. This is an antibody-free method developed to reflect HDAC1 and HDAC6 activity in the living cell environment, in contrast to single-isoform cell-free assays.

The search for new histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors is of increasing interest in drug discovery. Isoform selectivity has been in the spotlight since ...

Fabrication and Testing of Catalytic Aerogels Prepared Via Rapid Supercritical Extraction

Protocols for preparing and testing catalytic aerogels by incorporating metal species into silica and alumina aerogel platforms are presented. Three preparation methods are described: (a) the incorporation of metal salts into silica or alumina wet gels using an impregnation method; (b) the incorporation of metal salts into alumina wet gels using a co-precursor method; and (c) the addition of metal nanoparticles directly into a silica aerogel precursor mixture. The methods utilize a hydraulic hot press, which allows for rapid (&#60;6 h) supercritical extraction and results in aerogels of low density (0.10 g/mL) and high surface area (200-800 m2/g). While the work presented here focuses on the use of copper salts and copper nanoparticles, the approach can be implemented using other metal salts and nanoparticles. A protocol for testing the three-way catalytic ability of these aerogels for automotive pollution mitigation is also presented. This technique uses custom-built equipment, the Union Catalytic Testbed (UCAT), in which a simulated exhaust mixture is passed over an aerogel sample at a controlled temperature and flow rate. The system is capable of measuring the ability of the catalytic aerogels, under both oxidizing and reducing conditions, to convert CO, NO and unburned hydrocarbons (HCs) to less harmful species (CO2, H2O and N2). Example catalytic results are presented for the aerogels described.

Here we present protocols for preparing and testing catalytic aerogels by incorporating metal species into silica and alumina aerogel platforms. Methods for preparing materials using copper salts and copper-containing nanoparticles are featured. Catalytic testing protocols demonstrate the effectiveness of these aerogels for three-way catalysis applications.

Protocols for preparing and testing catalytic aerogels by incorporating metal species into silica and alumina aerogel platforms are presented. Three ...

Synthesis of Substrate-Bound Au Nanowires Via an Active Surface Growth Mechanism

Advancing synthetic capabilities is important for the development of nanoscience and nanotechnology. The synthesis of nanowires has always been a challenge, as it requires asymmetric growth of symmetric crystals. Here, we report a distinctive synthesis of substrate-bound Au nanowires. This template-free synthesis employs thiolated ligands and substrate adsorption to achieve the continuous asymmetric deposition of Au in solution at ambient conditions. The thiolated ligand prevented the Au deposition on the exposed surface of the seeds, so the Au deposition only occurs at the interface between the Au seeds and the substrate. The side of the newly deposited Au nanowires is immediately covered with the thiolated ligand, while the bottom facing the substrate remains ligand-free and active for the next round of Au deposition. We further demonstrate that this Au nanowire growth can be induced on various substrates, and different thiolated ligands can be used to regulate the surface chemistry of the nanowires. The diameter of the nanowires can also be controlled with mixed ligands, in which another &#34;bad&#34; ligand could turn on the lateral growth. With the understanding of the mechanism, Au nanowire-based nanostructures can be designed and synthesized.

We report a solution-based method to synthesize substrate-bound Au nanowires. By tuning the molecular ligands used during the synthesis, the Au nanowires can be grown from various substrates with different surface properties. Au nanowire-based nanostructures can also be synthesized by adjusting the reaction parameters.

Advancing synthetic capabilities is important for the development of nanoscience and nanotechnology. The synthesis of nanowires has always been a ...

A Two-Step Protocol for Umpolung Functionalization of Ketones Via Enolonium Species

&#945;-Functionalization of ketones via umpolung of enolates by hypervalent iodine reagents is an important concept in synthetic organic chemistry. Recently, we have developed a two-step strategy for ketone enolate umpolung that has enabled the development of methods for chlorination, azidation, and amination using azoles. In addition, we have developed C-C bond&#8211;forming arylation and allylation reactions. At the heart of these methods is the preparation of the intermediate and highly reactive enolonium species prior to addition of a reactive nucleophile. This strategy is thus reminiscent of the preparation and use of metal enolates in classical synthetic chemistry. This strategy allows the use of nucleophiles that would otherwise be incompatible with the strongly oxidizing hypervalent iodine reagents. In this paper we present a detailed protocol for chlorination, azidation, N-heteroarylation, arylation, and allylation. The products include motifs prevalent in medicinally active products. This article will greatly assist others in using these methods.

A two step one-pot protocol for the umpolung of ketone enolates to enolonium species and addition of a nucleophile to the &#945;-position is described. Nucleophiles include chloride, azide, azoles, allyl-silanes, and aromatic compounds.

&#945;-Functionalization of ketones via umpolung of enolates by hypervalent iodine reagents is an important concept in synthetic organic chemistry. ...

Synthesis of Esters Via a Greener Steglich Esterification in Acetonitrile

The Steglich esterification is a widely-used reaction for the synthesis of esters from carboxylic acids and alcohols. While efficient and mild, the reaction is commonly performed using chlorinated or amide solvent systems, which are hazardous to human health and the environment. Our methodology utilizes acetonitrile as a greener and less hazardous solvent system. This protocol exhibits rates and yields that are comparable to traditional solvent systems and employs an extraction and wash sequence that eliminates the need for the purification of the ester product via column chromatography. This general method can be used to couple a variety of carboxylic acids with 1&#176; and 2&#176; aliphatic alcohols, benzylic and allylic alcohols, and phenols to obtain pure esters in high yields. The goal of the protocol detailed here is to provide a greener alternative to a common esterification reaction, which could serve useful for ester synthesis in both academic and industrial applications.

A modified Steglich esterification reaction was used to synthesize a small library of ester derivatives with primary and secondary alcohols. The methodology uses a non-halogenated and greener solvent, acetonitrile, and enables product isolation in high yields without the need for chromatographic purification.

The Steglich esterification is a widely-used reaction for the synthesis of esters from carboxylic acids and alcohols. While efficient and mild, the ...