SPECTROstar Omega

Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease that affects over 200 million people in tropical, developing nations, causing severe morbidity and over 300,000 deaths annually. Schistosomiasis is treated with a single drug and no vaccine is available.

We selected three Schistosoma surface-associated enzymes that are indispensable to parasitic survival: alkaline phosphatase; phosphodiesterase SmNPP-5 and an acetylcholinesterase. The activity of these molecules on the surface of live and intact larval and adult Schistosoma can be assayed in real-time of cultured parasites, providing a tool to assess the efficacy of drugs or vaccines targeting these enzymes. The colorimetric assay was read on a FLUOstar^® Omega microplate reader.

The versatile instrument supports development of assays and drugs. Apart from its absorbance spectrometer, the FLUOstar Omega is equipped with fluorescence and luminescence detection capabilities allowing fast and reliable endpoint and kinetic measurements in all detection modes.

Metallic nanoparticles became subject of intensive research because of their potential antibiotic properties. Nanoparticles such as silver, gold or zinc oxide particles are easily and cost-effectively synthesized by blending metal salts with plant extracts that reduce the metal. Different extracts, varying in the plant or the part of the plant used for the extract, are currently investigated in regard to their capacity to form nanoparticles and their antimicrobial efficacy. The formation of nanoparticles can be verified by UV-Vis spectroscopy due to surface plasmon resonance of the particles that lead to a characteristic spectrum defined by the underlying metal and particle size. Subsequent analysis of nanoparticles on microbial growth is typically tested by methods based on absorbance changes.

Here, we present how the spectrometer-based BMG LABTECH instruments are used to quickly confirm Ag and ZnO nanoparticle formation and their inhibitory effect on the diarrhea-causing bacteria Vibrio cholerae and enterotoxic Escherichia coli (ETEC).

The neutrophil elastase is a biomarker of respiratory diseases such as cystic fibrosis (CF) or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). A simple, rapid and accurate test for neutrophil elastase levels in patient samples would be a significant medical benefit. Established methods do not specifically verify the presence of the enzyme leading to a high value of false positives. In this application note we show how to use the ProteaseTag™ Active Neutrophil Elastase Immunoassay from the company ProAxsis which is based in Northern Ireland.

The assay uses tags to specifically bind the enzyme of interest. Chromogenic detection is performed with the CLARIOstar^® microplate reader which analysis the results and return qualified data automatically.

Protease levels can be determined in sputum sol, bronchoalveolar lavage, wound exudate or serum free cell culture.

Alcoholic beverages that are produced by distillation are called distilled beverages. Some known distilled beverages include vodka, gin, tequila, rum, and whisky. Beer, wine, and cider are excluded from this category as these are fermented but not distilled.

The distilled beverages industry is expanding, indicated by the constant release of new products. On the other hand, counterfeiters as well as cases of adulteration and dilution of distilled spirits and liqueurs are also on the increase. It would be of great advantage to find an easy way to test distilled spirits for authentication.

One possible method is to take UV-Vis absorbance spectra from the liquid samples. Recently, it was shown in literature that these spectra work as brand "fingerprints". There is, for example, a clear difference between a whiskey that has aged in wood compared to an unaged whiskey.

A convenient way to measure UV-Vis absorbance spectra and to perform a quality control check is achieved by using the SPECTROstar^® Nano. This microplate and cuvette reader offers rapid and efficient spectral analysis measurements. The associated MARS Data Analysis Software stores all spectral data in a way that the creation of specific spirit fingerprint libraries is possible.

The Label-Free SoPRano^TM Gold Nano-Rod assay depends on absorbance shifts that are induced by protein binding due to localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR). A protein is coupled to a gold rod and if interaction of the coupled protein with another protein occurs, a red shift of the absorbance maximum can be detected that is derived from a change in the local refractive index.

The method requires acquisition of absorbance spectra which is provided by all spectrometer-based microplate readers by BMG LABTECH. They were able to detect the slight differences in absorbance of human serum albumin coupled gold-nano-rods and the hSA-rods bound by anti-hSA antibodies. The assay allowed for detection of different concentrations of the antibody and for kinetic measurements revealing binding constants.

In contrast to other LSPR-based systems, SoPRano^TM requires no specialized and costly instrumentation. Instead, a microplate reader acquires the absorbance spectrum which is done by a spectrometer-based BMG LABTECH instrument in less than a second.