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Author Spotlight: Standardization and Best Practices for Advancing Lung Imaging Using 129Xe MRI
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Directly Functionalized Cucurbit[7]uril as a Biosensor for the Selective Detection of Protein Interactions by 129 Xe
Ashley E Truxal1, Liping Cao2, Lyle Isaacs3
1University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
Chemistry (Weinheim an Der Bergstrasse, Germany)
|March 15, 2019
Summary
Researchers developed a novel xenon biosensor using directly functionalized cucurbituril. This new agent, biotinylated cucurbit[7]uril, shows a significant hyperpolarized 129Xe MRI response when bound to its target protein.
Area of Science:
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging
- Chemical Biology
- Materials Science
Background:
- Hyperpolarized 129Xe MRI is advancing for clinical diagnostics.
- 129Xe MRI biosensors are crucial for targeted imaging.
- Existing biosensors include cryptophane, cyclodextrin, and cucurbituril derivatives.
Purpose of the Study:
- To report the first directly functionalized cucurbituril as a xenon biosensor.
- To investigate the 129Xe hyperCEST response of biotinylated cucurbit[7]uril (btCB7).
- To explore the potential of functionalized cucurbiturils for biological targeting.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of biotinylated cucurbit[7]uril (btCB7).
- 129Xe hyperCEST MRI experiments with avidin as the protein target.
- Conformational searches and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations.
Main Results:
- btCB7 demonstrated a 129Xe hyperCEST response at δ=28 ppm upon binding to avidin.
- Substantial Chemical Exchange Saturation Transfer (CEST) contrast was observed.
- Observed chemical shift attributed to btCB7 deformation upon protein binding, supported by simulations.
Conclusions:
- Directly functionalized cucurbiturils are effective xenon biosensors.
- btCB7 offers advantages for localization-based imaging and CEST imaging.
- This approach enables versatile biological targeting through avidin conjugation.
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