Applications of Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) to the Study of Diverse Protein-Ligand Interactions

Functional characterization of enzymes/proteins requires determination of the binding affinity of small molecules or other biomolecules with the target proteins. Several available techniques, such as proteomics and drug discovery strategies, require a precise and high-throughput assay for rapid and reliable screening of potential candidates for further testing. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR), a well-established label-free technique, directly measures biomolecular affinities. SPR assays require immobilization of one interacting component (ligand) on a conductive metal (mostly gold or silver) and a continuous flow of solution containing potential binding partner (analyte) across the surface. The SPR phenomenon occurs when polarized light excites the electrons at the interface of the metal and the dielectric medium to generate electromagnetic waves that propagate parallel to the surface. Changes in the refractive index due to interaction between the ligand and analyte are measured by detecting the reflected light, providing real-time data on kinetics and specificity. A prominent use of SPR is identifying compounds in crude plant extracts that bind to specific molecules. Procedures that utilize SPR are becoming increasingly applicable outside the laboratory setting, and SPR imaging and localized SPR (LSPR) are cheaper and more portable alternative for in situ detection of plant or mammalian pathogens and drug discovery studies. LSPR, in particular, has the advantage of direct attachment to test tissues in live-plant studies. Here, we describe three protocols utilizing SPR-based assays for precise analysis of protein-ligand interactions. © 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC. Basic Protocol 1: SPR comparison of binding affinities of viral reverse transcriptase polymorphisms Basic Protocol 2: SPR screening of crude plant extract for protein-binding agents Basic Protocol 3: Localized SPR-based antigen detection using antibody-conjugated gold nanoparticles.