Solid-State Hydroxyl Radical Generator for Protein Footprinting
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for structural mapping of macromolecules, such as hydroxyl radical footprinting, face challenges including high costs, inefficiencies, and the need for reagents in solutions, which hinder high-throughput implementations and are not compatible with both proteins and nucleic acids.
Innovation Solution
The use of pyrite as a persulfide to generate hydroxyl radicals in an aqueous solution for structural mapping of macromolecules, allowing for cost-effective and efficient structural analysis without introducing additional reagents, using various apparatus designs like pipette tips, cartridges, and microfabricated chips for high-throughput applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional hydroxyl radical footprinting methods are used, then structural mapping can be achieved, but the cost is high and throughput is low
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs disposable microfabricated chips containing solid-state hydroxyl radical generators instead of expensive reusable equipment. Each chip is inexpensive to manufacture and can be discarded after a single use, eliminating the need for costly maintenance and calibration while enabling high-throughput processing of multiple samples simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical state of the hydroxyl radical generator from solution-based to solid-state form. This parameter change allows the generators to be integrated into microfabricated chips, reducing reagent consumption, simplifying handling, and enabling parallel processing of multiple samples, thereby increasing throughput while reducing costs.
2Ease of operation
If solution-based reagents are used for hydroxyl radical generation, then the reaction can proceed, but additional reagents are introduced that complicate the system
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the hydroxyl radical generation function from the solution phase and implements it in the solid state within microfabricated chips. This removes the need for additional solution-based reagents while maintaining the ability to generate hydroxyl radicals on demand, thereby simplifying the overall system and reducing the quantity of substances that need to be handled.
Solution Approach 2:
The solid-state hydroxyl radical generators act as intermediaries that convert a stable precursor material into reactive hydroxyl radicals only when needed and in direct contact with the sample. This intermediary approach eliminates the need to handle and store large quantities of reactive reagents while ensuring controlled generation of hydroxyl radicals at the point of use.
3Productivity
If high-throughput methods are implemented, then productivity increases, but complexity of the apparatus increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the hydroxyl radical generation and sample processing functions into separate, modular microfabricated chips. Each chip is a simple, self-contained unit that can be independently manufactured and used. This segmentation allows multiple chips to be processed in parallel, achieving high throughput without increasing the complexity of individual chip designs or the overall system architecture.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables cost-effective, efficient structural mapping of proteins and nucleic acids with single residue resolution, suitable for high-throughput applications, and is applicable to both proteins and nucleic acids without the need for additional reagents, facilitating detailed structural analysis and kinetic studies.
Implementation Method 1
an amount of persulfide effective to generate hydroxyl radicals upon contact with an aqueous solution
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention generally relates to an apparatus for structural mapping of a macromolecule comprising an amount of persulfide effective to generate hydroxyl radicals upon contact with an aqueous solution. The present invention further relates to methods for structural mapping a macromolecule in an aqueous solution and methods for structural mapping a plurality of macromolecules in parallel, wherein each macromolecule is in a separate aqueous solution.