Devices and methods for characterization of analyte mixtures are provided. Some methods described herein include performing enrichment steps on a device before expelling enriched analyte fractions from the device for subsequent analysis. Also included are devices for performing these enrichment steps.

Methods and kits for diagnosing the presence of and prognosing the appearance of tissue remodelling-associated conditions, involving the presence of enzyme complexes in a biological sample, are disclosed. In particular, the method pertains to diagnosing the presence of or prognosing appearance of metastatic cancer by the identification of high molecular weight enzyme complexes comprising MMPs.

In one aspect, the present invention is generally directed to methods for measuring distribution of lengths of a collection of carbon nanotubes. In particular, the present teachings provide an indicator for length-based separation of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) via conjugation of one or more biomolecules onto the surfaces of the nanotubes. As discussed in more detail below, in some embodiments, such a method can include conjugating a biomolecule to the carbon nanotubes and subject the conjugated carbon nanotubes to silver-stained gel electrophoresis to separate the conjugated carbon nanotubes based on their lengths.

A nanoimmunoassay (NIA) is applied to quantify analytes, including without limitation proteins and isoforms of proteins involved in oncogenic or metabolic signaling pathways, in a small amount of lysate from a tissue sample. Samples of interest for NIA include without limitation blood or solid tumor microbiopsy samples, such as fine needle aspirate (FNA) or circulating tumor cells. Samples may be taken at a single timepoint, or may be taken at multiple timepoints. Samples may be as small as 100,000 cells, as small as 5000 cells, as small as 1000 cells, as small as 100 cells, as small as 50 cells, as small as 25 cells or less. The NIA detection method combines size separation of proteins or isoelectric protein focusing and antibody detection in a microfluidic system.

Electrophoretic separation methods and systems for performing the same are provided. The methods and systems find use in a variety of different electrophoretic separation applications, such as sub-cellular Western blotting of single cells.

Devices and methods for characterization of analyte mixtures are provided. Some methods described herein include performing enrichment steps on a device before expelling enriched analyte fractions from the device for subsequent analysis. Also included are devices for performing these enrichment steps.

A sample, which is a mixture of glycans, is fluorescently labeled (S2). The sample is subsequently separated by microchip electrophoresis under a buffer solution with no lectin added as well as under multiple kinds of buffer solutions with different lectins respectively added, and the separated components are fluorescently detected (S3). A high-concentration gel which can produce a molecular-sieving effect is used as the buffer solution. Multiple electropherograms are created from the detection results (S4). A glycan having a lectin specifically attached is delayed during its migration in the buffer solution, so that a peak corresponding to this glycan will effectively disappear. Accordingly, based on the kinds of lectins and the presence/absence of a peak on each of the electropherograms, the structure of each glycan in the sample is estimated and the glycan is identified (S5).

Multifunctional molecular weight protein ladders and methods of making thereof are disclosed herein that are useful for determining the molecular weight of a test protein and/or the relative mass or amount of the test protein in a protein separation assay, such as gel electrophoresis or western blotting. Also included are compounds of Formula I (e.g., mono acetylated MP-11 NHS ester) that may be used to label purified proteins of the protein ladder. The MP-11 label protein ladder can be detected on a blotting membrane by exposing the microperoxidase to a suitable substrate, such as a chromogenic substrate or a chemiluminescent substrate.

The present invention relates to a method for identifying a target protein using a thermal stability shift-based fluorescence difference in two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, and more specifically, a method for identifying a protein, which is a target of a specific drug, by analyzing, by means of a fluorescence difference in two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, a thermal stability shift in the protein when a specific drug, preferably a bioactive molecule, binds to the target protein.

Disclosed is a polypeptide including or consisting of the amino acid sequence SEQ id n.sup.o:1, for use in the treatment or prevention of an inflammatory disease. It further encompasses a nucleic acid sequence encoding a polypeptide, a vector including a nucleic acid and a host cell including a nucleic acid sequence and/or a vector, for use in the treatment or prevention of an inflammatory disease. Also disclosed is a pharmaceutical composition or a food composition including a polypeptide, a nucleic acid sequence, a vector or a host cell and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or a dairy product, for the treatment of inflammatory disease. Additionally, a method for the screening of bacteria having immunomodulatory properties is disclosed.