A microfluidic array supporting a lipid bilayer assembly on which membrane proteins can be assembled is described. The array is formed from a hydrophilic polymeric substrate or metal substrate comprising a planar surface with a plurality of individual spherical depressions formed therein. Each of the depressions are configured to have a diameter greater than 1 m and containing an aqueous solution. Across each of the depressions is provided a lipid layer. Each of the plurality of individual depressions comprise arcuate side walls extending downwardly into the substrate from the planar surface.

The present invention relates to the field of biomarkers. More specifically, the present invention relates to biomarkers useful in diagnosing brain injury or neurodegeneration. In one embodiment, a method for diagnosing brain injury in a patient comprises the steps of (a) obtaining a sample from the patient; (b) determining the ratio of citrullinated to unmodified arginine residues at one or more arginine residues of one or more brain injury biomarker proteins; and (c) correlating the ratio to a patient having brain injury or to a patient not having brain injury, thereby providing the diagnosis.

The present invention provides modified cycloalkyne compounds; and method of use of such compounds in modifying biomolecules. The present invention features a cycloaddition reaction that can be carried out under physiological conditions. In general, the invention involves reacting a modified cycloalkyne with an azide moiety on a target biomolecule, generating a covalently modified biomolecule. The selectivity of the reaction and its compatibility with aqueous environments provide for its application in vivo (e.g., on the cell surface or intracellularly) and in vitro (e.g., synthesis of peptides and other polymers, production of modified (e.g., labeled) amino acids).

The presently disclosed subject matter provides methods using mass spectrometry for direct profiling of N-linked glycans from a biological sample. In addition, the embodiments of the present invention also disclose novel methods, known as targeted analyte detection (TAD), for improving the detection limit of MALDI-MS. These methods take advantage of the carrier effect of the added standard analytes, which occurs due to the generic sigmoidal shape of the calibration curve. The functionality of TAD depends on the relative enhancement of sensitivity over the increase of the standard deviation at the analysis of target analytes with spiking in exogenous concentration. At certain ranges of exogenous concentration, the increment in the sensitivity overcomes the standard deviation, resulting in an improved LOD. Theoretically, exogenous concentrations approximately at 1 LODorig would generate the optimum LOD improvement. TAD is a cost-effective LOD improvement method, which is not limited to a certain group of analytes, or detection methods or instruments. It can be applied to enhance the detection of any analyte with different detection methods, provided that the analyte of interest can be extracted or is available in synthetic form.

One or more cells are labeled with minor stable isotopes, characterized, and preserved for subsequent use as a bio-specimen reference standard. The one or more cells are grown in culture media supplied with minor stable isotopes in concentrations substantially different from normally occurring concentrations, thereby supplanting major stable isotopes that would normally be incorporated into the proteins of the cells. The proteins of the cells are thus labeled by the minor stable isotopes and can be used in proteomic characterization of the cells. The cells are preserved by fixation as a reference standard. Cells of the reference standard are mixed with the sample and subject to mass spectrometry evaluation, whereby the labeled proteins of the reference standard can be used in determining the proteome of the sample.

Disclosed herein are methods, compositions, probes, assays and kits for identifying a lipid binding protein as a drug binding target. Also disclosed herein are methods, compositions, and probes for mapping a ligand binding site on a lipid binding protein, identification of lipid binding proteins, generating drug-lipid binding protein profiles, high throughput drug screening, and identification of drugs as potential lipid binding protein ligands.

Systems and methods for determining amino acid sequences of peptides that bind to MHC-I or HLA-I complex or MHC-II or HLA-II complex are provided. One embodiment includes isolating peptides from MHC or HLA class I or class II-peptide complexes and adding one or more known labeled peptides of interest to form a sample containing labeled peptides and unlabeled isolated peptides. The method also includes analyzing the sample with an LC-MS/MS system to obtain sequence data of the peptides, and increasing the sensitivity of the LC-MS/MS system when the labeled peptide is detected by the LC-MS/MS system. The method then concludes with determining the amino acid sequence of the unlabeled peptides in an m/z range that includes the m/z of the labeled peptide. The system can be triggered to increase the sensitivity in or near the m/z of the labeled peptide using an algorithm or computer program.

The application relates to methods and systems for proteomics and spatial mapping of biomolecules using a next generation sequencing readout to decipher biomolecular and cellular interaction networks. Specifically, disclosed are antenna networks generated by conjugating DNA antennas to proteins. The antennas carry a unique antenna identifier (UAI) sequence that can provide spatial location of the network, as well as biomolecules by transfer of the UAI to reporter oligonucleotides associated with other antennas and biomolecules. The methods and systems are also applicable to single cells.

Disclosed are compositions and methods for the multiplexed analysis of one or more intracellular targets of a single cell. Exemplary compositions of the disclosure comprise a surface comprising a plurality of capture agents operatively-linked thereto, wherein each capture agent specifically binds to a distinct intracellular target and wherein the plurality of capture agents form a repeating pattern; a substrate comprising a plurality of chambers, wherein the substrate releasably couples with the surface and wherein each chamber of the plurality of chambers comprises at least one repeat of the repeating pattern of the plurality of capture agents of the surface; a coating composition comprising a cell lysis composition; and a linker composition comprising a functionalization component and an extension component.

Described herein are methods and devices for diagnosing chronic fatigue syndrome using peptide arrays, and providing a prognosis to patients.