Difference between revisions of "Team:DTU-Denmark/Results"

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           <h2 id="amc">AMC Experiment</h2>
 
           <h2 id="amc">AMC Experiment</h2>
  
           <p>In this experiment, we used the AMC fluorescent molecule, coupled with a peptide sequence (A-L-K) known to be cleaved by serine proteases from literature. The molecule emits fluorescence when it is released from the peptide it is coupled with.  For that reason, we expected to see fluorescence when the peptide was cleaved by proteases in the snake venom. We first generated a standard curve of the AMC molecule without the peptide sequence as seen in figure 1.  
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           <p>In this experiment, we used the AMC fluorescent molecule, coupled with a peptide sequence (A-L-K) known to be cleaved by serine proteases from literature. The molecule emits fluorescence when it is released from the peptide it is coupled with.  For that reason, we expected to see fluorescence when the peptide was cleaved by proteases in the snake venom. We first generated a standard curve of the AMC molecule without the peptide sequence as seen in figure 1. The raw data for the standard curve can be found <a href="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2017/5/5d/T--DTU-Denmark--DATA_AMC_standardcurve.xlsx">here</a>.
 
           </p><br />
 
           </p><br />
  

Revision as of 15:30, 1 November 2017

Results

Visit experimental design for the theory and design behind our experiments, and protocols for the protocols of our experiments.


AMC Experiment

In this experiment, we used the AMC fluorescent molecule, coupled with a peptide sequence (A-L-K) known to be cleaved by serine proteases from literature. The molecule emits fluorescence when it is released from the peptide it is coupled with. For that reason, we expected to see fluorescence when the peptide was cleaved by proteases in the snake venom. We first generated a standard curve of the AMC molecule without the peptide sequence as seen in figure 1. The raw data for the standard curve can be found here.


AMC standard curve
Figure 1: AMC standardcurve

We tested the AMC-substrate peptide against the venom from our three snakes of interest, Bitis arietans, Bitis gabonica and Naja nigricolis. We made measurements in five different timepoints, with five different venom concentrations. The background noise was deducted from all measurements. The experiment showed that this particular substrate is cleaved significantly by the two venoms from Bitis arietans and Bitis gabonica, but not by the venom of Naja nigricolis as seen in figure 2-4. Different concentrations of venom had great effect in the fluorescence intensity. You can find the raw data here (excel link of 1st AMC-substrate experiment).


BA AMC experiment
Figure 2: Bitis arietans AMC experiment, with different concentrations of venom
BG AMC experiment
Figure 3: Bitis gabonica AMC experiment, with different concentrations of venom
NN AMC experiment
Figure 4: Naja nigricolis AMC experiment, with different concentrations of venom

We repeated the experiment with two different substrate concentrations, along with three different venom concentrations, similar results were obtained. The bigger substrate concentration produced much higher fluorescence intensity. You can find the raw data here (excel link of second AMC-substrate experiment).


AMC experiment 2 data AMC experiment 2 data AMC experiment 2 data
Figure 5: Difference in cleavage at different venom concentrations

Peptide substrate screening

In order to find more suitable substrates, we conducted screening experiments using JPT Peptide Technologies’ Protease Substrate Sets. They are consisted of 360 oligopeptides with cleavage sites described in scientific literature, flanked by a fluorescent molecule (EDANS) and a quencher (DABCYL). Fluorescence is obtained when the fluorescent molecule is released from the complex due to cleavage by proteases.


The plates with the peptides were incubated with the three different venoms. Background fluorescence was deducted from the measurements. A great number of wells exhibited different fluorescence patterns, showing that some peptides had different specificities depending on the venom. The highest cleavage activity was observed when incubating with the venom of Bitis arietans. As expected, no peptide showed unique specificity for the venom of Naja nigricolis. From these peptides, the most significant ones that can be used for distinguishing between the three venoms were selected and submitted as parts. The plots with fluorescence intensity when incubating the three different venoms of the submitted peptides are shown here.


Substrate screening data for J12 Substrate screening data for D20
Figure 6

These two peptides, J12 and D20, are cleaved by all three venoms. They can be used as a positive control, or as the start of a decision tree classification.


Substrate screening data for G2
Figure 7

This peptide is not cleaved by any of the three venoms, and can be consequently used as a negative control.


Substrate screening data for B11 Substrate screening data for D19 Substrate screening data for N21
Figure 8

These peptides are cleaved by Bitis arietans and Bitis gabonica. They can be used to distinguish between these two snakes and Naja nigricolis.


Substrate screening data for B17 Substrate screening data for K23 Substrate screening data for N17
Figure 9

These three peptides are cleaved only by Bitis arietans.


Substrate screening data for O22
Figure 10

This peptide is cleaved only by Bitis gabonica.


You can find the raw data from this experiment here (link for excel file, measurements files).


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