| 1. |
- Wieloch, Thomas, 1979-
(författare)
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Intramolecular isotope analysis reveals plant ecophysiological signals covering multiple timescales
- 2019
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Our societies' wellbeing relies on stable and healthy environments. However, our current lifestyles, growth-oriented economic policies and the population explosion are leading to potentially catastrophic degradation of ecosystems and progressive disruption of food chains. Hopefully, more clarity about what the future holds in store will trigger stronger efforts to find, and adopt, problem-focused coping strategies and encourage environmentally friendly lifestyles.Forecasting environmental change/destruction is complicated (inter alia) by lack of complete understanding of plant-environment interactions, particularly those involved in slow processes such as plant acclimatisation and adaptation. This stems from deficiencies in tools to analyse such slow processes. The present work aims at developing tools that can provide retrospective ecophysiological information covering timescales from days to millennia.Natural archives, such as tree-rings, preserve plant metabolites over long timescales. Analyses of intramolecular isotope abundances in plant metabolites have the potential to provide retrospective information about metabolic processes and underlying environmental controls. Thus, my colleagues and I (hereafter we) analysed intramolecular isotope patterns in tree rings to develop analytical tools that can convey information about clearly-defined plant metabolic processes over multiple timescales. Such tools might help (inter alia) to constrain plants' capacities to sequester excess amounts of anthropogenic CO2; the so-called CO2 fertilisation effect. This, in turn, might shed light on plants' sink strength for the greenhouse gas CO2, and future plant performance and growth under climate change.In the first of three studies, reported in appended papers, we analysed intramolecular 13C/12C ratios in tree-ring glucose. In six angiosperm and six gymnosperm species we found pronounced intramolecular 13C/12C differences, exceeding 10‰. These differences are transmitted into major global C pools, such as soil organic matter. Taking intramolecular 13C/12C differences into account might improve isotopic characterisation of soil metabolic processes and soil CO2 effluxes. In addition, we analysed intramolecular 13C/12C ratios in a Pinus nigra tree-ring archive spanning the period 1961 to 1995. These data revealed new ecophysiological 13C/12C signals, which can facilitate climate reconstructions and assessments of plant-environment interactions at higher resolution; thus providing higher quality information. We proposed that 13C/12C signals at glucose C-1 to C-2 derive from carbon injection into the Calvin-Benson cycle via the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway. We concluded that intramolecular 13C/12C measurements provide valuable new information about long-term metabolic dynamics for application in biogeochemistry, plant physiology, plant breeding, and paleoclimatology.In the second study, we developed a comprehensive theory on the metabolic and ecophysiological origins of 13C/12C signals at tree-ring glucose C-5 and C-6. According to this theory and theoretical implications of the first study on signals at C-1 to C-3, analysis of such intramolecular signals can provide information about several metabolic processes. At C-3, a well-known signal reflecting CO2 uptake is preserved. The glucose-6-phosphate shunt around the Calvin-Benson cycle affects 13C/12C compositions at C-1 and C-2, while the 13C/12C signals at C-5 and C-6 reflect carbon fluxes into downstream metabolism. This theoretical framework enables further experimental studies to be conducted in a hypothesis-driven manner. In conclusion, the intramolecular approach provides information about carbon allocation in plant leaves. Thus, it gives access to long-term information on key ecophysiological processes, which could not be acquired by previous approaches.The abundance of the hydrogen isotope deuterium, δD, is important for linking the water cycle with plant ecophysiology. The main factors affecting δD in plant organic matter are commonly assumed to be the δD in source water and leaf-level evaporative enrichment. Current δD models incorporate biochemical D fractionations as constants. In the third study we showed that biochemical D fractionations respond strongly to low ambient CO2 levels and low light intensity. Thus, models of δD values in plant organic matter should incorporate biochemical fractionations as variables. In addition, we found pronounced leaf-level δD differences between α-cellulose and wax n-alkanes. We explained this by metabolite-specific contributions of distinct hydrogen sources during biosynthesis.Overall, this work advances our understanding of isotope distributions and isotope fractionations in plants. It reveals the immense potential of intramolecular isotope analyses for retrospective assessment of plant metabolism and associated environmental controls.
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| 2. |
- Neumann, Felix, 1989-
(författare)
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Advancing isothermal nucleic acid amplification tests : Towards democratization of diagnostics
- 2020
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Modern healthcare is the result of scientific advancement across disciplines and has enabled us to understand the rationale behind many diseases and how to treat or cure them; but still a myriad of unanswered questions remains. Especially infectious diseases play an important role in healthcare as they pose a constant threat for global health and well-being. This was painfully highlighted in this year's ongoing COVID-19 pandemic with more than 40 million people infected and over 1 million deaths. Pandemics like this have not only devastating effects on global health but also economy.Therefore, scientific research in the field of infectious diseases is paramount to ensure outbreak control and surveillance of emerging threats. Current healthcare relies heavily on the diagnosis of infectious diseases in centralized healthcare centers thereby overlooking the access of molecular diagnostics for other areas such as airports, home-testing and especially the developing world with its limited resources. Towards this, various isothermal nucleic acid amplification technologies have been developed that hold the promise to bring state-of-the-art molecular diagnostics into these areas as they are versatile, sensitive and specific, and cost-effective. One such technique is rolling circle amplification which was used in this thesis.This research work provides an overview of the developments in biochemistry, related disciplines and their combination to design methods for diagnostic platforms tackling infectious diseases. The studies conducted in this work can be considered as individual modules for addressing challenges, like typing of pathogens and disease-related antibodies, and inexpensive bulk as well as digital quantification and simplified assay schemes. These approaches and their combinations aim to bring rolling circle amplification-based assay schemes into the molecular diagnostic field and towards decentralized healthcare.
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| 3. |
- Neumann, Felix, et al.
(författare)
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Isotachophoretically-driven rolling circle amplification unit for nucleic acid detection
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Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Nucleic acid amplification tests have revolutionized the biomedical field by offering high sensitivity and specificity. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is considered as the gold standard for nucleic acid amplification; however, it requires sophisticated instrumentation for temperature cycling and real-time detection which makes it expensive. Isothermal amplification technologies have been developed to overcome these drawbacks, such as rolling circle amplification (RCA). In this work, we use the RCA and combine it with isotachophoresis (ITP) to increase the sensitivity for fluorescent real-time detection of nucleic acid amplification. For this, we use a top-down approach by first developing a suitable buffer system that supports RCA and ITP, and subsequently show the focusing of differently-sized and concentrated RCA products. Next, we compare our ITP-RCA assay with a commercial instrument for real-time fluorescence monitoring and demonstrate higher sensitivity from our method. Finally, we aim to combine the ligation and amplification step into ITP to simplify the RCA assay into a one-step reaction. The presented combination of RCA with ITP opens up new opportunities by making nucleic acid detection faster and simpler with potential applications for molecular diagnostics of infectious diseases.
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| 4. |
- Ciftci, Sibel, 1987-, et al.
(författare)
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Multiplexed rolling circle amplification detection of Ebola, Zika and Dengue towards point-of-care diagnostics
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Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Emerging tropical viruses have caused serious outbreaks during the recent years, such as Ebola virus (EBOV) in 2014 and the most recent 2018-19 outbreak in Congo. Immediate diagnostic attention is demanded, and most importantly at the point-of-care in resource-limited settings. The performance and the operational parameters of conventional EBOV testing are limited by either their sensitivity, specificity, or both, and often do not cover other tropical disease viruses. We present a padlock probe (PLP)-based rolling circle amplification (RCA) method for the detection of EBOV from cell culture isolates as well as clinical samples obtained from patients of West Africa outbreak. For this, a set of PLPs, separately targeting the vRNA and cRNA of all the seven genes of EBOV, were used in the RCA and validated on virus isolates from cell culture. The assay was then translated for testing clinical samples, and simultaneous duplex detection of both EBOV vRNA and cRNA was demonstrated. For increased sensitivity, the RCA products were enriched on a simple and pump-free microfluidic chip. As PLPs and RCA are inherently mulitplexable, we demonstrate the extension of the probe panel to the simultaneous detection of the tropical viruses Ebola, Zika and Dengue. The simple, rapid, specific and multiplexable isothermal assay developed for tropical virus detection suits the point-of-care needs, bringing RCA a step closer to bedside diagnostics.
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| 5. |
- Ciftci, Sibel, 1987-
(författare)
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Padlock Probe-Based Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests : Point-of-care Diagnostics of Infectious Diseases
- 2019
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Recent advancements in molecular biology and biotechnology have pushed the field of molecular diagnostics much further to benefit the society towards smart access for rapid and simplified health care. In this context, point-of-care (PoC) technologies that bring the inventions in diagnostics closer to bedside settings draw attention. This becomes all the more relevant in the case of infectious diseases which pose the major burden, in terms of mortality and economic loss, especially for third world developing countries with resource-limited settings (RLS). Moreover, emerging and re-emerging viruses, known for their rapid mutation rates, demand huge attention in terms of timely diagnosis and the need for effective treatments. Hence, appropriate and accurate tests to detect the pathogens with enhanced sensitivity and specificity would be needed to bridge the gap between bioanalytics and clinics.This research work is an attempt to combine the tools and techniques required for the development of such efficient PoC technologies to combat infectious diseases. Among available nucleic acid-based amplification tests, padlock probing and isothermal rolling circle amplification are used to benefit from the advantages they offer for diagnostic applications, in terms of specificity, multiplexability, single molecule detection, high throughput, compatibility with various read-out platforms and inexpensive digital quantification.In the first paper, simultaneous detection of RNA and DNA forms of adenovirus is shown to study the spatio-temporal expression patterns in both lytic and persistent infections. In situ quantification of viral DNA as well as transcripts with single cell resolution has been achieved. In the second paper, novel probe design strategy has been presented for the development of molecular assays to detect hypervariable RNA viruses. This approach becomes helpful in targeting rapidly evolving viruses by using mutation-tolerant probes for RCA. Third paper demonstrates simple RCA for rapid detection of Ebola virus in clinical samples, followed by a multiplexed detection with other re-emerging tropical viruses, namely Zika and Dengue. This study also includes a simple easy-to-operate pump-free membrane enrichment read-out, combined together with microscopy for digital quantification of the products. In the fourth paper, near point-of-care glucose sensor-based RCP detection has been proposed for Ebola virus detection. All these attempts clearly bring RCA closer to PoC settings for molecular diagnostics of virus infections.
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| 6. |
- Ciftci, Sibel, 1987-, et al.
(författare)
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The sweet detection of rolling circle amplification : Glucose-based electrochemical detection of virus nucleic acid
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Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Infectious diseases remain a constant threat on a global scale by recurring pandemics. Rapid and portable diagnostics hold the promise to tackle the spreading of diseases and decentralizing healthcare to point-of-care needs. Ebola, a hypervariable RNA virus causing fatalities of up to 90% for recent outbreaks in Africa, demands immediate attention for bedside diagnostics. Nucleic acid amplification technology (NAAT) has proven to be a powerful tool for the control of outbreak with high sensitivity and specificity. However, NAAT is mostly based on amplification methods that require specialized instrumentation and trained personnel, such as PCR with sophisticated detectors. Here, we present an isothermal padlock probe-based assay for the detection of pathogens coupled with a glucose oxidase (GOx)-based electrochemical approach as the read-out. The assay design is based on rolling circle amplification (RCA) upon magnetic beads, connecting the RCA products (RCPs) via streptavidin-biotin bridges to GOx needed for the electrochemical measurement with externally provided glucose. The RCPs forming on the surface of beads are imaged using scanning electron microscopy, and the presence of the GOx to the RCP complex is confirmed using atomic force microscopy. Parameters such as the choice of buffers, concentrations of glucose and GOx and measurement time were optimized, as well as the mode of addition of glucose was tested. 125 μg/mL of GOx with 5 mM glucose using PBS as washing buffer, monitored for 15 min were chosen as the optimized conditions. The effect of temperature was tested and found to be critical at 37 °C for enhanced performance of the sensor. Finally, we evaluate the analytical performance of our sensor system by using cell culture isolate and clinical samples of Ebola virus. The study provides a proof-of-concept of simple and portable molecular diagnostics for emerging pathogens, beneficial especially for resource-limited settings.
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| 7. |
- Hernández-Neuta, Iván, 1986-
(författare)
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Nucleic acid analysis tools : Novel technologies and biomedical applications
- 2017
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Nucleic acids are fundamental molecules of living organisms functioning essentially as the molecular information carriers of life. From how an organism is built to how it responds to external conditions, all of it, can be found in the form of nucleic acid sequences inside every single cell of every life form on earth.Therefore, accessing these sequences provides key information regarding the molecular identity and functional state of any living organism, this is very useful for areas like biomedicine, where accessing and understanding these molecular signatures is the key to develop strategies to understand, treat and diagnose diseases.Decades of research and technological advancements have led to the development of a number of molecular tools and engineering technologies that allow accessing the information contained in the nucleic acids. This thesis provides a general overview of the tools and technologies available for nucleic acid analysis, and proposes an illustrative concept on how molecular tools and emergent technologies can be combined in a modular fashion to design methods for addressing different biomedical questions. The studies included in this thesis, are focused on the particular use of the molecular tools named: padlock and selector probes, rolling circle amplification, and fluorescence detection of single molecules in combination with microfluidics and portable microscopy. By using this combination, it became possible to design and demonstrate novel approaches for integrated nucleic acid analysis, inexpensive digital quantification, mobile-phone based diagnostics and the description of viral infections.These studies represent a step forward towards the adoption of the selected group of tools and technologies, for the design and building of methods that can be used as powerful alternatives to conventional tools used in molecular diagnostics and virology.
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| 8. |
- Akhras, Michael S., 1980-
(författare)
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Nucleic Acid Based Pathogen Diagnostics
- 2008
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Pathogenic organisms are transmitted to the host organism through all possible connected pathways, and cause a myriad of diseases states. Commonly occurring curable infectious diseases still impose the greatest health impacts on a worldwide perspective. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation partnered with RAND Corporation to form the Global Health Diagnostics Forum, with the goal of establishing and interpreting mathematical models for what effects a newly introduced point-of-care pathogen diagnostic would have in developing countries. The results were astonishing, with potentially millions of lives to be saved on an annual basis. Golden standard for diagnostics of pathogenic bacteria has long been cultureable medias. Environmental biologists have estimated that less than 1% of all bacteria are cultureable. Genomic-based approaches offer the potential to identify all microbes from all the biological kingdoms. Nucleic acid based pathogen diagnostics has evolved significantly over the past decades. Novel technologies offer increased potential in sensitivity, specificity, decreased costs and parallel sample management. However, most methods are confined to core laboratory facilities. To construct an ultimate nucleic acid based diagnostic for use in areas of need, potential frontline techniques need to be identified and combined. The research focus of this doctoral thesis work has been to develop and apply nucleic acid based methods for pathogen diagnostics. Methods and assays were applied to the two distinct systems i) screening for antibiotic resistance mutations in the bacterial pathogen Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and ii) genotype determination of the cancer causative Human Papillomavirus (HPV). The first part of the study included development of rapid, direct and multiplex Pyrosequencing nucleic acid screenings. With improved methodology in the sample preparation process, we could detect an existence of multiple co-infecting HPV genotypes at greater sensitivities than previously described, when using the same type of methodology. The second part of the study focused on multiplex nucleic acid amplification strategies using Molecular Inversion Probes with end-step Pyrosequencing screening. The PathogenMip assay presents a complete detection schematic for virtually any known pathogenic organism. We also introduce the novel Connector Inversion Probe, a padlock probe capable of complete gap-fill reactions for multiplex nucleic acid amplifications.
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| 9. |
- Ke, Rongqin
(författare)
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Detection and Sequencing of Amplified Single Molecules
- 2012
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Improved analytical methods provide new opportunities for both biological research and medical applications. This thesis describes several novel molecular techniques for nucleic acid and protein analysis based on detection or sequencing of amplified single molecules (ASMs). ASMs were generated from padlock probe assay and proximity ligation assay (PLA) through a series of molecular processes.In Paper I, a simple colorimetric readout strategy for detection of ASMs generated from padlock probe assay was used for highly sensitive detection of RNA virus, showing the potential of using padlock probes in the point-of-care diagnostics. In Paper II, digital quantification of ASMs, which were generated from padlock probe assay and PLA through circle-to-circle amplification (C2CA), was used for rapid and sensitive detection of nucleic acids and proteins, aiming for applications in biodefense. In Paper III, digital quantification of ASMs that were generated from PLA without C2CA was shown to be able to improve the precision and sensitivity of PLA when compared to the conventional real-time PCR readout. In Paper IV, a non-optical approach for detection of ASMs generated from PLA was used for sensitive detection of bacterial spores. ASMs were detected through sensing oligonucleotide-functionalized magnetic nanobeads that were trapped within them.Finally, based on in situ sequencing of ASMs generated via padlock probe assay, a novel method that enabled sequencing of individual mRNA molecules in their natural context was established and presented in Paper V. Highly multiplex detection of mRNA molecules was also achieved based on in situ sequencing. In situ sequencing allows studies of mRNA molecules from different aspects that cannot be accessed by current in situ hybridization techniques, providing possibilities for discovery of new information from the complexity of transcriptome. Therefore, it has a great potential to become a useful tool for gene expression research and disease diagnostics.
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| 10. |
- Mezger, Anja, 1986-
(författare)
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Padlock Probe-Based Assays for Molecular Diagnostics
- 2015
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Treatment success often depends on the availability of accurate and reliable diagnostic assays to guide clinical practitioners in their treatment choices. An optimal test must excel in specificity and sensitivity, and depending on the application area time, low-cost and simplicity are equally important. For instance, time is essential in infectious diagnostics but this is less important in non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT). In NIPT, specificity and sensitivity are the most important parameters.In this thesis I describe the development of four different methods, all based on padlock probes and rolling circle amplification, intended for molecular diagnostics. Application areas range from infectious disease diagnostics to NIPT and oncology. The methods described have in common that they overcome certain limitations of currently available assays. This thesis includes two new assays targeting infectious agents: one assay specifically detecting a highly variable double stranded RNA virus and the second assay demonstrating a new format of antibiotic susceptibility testing, which is rapid and generally applicable to different pathogens. Furthermore, I describe the development of a method that uses methylation markers to enrich fetal DNA, accurately quantify chromosome ratios and thus, detecting trisomy 21 and 18. The fourth method described in this thesis uses gap-fill ligation of padlock probes to detect diagnostic relevant point mutations with high specificity in situ.The assays presented have the potential, after automation and successful validation and verification studies, to be implemented into clinical practice. Furthermore, these assays demonstrate the wide applicability of padlock probes which, due to their properties in regard to specificity and multiplexity, are useful tools for nucleic acid detection in vitro as well as in situ.
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