Combination of a SAW-biosensor with MALDI mass spectrometric analysis

A S-sens® K5 surface acoustic wave biosensor was coupled with mass spectrometry (SAW-MS) for the analysis of a protein complex consisting of human blood clotting cascade factor α-thrombin and human antithrombin III, a specific blood plasma inhibitor of thrombin. Specific binding of antithrombin III to thrombin was recorded as a function of time with a S-sens® K5 biosensor. Two out of five elements of the sensor chip were used as references. To the remaining three elements coated with RNA anti-thrombin aptamers, thrombin and antithrombin III were bound consecutively. The biosensor measures mass changes on the chip surface showing that 20% of about 400 fmol/cm2 thrombin formed a complex with the 1.7-times larger antithrombin III. Mass spectrometry (MS) was applied to identify the bound proteins. Sensor chips with aptamer-captured (1) thrombin and (2) thrombin–antithrombin III complex (TAT-complex) were digested with proteases on the sensor element and subsequently identified by peptide mass fingerprint (PMF) with matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-ToF) mass spectrometry. A significant identification of thrombin was achieved by measuring the entire digest with MALDI-ToF MS directly from the sensor chip surface. For the significant identification of both proteins in the TAT-complex, the proteolytic peptides had to be separated by nano-capillary-HPLC prior to MALDI-ToF MS. SAW-MS is applicable to protein interaction analysis as in functional proteomics and to miniaturized diagnostics.