The measurement of protein phosphorylation is an integral part of the study of cellular signal transduction events, and the effects of receptor modulation and therapeutic agents. In the past, techniques available for such studies were slow and often non-quantitative.
We have developed a new testing system, called AlphaLISA SureFire Ultra, that is highly sensitive, takes only 2 hours to perform, and is fully quantitative. These assays utilise Alpha technology, a bead-based proximity detection system, which is a mix-and-read technology, with no washing steps required in the assay. As such, Alpha allows easy sample handling and the ability to measure large sample numbers if required. Kits are now available for many of the key signal transduction pathways of interest to researchers.
Importantly, AlphaLISA SureFire Ultra has incorporated our proprietary CaptSure™ technology, which allows the use of these kits with complex samples, including serum and tissue extracts. There are no deleterious effects on the assay of sample antibodies, and so the kits can similarly be used for analysis of therapeutic antibody action.
Further, we have just released AlphaPlex SureFire Ultra, the next generation Alpha version which allows the measurement of two targets per well, so increasing the wealth of data generation even further. The first two products in this range are AlphaPlex SureFire Ultra p-ERK and AlphaPlex SureFire Ultra p-AKT (Ser473) which are each coupled with the simultaneous measurement of the total levels of the same protein.
Data will be presented on the performance of SureFire Ultra, both for measurement of single targets as well as dual target detection. This will highlight the impressive sensitivity of the assays, in addition to their ease of use, and ability to multiplex the detection of key signalling proteins.