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Close encounters of the fatty acid kind

A new strategy for analysing fatty acids could one day play a role in determining whether or not life exists on other worlds.

It’s an exciting time in our search for life beyond Earth. New exoplanets are discovered almost daily by the Kepler space observatory. The Cassini mission to Saturn and the Mars Exploration Rovers have transformed our understanding of the solar system. Finding at least simple microscopic life seems only a matter of time and clues to recognise extraterrestrial microorganisms may come by identifying fatty acids from their cell membranes.

Labelling the fatty acids with a fluorescent dye allows them to be detected via laser induced fluorescence

Peter Willis and a team of researchers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in California, US, have developed a microchip analyser that distinguishes a broad range of fatty acids by the length of their carbon chains. Willis says that this is an important advance because ‘different microorganisms have cell membranes with different carbon chain length signatures.’ Algal fatty acids, for example, tend to be around the C20/C22 mark whereas bacterial fatty acids are typically C16/C18 in length. ‘So by measuring these molecules in an unknown sample we can gain information about what organisms were present, even if the sample is very old and the organisms are no longer alive.’

Why not read the full article in Chemistry World now!

Microchip nonaqueous capillary electrophoresis of saturated fatty acids using a new fluorescent dye
M. L. Cable, A. M. Stockton, M. F. Mora, K. P. Hand and P. A. Willis
Anal. Methods, 2014, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C4AY01243G

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Analytical Methods Poster Prizes: Gordon Research Conference on Bioanalytical Sensors

We are pleased to announce that the four Analytical Methods Poster Prizes from the recent Gordon Research Conference on Bioanalytical Sensors: Twenty First Century Technologies for Probing Biological Systems, held at the Salve Regina University in Newport, USA, have been awarded to the following young investigators and postdocs:

 Yong Zeng

 Hitomi Mukaibo

 Young Zeng (University of Kansas)  Hitomi Mukaibo (University of Rochester)

 Mariam Ayub

 Stephanie Walter

 Mariam Ayub (University of Oxford)  Stephanie Walter (Tufts)

 

Congratulations to all of the winners!

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Recent HOT articles in Analytical Methods

Take a look at our new hot articles just published in Analytical Methods. These papers are all free to read for the next few weeks. We hope you enjoy reading them!

Handheld and non-destructive methodologies for the compositional investigation of meteorite fragmentsHandheld and non-destructive methodologies for the compositional investigation of meteorite fragments
Vincenza Crupi, Alessandra Giunta, Barry Kellett, Francesca Longo, Giacomo Maisano, Domenico Majolino, Antonella Scherillo and Valentina Venuti
Anal. Methods, 2014, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C4AY00253A

Electrochemical detection of pathogenic bacteria by using a glucose dehydrogenase fused zinc finger protein
Jinhee Lee, Atsuro Tatsumi, Koichi Abe, Wataru Yoshida, Koji Sode and Kazunori Ikebukuro
Anal. Methods, 2014,6, 4991-4994
DOI: 10.1039/C4AY00977K

A signal on aptamer-based electrochemical sensing platform using a triple-helix molecular switch
Yudan Du, Yinfei Mao, Xiaoxiao He, Kemin Wang, Genping Yan, Jinquan Liu and Yonghong Wang
Anal. Methods, 2014, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C4AY00807C

Determination of spatial and temporal variability of pH and dissolved oxygen concentrations in a seasonally hypoxic semi-enclosed marine basin using continuous monitoring

Timothy Sullivan, Ciara Byrne, Luke Harman, John Davenport, Rob McAllen and Fiona Regan
Anal. Methods, 2014,6, 5489-5497
DOI: 10.1039/C3AY42162G

Electromembrane extraction followed by high performance liquid chromatography: an efficient method for extraction and determination of morphine, oxymorphone, and methylmorphine from urine samplesElectromembrane extraction followed by high performance liquid chromatography: an efficient method for extraction and determination of morphine, oxymorphone, and methylmorphine from urine samples
Yadollah Yamini, Ali Pourali, Shahram Seidi and Maryam Rezazadeh
Anal. Methods, 2014,6, 5554-5565
DOI: 10.1039/C4AY00480A

Determination of parabens in human urine by liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry
Shaoyou Lu, Shihan Gong, Shengtao Ma, Xiangying Zeng, Zhiqiang Yu, Guoying Sheng and Jiamo Fu
Anal. Methods, 2014,6, 5566-5572
DOI: 10.1039/C3AY42063A

Amplified detection of bleomycin based on an electrochemically driven recycling strategy
Shan Lu, Mei Yang, Xiaoxi Li, Xinjian Liu, Yongmei Yin and Ya Cao
Anal. Methods, 2014,6, 5573-5577
DOI: 10.1039/C4AY00989D

Preconcentration and determination of chromium species by cloud point extraction-flame atomic absorption spectrometry
Limin Zhang, Xuelei Li, Xiaoyan Wang, Wentao Wang, Xiangshu Wang and Huayun Han
Anal. Methods, 2014,6, 5578-5583
DOI: 10.1039/C4AY00922C

A review of sample preparation methods for quantitation of small-molecule analytes in brain tissue by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)
Pei Li and Michael G. Bartlett
Anal. Methods, 2014, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C4AY00915K

Detection of Escherichia coli in potable water using personal glucose meters
Ravi Chavali, Naga Siva Kumar Gunda, Selvaraj Naicker and Sushanta K. Mitra
Anal. Methods, 2014, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C4AY01249F

A new screening method for recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains based on their xylose fermentation ability measured by near infrared spectroscopy
A new screening method for recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains based on their xylose fermentation ability measured by near infrared spectroscopy
Hiroyuki Morita, Tomohisa Hasunuma, Maria Vassileva, Akihiko Kondo and Roumiana Tsenkova
Anal. Methods, 2014, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C4AY00785A

Kernel k-nearest neighbor classifier based on decision tree ensemble for SAR modeling analysis
Xin Huang, Qing-Song Xu, Dong-Sheng Cao, Yi-Ping Luo and Yi-Zeng Liang
Anal. Methods, 2014, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C4AY00836G

Cotton fabric as an immobilization matrix for low-cost and quick colorimetric enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)
Saeedeh Bagherbaigi, Emma P. Córcoles and Dedy H. B. Wicaksono
Anal. Methods, 2014, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C4AY01071J

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Top ten most accessed Analytical Methods articles for July-September 2013

Here are the top ten most accessed Analytical Methods articles from July to September 2013.

Photocatalytic reduction of CO2: a brief review on product analysis and systematic methods
Jindui Hong, Wei Zhang, Jia Ren and Rong Xu  
Anal. Methods, 2013,5, 1086-1097
DOI: 10.1039/c2ay26270c

Let there be chip—towards rapid prototyping of microfluidic devices: one-step manufacturing processes
Ansgar Waldbaur, Holger Rapp, Kerstin Länge and Bastian E. Rapp  
Anal. Methods, 2011,3, 2681-2716
DOI: 10.1039/c1ay05253e

‘It’s not easy being green’: a spectroscopic study of green pigments used in illuminated manuscripts
Paola Ricciardi, Anuradha Pallipurath and Kristine Rose  
Anal. Methods, 2013,5, 3819-3824
DOI: 10.1039/c3ay40530c

Microscale separation of immiscible liquids using a porous capillary
James H. Bannock, Thomas W. Phillips, Adrian M. Nightingale and John C. deMello  
Anal. Methods, 2013,5, 4991-4998
DOI: 10.1039/c3ay41251b

Magnetic (nano)materials as an useful tool for sample preparation in analytical methods. A review
Angel Ríos, Mohammed Zougagh and Mohamed Bouri
Anal. Methods, 2013,5, 4558-4573
DOI: 10.1039/c3ay40306h

The evolution of chemometrics
Richard G. Brereton  
Anal. Methods, 2013,5, 3785-3789
DOI: 10.1039/c3ay90051g

Detection of apoptosis: A review of conventional and novel techniques
Michelle M. Martinez, Randall D. Reif and Dimitri Pappas  
Anal. Methods, 2010,2, 996-1004
DOI: 10.1039/c0ay00247j

Rhodamine and BODIPY chemodosimeters and chemosensors for the detection of Hg2+, based on fluorescence enhancement effects
M. J. Culzoni, A. Muñoz de la Peña, A. Machuca, H. C. Goicoechea and R. Babiano  
Anal. Methods, 2013,5, 30-49
DOI: 10.1039/c2ay25769f

Application of Raman spectroscopy for the differentiation of lipstick traces
Fatma Salahioglu, Michael J. Went and Stuart J. Gibson  
Anal. Methods, 2013,5, 5392-5401
DOI: 10.1039/c3ay41274a

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy: an overview of bioanalytical applications
Edward P. Randviir and Craig E. Banks
Anal. Methods, 2013,5, 1098-1115
DOI: 10.1039/c3ay26476a

If you have any comments or thoughts on any of these articles, we welcome you to write these in the comment box below.

Do you fancy submitting an article to Analytical Methods? Why not submit to us here today or alternatively email us with your suggestions!

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