Biology subjects

Esmaeili, F.

Publications and source records attributed to Esmaeili, F..

2 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Real-time electrochemical protein monitoring using molecular pendulum sensors

Continuous monitoring of proteins in complex biological fluids is essential for advancing personalized medicine, yet existing biosensors are often limited by instability, single-use designs, and insufficient sensitivity. Here, we describe a detailed protocol for the fabrication and operation of molecular pendulum (MP) electrochemical sensors integrated with an active-reset mechanism to enable real-time, reversible, and ultrasensitive protein detection. The protocol is described in two parts. First, we describe the microfabrication of gold microelectrodes and their nanostructured modification, followed by assembly of DNA-based pendulum probes with redox reporters and affinity receptors that translate binding into kinetic electron-transfer shifts. Second, we detail the sensing and active-reset approach, which detects the target analyte and applies tunable oscillatory potentials to accelerate its dissociation, regenerate sensor surfaces, and extend operational lifetime. The protocol includes detailed guidance on device fabrication, surface functionalization, sensing and reset cycles, and data analysis. When implemented, MP sensors with active-reset achieve pg/ml sensitivity, rapid equilibration, and robust performance across biofluids and in situ models, enabling continuous protein monitoring over extended periods. This combined technology represents a biosensing platform with significant potential, opening new avenues for wearable and implantable molecular monitoring, early disease detection, and personalized therapeutic guidance.

bioengineering↗

bioRxiv2026

tRF-3021a, a tRNA-Ala-TGC derived 3' fragment, promotes glioblastoma cell invasion, suppresses apoptosis, and is required for normal levels of protein synthesis

tRNA-derived fragments (tRFs) are a relatively recently discovered class of small RNAs implicated in gene-regulatory processes in diverse biological contexts but there have been very few reports of a clear phenotypic role of these small RNAs in cancer progression. To select tRFs that should receive priority for mechanistic experiments, we analyzed small RNA-seq data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and found that high expression of three 3' tRFs (tRF-3a), tRF-3009a, tRF-3021a or tRF-3030a, is significantly associated with poor overall survival in low-grade glioma (LGG). In glioblastoma cells, tRF-3009a, tRF-3021a and tRF-3030a enhance cell invasion and migration but tRF-3021a was uniquely required for cell proliferation and suppression of apoptosis. Interestingly, tRF-3021a knockdown decreases global protein synthesis prior to and independent of apoptosis in a number of cancer cell lines, both from and outside the glioblastoma lineage. RNA-seq reveals that the results cannot be explained by microRNA-like functions of tRF-3021a. These data indicate that tRF-3021a supports cancer cell survival and particularly protein synthesis while promoting cellular invasion and migration and suggests that strategies to downregulate this short RNA could be a potential therapeutic approach in cancers. ImplicationtRF-3021a promotes malignant cell phenotypes, sustains global protein synthesis and prevents spontaneous apoptosis, motivating efforts to evaluate it as a biomarker and therapeutic target.

cancer biology↗