Person:
Benito Peña, María Elena

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First Name
María Elena
Last Name
Benito Peña
Affiliation
Universidad Complutense de Madrid
Faculty / Institute
Ciencias Químicas
Department
Química Analítica
Area
Química Analítica
Identifiers
UCM identifierORCIDScopus Author IDDialnet IDGoogle Scholar ID

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 10 of 18
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    Molecular super-gluing: a straightforward tool for antibody labelling and its application to mycotoxin biosensing
    (Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry, 2022) Prádanas González, Fernando; Glahn Martínez, Ana Bettina; Benito Peña, María Elena; Arola, Henri O.; Nevanen, Tarja K.; Moreno Bondi, María Cruz
    Mycotoxins are low molecular weight toxic compounds, which can cause severe health problems in animals and humans. Immunoassays allow rapid, simple and cost-efective screening of mycotoxins. Sandwich assays with a direct readout provide great improvement in terms of selectivity and sensitivity, compared to the widely used competitive assay formats, for the analysis of low molecular weight molecules. In this work, we report a non-competitive fuorescence anti-immune complex (IC) immunoassay, based on the specifc recognition of HT-2 toxin with a pair of recombinant antibody fragments, namely antigen-binding fragment (Fab) (anti-HT-2 (10) Fab) and single-chain variable fragment (scFv) (anti-IC HT-2 (10) scFv). The SpyTag and SpyCatcher glue proteins were applied for the frst time as a bioconjugation tool for the analysis of mycotoxins. To this aim, a SpyTag-mScarlet-I (fuorescent protein) and scFv-SpyCatcher fusion proteins were constructed, produced and fused in situ during the assay by spontaneous Tag-Catcher binding. The assay showed an excellent sensitivity with an EC50 of 4.8±0.4 ng mL−1 and a dynamic range from 1.7±0.3 to 13±2 ng mL−1, an inter-day reproducibility of 8.5% and a high selectivity towards HT-2 toxin without cross-reactivity with other Fusarium toxins. The bioassay was applied to the analysis of the toxin in an oat reference material and in oat samples, with a LOD of 0.6 µg kg−1, and the results were validated by analysing a certifcate reference material and by HPLC–MS/MS.
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    Project number: 253
    Material docente interactivo en inglés para la enseñanza práctica y el autoaprendizaje de (bio)sensores químicos ópticos en Grado y Máster
    (2018) Descalzo López, Ana Belén; Orellana Moraleda, Guillermo; Moreno Bondi, María Cruz; Benito Peña, María Elena; Urraca Ruiz, Javier
    Material docente (guiones de prácticas, vídeos, cuestionarios multi-respuesta) en inglés para asignaturas de Grado y Máster relacionadas con el tema de sensores (bio)químicos ópticos y la preparación de nanomateriales aplicados en sensores ópticos
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    Comparative Study of the Performance of Two Different Luciferases for the Analysis of Fumonisin B1 in Wheat Samples
    (Analysis & Sensing, 2022) Luque Uría, Álvaro; Peltomaa, Riikka; Navarro Duro, Marina; Fikacek, Sabrina; Head, Trajen; Deo, Sapna K.; Daunert, Sylvia; Benito Peña, María Elena; Moreno Bondi, María Cruz
    The development of two different immunoassays for the determination of fumonisin B1 in wheat samples is reported. A previously described mimopeptide for fumonisin B1 (FB1) was used to produce fusion proteins in combination with two different luciferases: Gaussia luciferase (GLuc) and NanoLuc luciferase (NLuc). The production, expression and the development of two immunoassays based on these fusion proteins (A2- GLuc and A2-NLuc) is detailed. The assay showing the best performance, A2-NLuc, with a limit of detection of 0.61 ngmL 1 and a dynamic range from 1.9 to 95 ngmL 1 , was employed for the analysis of spiked wheat samples, a reference matrix material, as well as naturally contaminated wheat samples. The recoveries obtained in the spiked samples were acceptable, between 81.5 and 109%, with relative standard deviations lower than 14%. The analysis of naturally contaminated wheat was validated by a liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass detection method.
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    Project number: 179
    "Chem-game", el juego como estrategia para la dinamización del aprendizaje y la evaluación de conocimientos en Química General
    (2020) Moreno Bondi, María Cruz; Gutiérrez Alonso, Angel; Lainez Ferrando, Alfredo; Benito Peña, María Elena; Glahn Martínez, Ana Bettina; García Pinar, Gioele; Castellano Perdomo, Raúl; Navarro Duro, Marina; Peng, Wenrong; Morales Benítez, Noelia; Rubio Ramón, Pablo Ignacio; Olmos Alonso, Inés
    Este proyecto pretende aplicar la "gamificación" en la enseñanza de la asignatura de Química General de primer curso del grado en Química para fomentar la formación, creatividad, compromiso y la capacidad de trabajo en equipo de los estudiantes.
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    Biosensing Based on Nanoparticles for Food Allergens Detection
    (Sensors, 2018) Gómez Arribas, Lidia Nazaret; Benito Peña, María Elena; Hurtado Sánchez, María del Carmen; Moreno Bondi, María Cruz
    Food allergy is one of the major health threats for sensitized individuals all over the world and, over the years, the food industry has made significant efforts and investments to offer safe foods for allergic consumers. The analysis of the concentration of food allergen residues in processing equipment, in raw materials or in the final product, provides analytical information that can be used for risk assessment as well as to ensure that food-allergic consumers get accurate and useful information to make their food choices and purchasing decisions. The development of biosensors based on nanomaterials for applications in food analysis is a challenging area of growing interest in the last years. Research in this field requires the combined efforts of experts in very different areas including food chemistry, biotechnology or materials science. However, the outcome of such collaboration can be of significant impact on the food industry as well as for consumer’s safety. These nanobiosensing devices allow the rapid, selective, sensitive, cost-effective and, in some cases, in-field, online and real-time detection of a wide range of compounds, even in complex matrices. Moreover, they can also enable the design of novel allergen detection strategies. Herein we review the main advances in the use of nanoparticles for the development of biosensors and bioassays for allergen detection, in food samples, over the past few years. Research in this area is still in its infancy in comparison, for instance, to the application of nanobiosensors for clinical analysis. However, it will be of interest for the development of new technologies that reduce the gap between laboratory research and industrial applications.
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    Highly fluorescent magnetic nanobeads with a remarkable stokes shift as labels for enhanced detection in immunoassays
    (Small, 2018) Salis, Francesca; Descalzo López, Ana Belén; Benito Peña, María Elena; Moreno Bondi, María Cruz; Orellana Moraleda, Guillermo
    Fluorescence immunoassays are popular for achieving high sensitivity, but they display limitations in biological samples due to strong absorption of light, background fluorescence from matrix components, or light scattering by the biomacromolecules. A powerful strategy to overcome these problems is introduced here by using fluorescent magnetic nanobeads doped with two boron-dipyrromethane dyes displaying intense emission in the visible and near-infrared regions, respectively. Careful matching of the emission and absorption features of the dopants leads to a virtual Stokes shift larger than 150 nm achieved by an intraparticle Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) process between the donor and the acceptor dyes. Additionally, the magnetic properties of the fluorescent beads allow preconcentration of the sample. To illustrate the usefulness of this approach to increase the sensitivity of fluorescence immunoassays, the novel nanoparticles are employed as labels for quantification of the widely used Tacrolimus (FK506) immunosuppressive drug. The FRET-based competitive inhibition immunoassay yields a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.08 ng/mL, with a dynamic range (DR) of 0.15–2.0 ng/mL, compared to a LOD of 2.7 ng/mL and a DR between 4.1 and 130 ng/mL for the immunoassay carried out with direct excitation of the acceptor dye.
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    Optical Biosensors for Label-Free Detection of Small Molecules
    (Sensors, 2018) Peltomaa, Riikka Johanna; Glahn Martínez, Ana Bettina; Benito Peña, María Elena; Moreno Bondi, María Cruz
    Label-free optical biosensors are an intriguing option for the analyses of many analytes, as they offer several advantages such as high sensitivity, direct and real-time measurement in addition to multiplexing capabilities. However, development of label-free optical biosensors for small molecules can be challenging as most of them are not naturally chromogenic or fluorescent, and in some cases, the sensor response is related to the size of the analyte. To overcome some of the limitations associated with the analysis of biologically, pharmacologically, or environmentally relevant compounds of low molecular weight, recent advances in the field have improved the detection of these analytes using outstanding methodology, instrumentation, recognition elements, or immobilization strategies. In this review, we aim to introduce some of the latest developments in the field of label-free optical biosensors with the focus on applications with novel innovations to overcome the challenges related to small molecule detection. Optical label-free methods with different transduction schemes, including evanescent wave and optical fiber sensors, surface plasmon resonance, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, and interferometry, using various biorecognition elements, such as antibodies, aptamers, enzymes, and bioinspired molecularly imprinted polymers, are reviewed.
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    Competitive upconversion-linked immunoassay using peptide mimetics for the detection of the mycotoxin zearalenone
    (Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 2020) Peltomaa, Riikka Johanna; Farka, Zdeněk; Mickert, Matthias ; Brandmeier, Julian ; Pastucha, Matěj; Hlaváček, Antonín; Martínez Orts, Mónica; Canales Mayordomo, María Ángeles; Skládal, Petr; Benito Peña, María Elena; Moreno Bondi, María Cruz; Gorris, Hans
    Due to increasing food safety standards, the analysis of mycotoxins has become essential in the food industry. In this work, we have developed a competitive upconversion-linked immunosorbent assay (ULISA) for the analysis of zearalenone (ZEA), one of the most frequently encountered mycotoxins in food worldwide. Instead of a toxin-conjugate conventionally used in competitive immunoassays, we designed a ZEA mimicking peptide extended by a biotin-linker and confirmed its excellent suitability to mimic ZEA by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) analysis. Upconversion nanoparticles (UCNP, type NaYF4:Yb,Tm) served as background-free optical label for the detection of the peptide mimetic in the competitive ULISA. Streptavidin-conjugated UCNPs were prepared by click reaction using an alkyne-PEG-neridronate linker. The UCNP conjugate clearly outperformed conventional labels such as enzymes or fluorescent dyes. With a limit of detection of 20 pg mL−1 (63 pM), the competitive ULISA is well applicable to the detection of ZEA at the levels set by the European legislation. Moreover, the ULISA is specific for ZEA and its metabolites (α- and β-zearalenol) without significant cross-reactivity with other related mycotoxins. We detected ZEA in spiked and naturally contaminated maize samples using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) as a reference method to demonstrate food analysis in real samples.
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    Recombinant antibodies and their use for food immunoanalysis
    (Analytical & Bioanalytical Chemistry, 2021) Peltomaa, Riikka Johanna; Barderas, Rodrigo; Benito Peña, María Elena; Moreno Bondi, María Cruz
    Antibodies are widely employed as biorecognition elements for the detection of a plethora of compounds including food and environmental contaminants, biomarkers, or illicit drugs. They are also applied in therapeutics for the treatment of several disorders. Recent recommendations from the EU on animal protection and the replacement of animal-derived antibodies by non-animal-derived ones have raised a great controversy in the scientific community. The application of recombinant antibodies is expected to achieve a high growth rate in the years to come thanks to their versatility and beneficial characteristics in comparison to monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies, such as stability in harsh conditions, small size, relatively low production costs, and batch-to-batch reproducibility. This review describes the characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages of recombinant antibodies including antigen-binding fragments (Fab), single-chain fragment variable (scFv), and single-domain antibodies (VHH) and their application in food analysis with especial emphasis on the analysis of biotoxins, antibiotics, pesticides, and foodborne pathogens. Although the wide application of recombinant antibodies has been hampered by a number of challenges, this review demonstrates their potential for the sensitive, selective, and rapid detection of food contaminants.
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    Bioluminescent detection of zearalenone using recombinant peptidomimetic Gaussia luciferase fusion protein
    (2020) Peltomaa, Riikka Johanna; Fikacek, Sabrina; Benito Peña, María Elena; Barderas, Rodrigo; Head, Trajen; Deo, Sapna; Daunert, Sylvia; Moreno Bondi, María Cruz
    The development of a bioluminescent immunosensor is reported for the determination of zearalenone (ZEA) based on a peptide mimetic identified by phage display. The peptide mimetic GW, with a peptide sequence GWWGPYGEIELL, was used to create recombinant fusion proteins with the bioluminescent Gaussia luciferase (GLuc) that were directly used as tracers for toxin detection in a competitive immunoassay without the need for secondary antibodies or further labeling. The bioluminescent sensor, based on protein G–coupled magnetic beads for antibody immobilization, enabled determination of ZEA with a detection limit of 4.2 ng/mL (corresponding to 420 μg/kg in food samples) and an IC50 value of 11.0 ng/mL. The sensor performance was evaluated in spiked maize and wheat samples, with recoveries ranging from 87 to 106% (RSD < 20%, n = 3). Finally, the developed method was applied to the analysis of a naturally contaminated reference matrix material and good agreement with the reported concentrations was obtained.