Person:
Benito Peña, María Elena

Loading...
Profile Picture
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 - 4 of 4
  • Item
    Homogeneous quenching immunoassay for fumonisin B1 based on gold nanoparticles and an epitope-mimicking yellow fluorescent protein
    (ACS Nano, 2018) Peltomaa, Riikka Johanna; Amaro Torres, Francisco; Carrasco, Sergio; Orellana Moraleda, Guillermo; Benito Peña, María Elena; Moreno Bondi, María Cruz
    Homogeneous immunoassays represent an attractive alternative to traditional heterogeneous assays due to their simplicity, sensitivity, and speed. On the basis of a previously identified epitope-mimicking peptide, or mimotope, we developed a homogeneous fluorescence quenching immunoassay based on gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and a recombinant epitope-mimicking fusion protein for the detection of mycotoxin fumonisin B1 (FB1). The fumonisin mimotope was cloned as a fusion protein with a yellow fluorescent protein that could be used directly as the tracer for FB1 detection without the need of labeling or a secondary antibody. Furthermore, owing to the fluorescence quenching ability of AuNPs, a homogeneous immunoassay could be performed in a single step without washing steps to separate the unbound tracer. The homogeneous quenching assay showed negligible matrix effects in 5% wheat extract and high sensitivity for FB1 detection, with a dynamic range from 7.3 to 22.6 ng/mL, a detection limit of 1.1 ng/mL, and IC50 value of 12.9 ng/mL, which was significantly lower than the IC50 value of the previously reported assay using the synthetic counterpart of the same mimotope in a microarray format. The homogeneous assay was demonstrated to be specific for fumonisins B1 and B2, as no significant cross-reactivity with other mycotoxins was observed, and acceptable recoveries (86% for FB1 2000 μg/kg and 103% for FB1 4000 μg/kg), with relative standard deviation less than 6.5%, were reported from spiked wheat samples, proving that the method could provide a valuable tool for simple analysis of mycotoxin-contaminated food samples.
  • Item
    Homogeneous immunoassay for cyclopiazonic acid based upon mimotopes and upconversion-resonance energy transfer
    (Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 2023) Prádanas González, Fernando; Peltomaa, Riikka Johanna; Satu Lahtinen; Luque Uria, Álvaro; Vicente Más; Rodrigo Barderas; Chris M. Maragos; Canales Mayordomo, María Ángeles; Tero Soukka; Benito Peña, María Elena; Moreno Bondi, María Cruz
    Strains of Penicillium spp. are used for fungi-ripened cheeses and Aspergillus spp. routinely contaminate maize and other crops. Some of these strains can produce toxic secondary metabolites (mycotoxins), including the neurotoxin α-cyclopiazonic acid (CPA). In this work, we developed a homogeneous upconversion-resonance energy transfer (UC-RET) immunoassay for the detection of CPA using a novel epitope mimicking peptide, or mimotope, selected by phage display. CPA-specific antibody was used to isolate mimotopes from a cyclic 7-mer peptide library in consecutive selection rounds. Enrichment of antibody binding phages was achieved, and the analysis of individual phage clones revealed four different mimotope peptide sequences. The mimotope sequence, ACNWWDLTLC, performed best in phage-based immunoassays, surface plasmon resonance binding analyses, and UC-RET-based immunoassays. To develop a homogeneous assay, upconversion nanoparticles (UCNP, type NaYF4:Yb3+, Er3+) were used as energy donors and coated with streptavidin to anchor the synthetic biotinylated mimotope. Alexa Fluor 555, used as an energy acceptor, was conjugated to the anti-CPA antibody fragment. The homogeneous single-step immunoassay could detect CPA in just 5 min and enabled a limit of detection (LOD) of 30 pg/mL (1.5 μg/kg) and an IC50 value of 0.36 ng/mL. No significant cross-reactivity was observed with other co-produced mycotoxins. Finally, we applied the novel method for the detection of CPA in spiked maize samples using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to a diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) as a reference method.
  • Item
    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.
  • Item
    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.