High-throughput blood biomarker quantitation using hyperthermoacidic archaeal proteases
High-throughput proteomics platform for blood protein biomarker quantitation, built on proprietary hyperthermoacidic archaeal (HTA) proteases. Runs on any standard LC-MS/MS instrument, needs only minuscule sample volumes, and delivers measurements at approximately 8-minute intervals. Demonstrated in whole blood, serum, plasma, and cultured cells, with tissue methods in development.
Overview
CinderBio's high-throughput proteomics platform provides rapid, reproducible protein biomarker quantitation from human blood using the company's proprietary hyperthermoacidic archaeal (HTA) proteases and standard liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) instrumentation. The workflow measures blood biomarkers at intervals of approximately 8 minutes and consumes only minuscule sample amounts, making it well suited to high-volume clinical, pharmaceutical, and other quantitative proteomics workflows where sample throughput is the bottleneck.
The core differentiator is the enzyme chemistry. HTA enzymes function optimally in hot acid, enabling a rapid single-step protein digestion that can be completed in under an hour and eliminates the need for slow, multi-step trypsin workflows or chaotropic reagents. This decreases time-to-result, reduces sample complexity, and expands the range of digestible sample types.
Technical specifications
Enzyme chemistry:
- HTA proteases (including the Krakatoa and Vesuvius product families) derived from microorganisms that thrive in extreme heat and low pH.
- Fast, single-step digestion performed in hot acid conditions; no chaotropes required.
Analytical workflow:
- Sample-agnostic design already shown across whole blood, pediatric serum, and plasma, and whole cultured cells.
- Tissue-sample methods are currently in development.
- Instrumentation-agnostic: works with any modern LC-MS/MS instrument.
- Compatible with very small sample volumes, preserving precious clinical samples.
- Quantitation or analysis interval: approximately 8 minutes per cycle.
Proteomic performance:
- Enhances proteome coverage, including more challenging proteins such as membrane proteins and nucleolar proteins.
- Built on well-established bottom-up proteomics technologies, reducing technical risk.
Technology readiness level
The HTA enzyme platform itself is validated and has appeared in peer-reviewed studies, with demonstrated improvements in unique peptide identification and de novo antibody-excitation capability. For biomarker applicational use, the workflow has already been tested directly on whole blood, serum, plasma, and cultured cells in the laboratory; tissue methods are in active development. The remaining validation step is a feasibility or pilot engagement that applies these existing, lab-validated methods to a specific end-user's biomarker target set, confirming performance in the real workflow context.
About Cinder Biological, Inc.
Cinder Biological, Inc., operating as CinderBio, is a biotechnology research company that develops and manufactures advanced hyperthermoacidic archaeal (HTA) proteases. These enzymes are derived from microbes that thrive in extreme hot and acidic environments. By leveraging these unique biological properties, the company has created a suite of products, such as its Krakatoa and Vesuvius proteases, which function efficiently at high temperatures and low pH levels. These HTA-proteases allow for rapid, single-step protein digestion that replaces traditional, slower, and more complex workflows, such as those relying on trypsin. Their technology enables enhanced proteome coverage and provides orthogonal datasets, making them particularly effective for challenging samples including membrane proteins and nucleoproteins.
These innovative enzymes are used in proteomics, clinical research, and various industrial applications where process efficiency and stability are critical. By eliminating the need for chaotropes and simplifying sample preparation into a rapid process—often under one hour—CinderBio's solutions provide significant time and cost advantages to scientists and industrial partners. The company’s technology has been validated through peer-reviewed research, demonstrating increased unique peptide reads and improved de novo antibody sequencing capabilities. Beyond laboratory research, the company has explored industrial applications, including enzymatic cleaning and sanitation products, and processes for the liberation of sugars from cellulosic materials. Based in San Leandro, California, CinderBio continues to collaborate with the scientific community to integrate its extreme-environment enzymes into novel workflows.
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