Green fluorescent protein variants as ratiometric dual emission pH sensors. 3. Temperature dependence of proton transfer

In parts 1 and 2 of this series [Hanson, G. T., McAnaney, T. B., Park, E. S., Rendell, M. E. P., Yarbrough, D. K., Chu, S. Y., Xi, L. X., Boxer, S. G., Montrose, M. H., and Remington, S. J. (2002) Biochemistry 41, 15477-15488; McAnaney, T. B., Park, E. S., Hanson, G. T., Remington, S. J., and Boxer, S. G. (2002) Biochemistry 41, 15489-15494], we described the structure, excited-state dynamics, and applications of pH-sensitive, ratiometric dual emission green fluorescent protein (deGFP) variants with fluorescence emission that is modulated between blue (lambda(max) approximately equal 465 nm) and green (lambda(max) approximately equal 515 nm) depending on the pH of the bulk solvent. In this paper, we consider the energetic origin of the dual emission properties of these GFP variants by examining the temperature dependence of the steady-state absorption and fluorescence emission. In most cases, the quantum yield of the green emission decreased as the temperature was lowered, indicating that the excited-state proton transfer (ESPT) which produces the green emitting form is an activated process. The activation energies of ESPT, determined by modeling the quantum yields of both blue and green emissions between 260 and 298 K in the context of a simple photocycle, were found to be larger at low pH than at high pH. These results indicate that the ratiometric dual emission properties of deGFP mutants are due to this pH-sensitive ESPT rate, combined with a modulation of the ground-state neutral and anionic chromophore populations with pH. The time-resolved fluorescence of one of the deGFP mutants was studied in detail. The time-resolved emission spectra of this mutant are the first ultrafast spectra obtained for a GFP. These spectra demonstrate that the rising kinetics for green emission, considered a hallmark of ESPT, is the sum of the contribution from both the neutral and intermediate anionic forms of the chromophore at the probe wavelength and may not be observed in all mutants that undergo ESPT, depending on the relative contributions of the two forms.     

Binding of quercetin with human serum albumin: a critical spectroscopic study

Flavonols are plant pigments that are ubiquitous in nature. Quercetin (3,3',4',5,7-pentahydroxyflavone) and other related plant flavonols have come into recent prominence because of their usefulness as anticancer, antitumor, anti-AIDS, and other important therapeutic activities of significant potency and low systemic toxicity. Quercetin is intrinsically weakly fluorescent in aqueous solution, showing an emission maximum at approximately 538 nm. Upon binding to human serum albumin (HSA), quercetin undergoes dramatic enhancement in its fluorescence emission intensity, along with the appearance of dual emission behavior, consisting of normal and excited-state proton transfer (ESPT) fluorescence. In addition, the occurrence of a third emitting species has been noted for the first time. This is attributed to a electronic ground-state complex formed in the protein environment. High values of the fluorescence anisotropy (r) are obtained in the presence of HSA for the ESPT tautomer (r = 0.18), as well as the complex species (r = 0.37) of quercetin, indicating that the precursor ground-state molecules for both these emitting species of quercetin molecules are located in the motionally constrained sites of HSA. The steady-state emission data suggest that quercetin binds to two distinct sites in HSA from which the emissions from the normal tautomer and complex species take place. The preliminary results of studies on emission decay kinetics are also reported herein. Studies by far-UV circular dichroism spectroscopy reveal that binding of quercetin induces no significant perturbation in the secondary structure of HSA.     

Development of a novel neodymium compound for in vivo fluorescence imaging.

We developed a novel fluorescent probe that contains the neodymium(III) complex moiety and fluorescein moiety. This probe can emit long-lived near-infrared luminescence derived from a Nd ion through excitation of the fluorescein moiety with visible light (lambda(ex) = 488 nm, lambda(em) = 880 nm, lifetime = 2.3 micros). These results indicate the possibility of the probe as a candidate for in vivo fluorescence molecular imaging.     

Purification of the yellow fluorescent protein from Vibrio fischeri and identity of the flavin chromophore

A low molecular weight protein (approximately 25,000 D) exhibiting a yellow fluorescence emission peaking at approximately 540 nm was isolated from Vibrio fischeri (strain Y-1) and purified to apparent homogeneity. FMN is the chromophore, but it exhibits marked red shifts in both the absorption (lambda max = 380, 460 nm) and the fluorescence emission. When added to purified luciferase from the same strain, which itself catalyzes an emission of blue-green light (lambda max approximately 495 nm), this protein induces a bright yellow luminescence (lambda max approximately 540 nm); this corresponds to the emission of the Y-1 strain in vivo. This yellow bioluminescence emission is thus ascribed to the interaction of these two proteins, and to the excitation of the singlet FMN bound to this fluorescent protein.     

Fluorescence properties of methyl 8-(2-anthroyl) octanoate, a solvatochromic lipophilic probe.

Fluorescence excitation and emission spectra, relative fluorescence quantum yield phi r and fluorescence lifetime tau of methyl 8-(2-anthroyl)-octanoate have been studied in a set of organic solvents covering a large scale of polarity and in the presence of water. In this probe, the 2-anthroyl chromophore exhibits quite remarkable and unique fluorescence properties. Thus, when going from n-hexane to methanol, the maximum emission wavelength lambda em max shifts from 404 nm to 492 nm while phi r and tau increase from 1 to 17.7 and from 0.91 ns to 13.5 ns, respectively. These increments are still more accentuated in the presence of water with estimated values of 526 nm for lambda em max, 27 for phi r and 20 ns for tau in this solvent. Because of the presence of a keto group which is a hydrogen bond acceptor and which can conjugate with the aromatic ring so as to provide the chromophore with a high dipole moment, the fluorescence properties of the probe strongly depend on the polarity of the surrounding medium. They can be accounted for in terms of general solvent effects (dipolar solute/solvent interactions) in the presence of aprotic solvents and in terms of specific solvent effects (hydrogen bonding) in protic solvents. Such properties of solvatochromism make the 2-anthroyl chromophore, after 8-(2-anthroyl)octanoic acid has been attached to phospholipids (E. Perochon and J.F. Tocanne (1991) Chem. Phys. Lipids 58, 7-17) a potential tool for studying microenvironmental polarity in biological membranes.     

Polarity of lipid bilayers. A fluorescence investigation.

Through steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence experiments, the polarity of the bilayers of egg phosphatidylcholine vesicles was studied by means of the solvatochromic 2-anthroyl fluorophore which we have recently introduced for investigating the environmental micropolarity of membranes and which was incorporated synthetically in phosphatidylcholine molecules (anthroyl-PC) in the form of 8-(2-anthroyl)octanoic acid. Fluorescence quenching experiments carried out with N,N-dimethylaniline and 12-doxylstearic acid as quenchers showed that the 2-anthroyl chromophore was located in depth in the hydrophobic region of the lipid bilayer corresponding to the C9-C16 segment of the acyl chains. Steady-state fluorescence spectroscopy revealed a nonstructured and red-shifted (lambda em(max) = 464 nm) spectrum for the probe in egg-PC bilayers, which greatly differed from the structured and blue (lambda em(max) = 404 nm) spectrum the fluorophore was shown to display in n-hexane. While the fluorescence decays of the fluorophore in organic solvents were monoexponential, three exponentials were required to account for the fluorescence decays of anthroyl-PC in egg-PC vesicles, with average characteristic times of 1.5 ns, 5.5 ns, and 20 ns. These lifetime values were independent of the emission wavelength used. Addition of cholesterol to the lipid did not alter these tau values. One just observed an increase in the fractional population of the 1.5-ns short-living species detrimental to the population of the 20-ns long-living ones. These observations enabled time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy measurements to be achieved in the case of the 1/1 (mol/mol) egg-PC/cholesterol mixture. Three distinct decay associated spectra (DAS) were recorded, with maximum emission wavelengths, respectively, of 410 nm, 440 nm, and 477 nm for the 1.5-ns, 6-ns, and 20-ns lifetimes found in this system. On account of the properties and the polarity scale previously established for the 2-anthroyl chromophore in organic solvents, these data strongly suggest the occurrence of three distinct excited states for anthroyl-PC in egg-PC bilayers, corresponding to three environments for the 2-anthroyl chromophore, differing in polarity. The lifetime of 1.5 ns and the corresponding structured and blue (lambda em(max) = 410 nm) DAS account for a hydrophobic environment, with an apparent dielectric constant of 2, which is that expected for the hydrophobic core of the lipid bilayer.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Determination of protein secondary structure and solvent accessibility using site-directed fluorescence labeling. Studies of T4 lysozyme using the fluorescent probe monobromobimane

We report an investigation of how much protein structural information could be obtained using a site-directed fluorescence labeling (SDFL) strategy. In our experiments, we used 21 consecutive single-cysteine substitution mutants in T4 lysozyme (residues T115-K135), located in a helix-turn-helix motif. The mutants were labeled with the fluorescent probe monobromobimane and subjected to an array of fluorescence measurements. Thermal stability measurements show that introduction of the label is substantially perturbing only when it is located at buried residue sites. At buried sites (solvent surface accessibility of <40 A(2)), the destabilizations are between 3 and 5.5 kcal/mol, whereas at more exposed sites, DeltaDeltaG values of < or = 1.5 kcal/mol are obtained. Of all the fluorescence parameters that were explored (excitation lambda(max), emission lambda(max), fluorescence lifetime, quantum yield, and steady-state anisotropy), the emission lambda(max) and the steady-state anisotropy values most accurately reflect the solvent surface accessibility at each site as calculated from the crystal structure of cysteine-less T4 lysozyme. The parameters we identify allow the classification of each site as buried, partially buried, or exposed. We find that the variations in these parameters as a function of residue number reflect the sequence-specific secondary structure, the determination of which is a key step for modeling a protein of unknown structure.     

A homogeneous DNA hybridization system by using a new luminescence terbium chelate

Homogeneous DNA hybridization assay based on the luminescence resonance energy transfer (LRET) from a new luminescence terbium chelate, N,N,N(1),N(1)-[2,6-bis(3'-aminomethyl-1'-pyrazolyl)-4-phenylpyridine]tetrakis(acetic acid) (BPTA)-Tb(3+) (lambda(ex) = 325 nm and lambda(em) = 545 nm) to an organic dye, Cy3 (lambda(ex) = 548 nm and lambda(em) = 565 nm), has been developed. In the system, two DNA probes whose sequences are complementary to the two different consecutive sequences of a target DNA are used; one of the probes is labeled with the Tb(3+) chelate at the 3'-end, and the other is with Cy3 at the 5'-end. Labeling of the Tb(3+) chelate is accomplished via the linkage of a biotin-labeled DNA probe with the Tb(3+) chelate-labeled streptavidin. Strong sensitized emission of Cy3 was observed upon excitation of the Tb(3+) chelate at 325 nm, when the two probe DNAs were hybridized with the target DNA. The sensitivity of the assay was very high compared with those of the previous homogeneous-format assays using the conventional organic dyes; the detection limit of the present assay is about 30 pM of the target DNA strand.     

Biophysical characterization of the cocaine binding pocket in the serotonin transporter using a fluorescent cocaine analogue as a molecular reporter

To explore the biophysical properties of the binding site for cocaine and related compounds in the serotonin transporter SERT, a high affinity cocaine analogue (3beta-(4-methylphenyl)tropane-2beta-carboxylic acid N-(N-methyl-N-(4-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazol-7-yl)ethanolamine ester hydrochloride (RTI-233); K(I) = 14 nm) that contained the environmentally sensitive fluorescent moiety 7-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole (NBD) was synthesized. Specific binding of RTI-233 to the rat serotonin transporter, purified from Sf-9 insect cells, was demonstrated by the competitive inhibition of fluorescence using excess serotonin, citalopram, or RTI-55 (2beta-carbomethoxy-3beta-(4-iodophenyl)tropane). Moreover, specific binding was evidenced by measurement of steady-state fluorescence anisotropy, showing constrained mobility of bound RTI-233 relative to RTI-233 free in solution. The fluorescence of bound RTI-233 displayed an emission maximum (lambda(max)) of 532 nm, corresponding to a 4-nm blue shift as compared with the lambda(max) of RTI-233 in aqueous solution and corresponding to the lambda(max) of RTI-233 in 80% dioxane. Collisional quenching experiments revealed that the aqueous quencher potassium iodide was able to quench the fluorescence of RTI-233 in the binding pocket (K(SV =) 1.7 m(-)(1)), although not to the same extent as free RTI-233 (K(SV =) 7.2 m(-)(1)). Conversely, the hydrophobic quencher 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-N-oxyl (TEMPO) quenched the fluorescence of bound RTI-233 more efficiently than free RTI-233. These data are consistent with a highly hydrophobic microenvironment in the binding pocket for cocaine-like uptake inhibitors. However, in contrast to what has been observed for small-molecule binding sites in, for example, G protein-coupled receptors, the bound cocaine analogue was still accessible for aqueous quenching and, thus, partially exposed to solvent.     

Homogeneous DNA hybridization assay by using europium luminescence energy transfer

Homogeneous DNA hybridization assay based on luminescence resonance energy transfer (LRET) from a tetradentate beta-diketonate europium chelate, 4,4'-bis(1' ',1' ',1' ',2' ',2' ',3' ',3' '-heptafluoro-4' ',6' '-hexanedion-6' '-yl)-chlorosulfo-o-terphenyl (BHHCT)-Eu(3+) (lambda(ex) = 340 nm and lambda(em) = 615 nm), to an organic dye, Cy5 (lambda(ex) = 643 nm and lambda(em) = 669 nm) has been developed, in which two DNA probes whose sequences comprises the whole complementary strand to the target DNA, are used; one probe having a biotin label on the 3'-terminus and the other a Cy5 label on the 5'-terminus. After hybridization, streptavidin labeled with BHHCT-Eu(3+) was added to the hybridization solution, and in the presence of the target DNA, the sensitized emission of Cy5 was observed when the hybridized complex was irradiated at 340 nm. In the absence of the target DNA, no emission was observed from Cy5.     

Fluorescence resonance energy transfer from tryptophan to a chromium(III) complex accompanied by non-specific cleavage of albumin: a step forward towards the development of a novel photoprotease

A chromium(III) complex, transdiaqua [N, N'-propylenebis(salicylideneimino)chromium(III)]perchlorate ([Cr(salprn)(H2O)(2)]ClO(4)) in the presence of sodium azide and upon photoexcitation was found to bring about non-selective cleavage of bovine serum albumin (BSA). Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) evidence has been obtained for the formation of a Cr(V) species upon photolysis of a solution containing the chromium(III) complex and sodium azide. This Cr(V) species non-selectively cleaves BSA. The fluorescence excitation spectrum of BSA-[Cr(salprn)(H2O)(2)]+ adduct showed a band at lambda(max)(ex) nm due to charge transfer transition of the chromium(III) complex as well as a prominent band at 290 nm attributable to tryptophan absorption. This indicated an efficient Forster type fluorescence energy transfer (FRET) from the tryptophan residues to the chromium(III) complex indicating that the Cr(III) complex binds in the vicinity of the tryptophan residue.     

Optical properties of mixtures of beta-carotene and chlorophyll a adsorbed on bovine serum albumin

The fluorescence of the natural photosynthetic pigments beta-carotene (beta-K) and chlorophyll a (Chl) and their mixtures with bovine serum albumin (BSA) in different molar ratios has been studied. An increase in the fluorescence intensity in a pigment mixture-BSA complex was found. The highest possible (four- to sixfold) increase in the fluorescence intensity compared with fluorescence intensity of one-pigment BSA complexes BSA (beta-K) and BSA (Chl) was achieved at the ratio 11-27% beta-K/89-73% Chl in the BSA complex. A considerable overlap of fluorescence spectra of BSA (Chl) complex (lambda(max) at 690 nm) and BSA (beta-K) complex (lambda(max) at 684 nm) was observed.     

Reversible denaturation of Aequorea green-fluorescent protein: physical separation and characterization of the renatured protein

The green-fluorescent protein (GFP) that functions as a bioluminescence energy transfer acceptor in the jellyfish Aequorea has been renatured with up to 90% yield following acid, base, or guanidine denaturation. Renaturation, following pH neutralization or simple dilution of guanidine, proceeds with a half-recovery time of less than 5 min as measured by the return of visible fluorescence. Residual unrenatured protein has been quantitatively removed by chromatography on Sephadex G-75. The chromatographed, renatured GFP has corrected fluorescence excitation and emission spectra identical with those of the native protein at pH 7.0 (excitation lambda max = 398 nm; emission lambda max = 508 nm) and also at pH 12.2 (excitation lambda max = 476 nm; emission lambda max = 505 nm). With its peak position red-shifted 78 nm at pH 12.2, the Aequorea GFP excitation spectrum more closely resembles the excitation spectra of Renilla (sea pansy) and Phialidium (hydromedusan) GFPs at neutral pH. Visible absorption spectra of the native and renatured Aequorea green-fluorescent proteins at pH 7.0 are also identical, suggesting that the chromophore binding site has returned to its native state. Small differences in far-UV absorption and circular dichroism spectra, however, indicate that the renatured protein has not fully regained its native secondary structure.     

Intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence identifies specific conformational changes at the actomyosin interface upon actin binding and ADP release.

The helix-loop-helix (A-site) and myopathy loop (R-site) are located on opposite sides of the cleft that separates the proposed actin-binding interface of myosin. To investigate the structural features of the A- and R-sites, we engineered two mutants of the smooth muscle myosin motor domain with the essential light chain (MDE), containing a single tryptophan located either in the A-site (W546-MDE) or in the R-site (V413W MDE). W546- and V413W-MDE display actin-activated ATPase and actin-binding properties similar to those of wild-type MDE. The steady-state fluorescence properties of W546-MDE [emission peak (lambda(max)) = 344, quantum yield = 0.20, and acrylamide bimolecular quenching constant (k(q)) = 6.4 M(-)(1). ns(-)(1)] and V413W-MDE [lambda(max) = 338, quantum yield = 0.27, and k(q) = 3.6 M(-)(1).ns(-)(1)] demonstrate that Trp-546 and Trp-413 are nearly fully exposed to solvent, in agreement with the crystallographic data on these residues. In the presence of actin, Trp-546 shifts to a more buried environment in both the ADP-bound and nucleotide-free (rigor) actomyosin complexes, as indicated by an average lambda(max) of 337 or 336 nm, respectively, and protection from dimethyl(2-hydroxy-5-nitrobenzyl)sulfonium bromide (DHNBS) oxidation. In contrast, Trp-413 has a single conformation with an average lambda(max) of 338 nm in the ADP-bound complex, but in the rigor complex it is 50% more accessible to DHNBS oxidation and can adopt a range of possible conformations (lambda(max) = 341-347 nm). Our results suggest a structural model in which the A-site remains tightly bound to actin and the R-site adopts a more flexible and solvent-exposed conformation upon ADP release.     

Factors underlying membrane potential-dependent and -independent fluorescence responses of potentiometric dyes in stressed cells: diS-C(3)(3) in yeast

The redistribution fluorescent dye diS-C(3)(3) responds to yeast plasma membrane depolarisation or hyperpolarisation by Delta psi-dependent outflow from or uptake into the cells, reflected in changes in the fluorescence maximum lambda(max) and fluorescence intensity. Upon membrane permeabilisation the dye redistributes between the cell and the medium in a purely concentration-dependent manner, which gives rise to Delta psi-independent fluorescence responses that may mimic Delta psi-dependent blue or red shift in lambda(max). These lambda(max) shifts after cell permeabilisation depend on probe and ion concentrations inside and outside the cells at the moment of permeabilisation and reflect (a) permeabilisation-induced Delta psi collapse, (b) changing probe binding capacity of cell constituents (inverse to the ambient ionic strength) and (c) hampering of probe equilibration by the poorly permeable cell wall. At low external ion concentrations, cell permeabilisation causes ion outflow and probe influx (hyperpolarisation-like red shift in lambda(max)) caused by an increase in the probe-binding capacity of the cell interior and, in the case of heat shock, protein denaturation unmasking additional probe-binding sites. At high external ion levels minimising net ion efflux and at high intracellular probe concentrations at the moment of permeabilisation, the Delta psi collapse causes a blue lambda(max) shift mimicking an apparent depolarisation.     

A coupled fluorometric rate assay for pyruvate dehydrogenase in cultured human fibroblasts

A method for measuring the activity of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC) by coupling acetyl-CoA production to acetylation of a fluorescent dye is described. Acetylation of cresyl violet acetate by pigeon liver acetyltransferase results in a shift of its fluorescence spectrum from lambda ex max = 575, lambda em max = 620 nm to lambda ex max = 475, lambda em max = 575 nm. The rate of appearance of acetylated dye was followed fluorometrically and was proportional to PDC activity in extracts of cultured human fibroblasts. The assay showed appropriate substrate and cofactor dependence and had a working range between 0.04 and 70 munits. It is 10 times more sensitive than the spectrophotometric assay on which it is based (working range 0.4-31 munits) and is equally convenient. Unactivated PDC activity in fibroblast extracts was 0.75 (0.60-0.92) munits/mg protein (mean and range for six cell lines).     

Fluorescence behavior of tryptophan residues of bovine and human serum albumins in ionic surfactant solutions: A comparative study of the two and one tryptophan(s) of bovine and human albumins

The fluorescence behavior of two tryptophans (Trp-134, Trp-213) in bovine serum albumin (BSA) and a single tryptophan (Trp-214) in human serum albumin (HSA) was examined. The maximum emission wavelength (_max) was 340.0 nm for both proteins. In a solution of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), the _max of BSA abruptly shifted to 332 nm at 1 mM SDS and then reversed to 334 nm at 3 mM SDS. The _max of HSA gradually shifted to 330 nm below 3 mM SDS, although it returned to 338 nm at 10 mM SDS. In contrast to this, in a solution of dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide, the _max positions of BSA and HSA gradually shifted to 334.0 and 331.5 nm, respectively. Differences in the fluorescence behavior of the proteins are attributed to the fact that Trp-134 exists only in BSA, with the assumption that Trp-213 of BSA behaves the same as Trp-214 of HSA. The Trp-134 behavior appears to relate to the disruption of the helical structure in the SDS solution.     

Time-resolved fluorescence studies of dityrosine in the outer layer of intact yeast ascospores.

The (time-resolved) fluorescence properties of dityrosine in the outermost layer of the spore wall of Saccharomyces cerevisiae were investigated. Steady-state spectra revealed an emission maximum at 404 nm and a corresponding excitation maximum at 326 nm. The relative fluorescence quantum yield decreased with increasing proton concentration. The fluorescence decay of yeast spores was found to be nonexponential and differed pronouncedly from that of unbound dityrosine in water. Analysis of the spore decay recorded at lambda ex = 323 nm and lambda em = 404 nm by an exponential series (ESM) algorithm revealed a bimodal lifetime distribution with maxima centered at tau 1C = 0.5 ns and tau 2C = 2.6 ns. The relative amplitudes of the two distributions are shown to depend on the emission wavelength, indicating contributions from spectrally different dityrosine chromophores. On quenching the spore fluorescence with acrylamide, a downward curvature of the Stern-Volmer plot was obtained. A multitude of chromophores more or less shielded from solvent in the spore wall is proposed to account for the nonlinear quenching of the total spore fluorescence. Analysis of the fluorescence anisotropy decay revealed two rotational correlation times (phi 1 = 0.9 ns and phi 2 = 30.6 ns) or a bimodal distribution of rotational correlation times (centers at 0.7 ns and 40 ns) when the data were analyzed by the maximum entropy method (MEM). We present a model that accounts for the differences between unbound (aqueous) and bound (incorporated in the spore wall) dityrosine fluorescence. The main feature of the photophysical model for yeast spores is the presence of at least two species of dityrosine chromophores differing in their chemical environments. A hypothetical photobiological role of these fluorophores in the spore wall is discussed: the protection of the spore genome from mutagenic UV light.     

Obelin from the bioluminescent marine hydroid Obelia geniculata: cloning, expression, and comparison of some properties with those of other Ca2+-regulated photoproteins

A cDNA encoding the Ca2+-regulated photoprotein of the bioluminescent marine hydroid Obelia geniculata was cloned and sequenced. The cDNA is a 774 bp fragment containing two overlapping open reading frames, one of which contained 585 bp encoding a 195 amino acid polypeptide which obviously has the primary structure of the apoprotein of a calcium-regulated photoprotein. Many of the residues are identical to those in other Ca2+-regulated photoproteins: 86% compared with that from Obelia longissima, 76% with that from Clytia (Phialidium), 64% with that from Aequorea, and 64% with that from Mitrocoma(Halistaura). The obelin from O. geniculata was overexpressed in Escherichia coli, refolded from inclusion bodies, and purified. The yield of highly purified recombinant protein was 55-80 mg/L of LB medium. O. geniculata obelin has absorption maxima at 280 and 460 nm and a shoulder at approximately 310 nm. The calcium-discharged protein loses visible absorption but exhibits a new absorption maximum at 343 nm. The bioluminescence of the obelin from O. geniculata is blue (lambda(max) = 495 nm). In contrast, the fluorescence of the calcium-discharged protein is yellow-green (lambda(max) = 520 nm; excitation at 340 nm). This is in sharp contrast to aequorin in which the bioluminescence and fluorescence emission spectra of the calcium-discharged protein are almost identical (lambda(max) = 465 nm). The Ca2+ concentration-effect curve for O. geniculata obelin is similar to those of many other photoproteins: at [Ca2+] below approximately 10(-8) M, calcium-independent luminescence is observed, and at [Ca2+] approximately 10(-3) M, the luminescence reaches a maximum. Between these extremes, the curve spans a vertical range of almost 8 log units with a maximum slope on a log-log plot of about 2.5. In the absence of Mg2+ the rate constant for the rise of bioluminescence determined by the stopped-flow technique is about 450 s(-1). The effects of Mg2+ on the kinetics of bioluminescence are complicated, but at all concentrations studied they are relatively small compared to the corresponding effects on aequorin luminescence. At least with respect to speed and sensitivity to Mg2+, the obelins from both O. longissima and O. geniculata would appear to be more suitable than aequorin for use as intracellular Ca2+ indicators.     

Ultrafast excited-state dynamics in the green fluorescent protein variant S65T/H148D. 3. Short- and long-time dynamics of the excited-state proton transfer

Steady-state emission, femtosecond pump-probe spectroscopy, and time-correlated single-photon counting (TCSPC) measurements were used to study the photophysics and the excited-state proton transfer (ESPT) reactions in the green fluorescent protein (GFP) variant S65T/H148D at three pH values: 6.0, 7.9, and 9.5. Selective mutation of GFP caused a dramatic change in the steady-state and excited-state behavior as compared to the wild-type GFP (wt-GFP) studied earlier. An excitation wavelength dependence of the quantum yield of the strong emission band at 510 nm (I* band) indicates the competition between adiabatic and non-adiabatic excited-state proton-transfer reactions. Pump-probe measurements show that the signal buildup probed at 510 nm is biphasic, where 0.8 of the signal amplitude is ultrashort, <150 fs, and 0.2 of the signal decreases with a approximately 10 ps time constant. This effect is a summary result of adiabatic ESPT to the carboxylate group of Asp148 and nonradiative processes. When compared with the luminescence of wt-GFP, the steady-state intensity at 450 nm is lower by a factor of about 10. This very weak emission at 450 nm has a nonexponential decay. It is relatively pH insensitive and, at about 25 ps, is almost twice as long as in wt-GFP. The former exhibits a surprisingly small kinetic deuterium isotope effect (KDIE), compared with the KDIE of about 5 for wt-GFP. Such weak proton dependence may indicate that this emission comes from the species not directly involved in the ESPT. In contrast, pH and H/D isotope dependence of the intense nonexponential luminescence decay of the S65T/H148D deprotonated form measured at 510 nm may result from an isomerization-induced deactivation that is accompanied by the proton recombination quenching. The data are complementary to the femtosecond time-resolved emission data obtained by ultrafast fluorescence up-conversion spectroscopy, found in the preceding paper (Shi et al.). The spectroscopic results are discussed on the basis of the detailed X-ray structure of the mutant published in the preceding paper (Shu et al.).