Application of the fluorescence resonance energy transfer method for studying the dynamics of caspase-3 activation during UV-induced apoptosis in living HeLa cells

Activation of caspase-3 is a central event in apoptosis. We have developed a GFP-based FRET (fluorescence resonance energy transfer) probe that is highly sensitive to the activation of caspase-3 in intact living cells. This probe was constructed by fusing a CFP (cyan fluorescent protein) and a YFP (yellow fluorescent protein) with a specialized linker containing the caspase-3 cleavage sequence: DEVD. The linker design was optimized to produce a large FRET effect. Using purified protein, we observed a fivefold change in the fluorescence emission ratio when the probe was cleaved by caspase-3. To demonstrate the usefulness of this method, we introduced this FRET probe into HeLa cells by both transient and stable transfection. We observed that during UV-induced apoptosis, the activation of caspase-3 varied significantly between different cells; but once the caspase was activated, the enzyme within the cell became fully active within a few minutes. This technique will be highly useful for correlating the caspase-3 activation with other apoptotic events and for rapid-screening of potential drugs that may target the apoptotic process.