Tryptophan-to-dye fluorescence energy transfer applied to oxygen sensing by using type-3 copper proteins

Chemistry. 2007;13(25):7085-90. doi: 10.1002/chem.200601806.

Abstract

A fluorescence-based system to sense oxygen in solution is described. The method exploits the sensitivity of the endogenous fluorescence of type-3 copper proteins towards the presence of oxygen by translating the near-UV emission of the protein to label fluorescence in the visible range through a FRET mechanism. The main protein in this study, a recombinant tyrosinase from the soil bacterium Streptomyces antibioticus, has been covalently labeled with a variety of fluorescent dye molecules with emission maxima spanning the whole visible wavelength range. In all cases, the emission of the label varied considerably between O2-bound and O2-free protein with a contrast exceeding that of the Trp emission for some labels. It is shown that different constructs may be simultaneously observed using a single excitation wavelength. Next to the described application in oxygen sensing, the method may be applicable to any protein showing variations in tryptophan fluorescence, for example as a function of ligand binding or catalysis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Brachyura / chemistry
  • Copper / chemistry*
  • Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer / methods*
  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • Metalloproteins / chemistry*
  • Monophenol Monooxygenase / chemistry*
  • Oxygen / chemistry*
  • Protein Conformation
  • Streptomyces antibioticus / enzymology*
  • Tryptophan / chemistry*

Substances

  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • Metalloproteins
  • Copper
  • Tryptophan
  • Monophenol Monooxygenase
  • Oxygen