Synthesis and characterization of bichromophoric 1-deoxyceramides as FRET probes

Org Biomol Chem. 2021 Mar 21;19(11):2456-2467. doi: 10.1039/d1ob00113b. Epub 2021 Mar 2.

Abstract

The suitability as FRET probes of two bichromophoric 1-deoxydihydroceramides containing a labelled spisulosine derivative as a sphingoid base and two differently ω-labelled fluorescent palmitic acids has been evaluated. The ceramide synthase (CerS) catalyzed metabolic incorporation of ω-azido palmitic acid into the above labeled spisulosine to render the corresponding ω-azido 1-deoxyceramide has been studied in several cell lines. In addition, the strain-promoted click reaction between this ω-azido 1-deoxyceramide and suitable fluorophores has been optimized to render the target bichromophoric 1-deoxydihydroceramides. These results pave the way for the development of FRET-based assays as a new tool to study sphingolipid metabolism.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Line
  • Ceramides / metabolism*
  • Click Chemistry
  • Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer
  • Fluorescent Dyes / chemical synthesis*
  • Humans
  • Lipids / chemical synthesis*
  • Mice
  • Oxidoreductases / metabolism*
  • Palmitic Acids / chemistry*
  • Spectrometry, Fluorescence
  • Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Substances

  • Ceramides
  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • Lipids
  • Palmitic Acids
  • Oxidoreductases
  • dihydroceramide desaturase
  • spisulosine