Amyloid-like Prep1 peptides exhibit reversible blue-green-red fluorescence in vitro and in living cells

Chem Commun (Camb). 2021 Apr 18;57(30):3720-3723. doi: 10.1039/d1cc01145f. Epub 2021 Mar 17.

Abstract

PREP1-based peptides form amyloid-like aggregates endowed with an intrinsic blue-green-red fluorescence with an unusual sharp maximum at 520 nm upon excitation with visible light under physiological conditions. The peptide PREP1[117-132], whose sequence does not contain aromatic residues, presents a pH-dependent and reversible fluorescence, in line with its structural transition from β-sheet rich aggregates to α-helix structures. These findings further demonstrate that the non-canonical fluorescence exhibited by amyloids is an articulated phenomenon.

MeSH terms

  • A549 Cells
  • Fluorescence*
  • Homeodomain Proteins / chemistry*
  • Humans
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Optical Imaging
  • Protein Aggregates
  • Protein Conformation

Substances

  • Homeodomain Proteins
  • PKNOX1 protein, human
  • Protein Aggregates