New diode laser-excitable green fluorescent label and its application to detection of bovine serum albumin via microchip electrophoresis

A novel amino-reactive fluorescent label is presented that is based on a yellow daylight chromophore and fluorophore. Its absorption band is wide and peaks at 431 nm in water solution, thus well matching the lines of either the 375-nm and the 431-nm diode lasers and of many frequency-variable dye lasers. When conjugated to bovine serum albumin (BSA), the fluorescence peaks at 501 nm with a quantum yield of 0.21. Its large Stokes' shift of 70 nm facilitates the discrimination of undesired excitation light which is particularly important for sensitive detection in miniaturized separation techniques such as microchip capillary electrophoresis (MCE). Unlike several other fluorophores, the fluorescence intensity of the new label is independent of pH over a broad range (3 to 9). The applicability of the label is demonstrated by labeling the amino acid lysine and the 66 kD protein BSA, and by separating BSA from the free label via MCE within 90 s. The limit of detection is in the order of 12 nM at an optically active path length of 20 µm.

     

Attomole protein analysis by CIEF with LIF detection

We have coupled CIEF with an LIF detector that is based on a post‐column sheath flow cuvette. We employed Chromeo P503 as a fluorogenic reagent to label proteins before analysis. This reagent reacts with the ε‐amine of lysine residues, preserving the cationic nature of the residue; labeled proteins generate extremely sharp peaks in CIEF. A set of four standard proteins generated a linear relationship between migration time and pI. A protein homogenate prepared from a Barrett's esophagus cell line resolved over 100 components in a 40 min separation. Detection limits for Chromeo P503‐labeled β‐lactoglobulin were 5 amol injected into the capillary. Fluorescent impurities present in the ampholytes generated a large background signal that degraded the detection limit by four orders of magnitude compared with other forms of capillary electrophoresis with this detector.     

Study on molecular interactions between proteins on live cell membranes using quantum dot-based fluorescence resonance energy transfer

Mouse anti-human CD71 monoclonal antibody (anti-CD71) was conjugated with red quantum dots (QDs; 5.3 nm, emission wavelength λ _em = 614 nm) and used to label HeLa cells successfully. Then green QD-labeled goat anti-mouse immunoglobulin G (IgG; the size of the green QDs was 2.2 nm; λ _em = 544 nm) was added to bind the red-QD-conjugated anti-CD71 on the cell surface by immunoreactions. Such interaction between anti-CD71 and IgG lasted 4 min and was observed from the fluorescence spectra: the fluorescence intensity of the “red” peak at 614 nm increased by 32%; meanwhile that of the “green” one at 544 nm decreased by 55%. The ratio of the fluorescence intensities (I _544 nm/I _614 nm) decreased from 0.5 to 0.2. The fluorescence spectra as well as cell imaging showed that fluorescence resonance energy transfer took place between these two kinds of QDs on the HeLa cells through interactions between the primary antibody and the secondary antibody.     

Tetrahydrofuran Activates Fluorescence Resonant Energy Transfer from a Cationic Conjugated Polyelectrolyte to Fluorescein‐Labeled DNA in Aqueous Media

A cationic water‐soluble conjugated polyelectrolyte, poly[9,9‐bis(6′′‐(N,N,N‐trimethylammonium)hexyl)fluorene‐co‐alt‐2,5‐bis(6′‐(N,N,N‐trimethylammonium)hexyloxyphenylene) tetrabromide], was synthesized. Fluorescence resonant energy transfer (FRET) experiments between the polymer and fluorescein‐labeled single‐stranded DNA (ssDNA‐Fl) were conducted in aqueous buffer and THF/buffer mixtures. Weak fluorescence emission in aqueous buffer was observed upon excitation of the polymer, whereas addition of THF turned on the fluorescence. Fluorescence self‐quenching of ssDNA‐Fl in the ssDNA‐Fl/polymer complexes as well as electron transfer from the polymer to fluorescein may account for the low fluorescence emission in buffer. The improved sensitization of fluorescence by the polymer observed in THF/buffer could be attributed to the weaker binding between the polymer and ssDNA‐Fl and a decrease in dielectric constant of the solvent mixture, which disfavors electron transfer. THF‐assisted signal sensitization was also observed for the polymer and fluorescein‐labeled double‐stranded DNA (dsDNA‐Fl). These results indicate that the use of cosolvent provides a strategy to improve the detection sensitivity for biosensors based on the optical amplification provided by conjugated polymers.     

New poly(p‐phenylene vinylene) derivatives with two oxadiazole rings per repeat unit: Synthesis,photophysical properties,electroluminescence, and metal ion recognition

Two new poly(p‐phenylene vinylene) derivatives OX1‐PPV and OX2‐PPV bearing two 1,3,4‐oxadiazole rings per repeat unit and a fully conjugated backbone with solubilizing dodecyloxy side groups were synthesized and investigated. The amorphous conjugated polymers had glass‐transition temperature values of 60–75 °C and emitted intense blue or greenish‐blue light in solution with photoluminescence (PL) emission maxima at 379–492 nm and PL quantum yields of 0.41–0.52. In the solid state they emitted yellowish‐green light with PL emission maxima at 533–555 nm. Cyclic voltammetry showed that both conjugated polymers had reversible reduction and irreversible oxidation, making them n‐type materials. The electron affinity of OX2‐PPV was estimated as 2.85 eV whereas that of OX1‐PPV was 2.75 eV. Yellow electroluminescence (EL) was achieved from single‐layer light‐emitting diodes of OX2‐PPV with an EL emission maximum at 555 nm and a brightness of 70 cd/m². Polymer OX2‐PPV, which was functionalized with 2,6‐bis(1,3,4‐oxadiazole‐2‐yl)pyridine, demonstrated sensitivity to various metal ions as a fluorescence‐mode chemosensor. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 2112–2123, 2004     

Pyrylium‐based dye and charge tagging in proteomics

The pyrylium group is a selective reagent for ε‐amino groups in proteins. In particular, for fluorescence labeling, a number of advantages over traditional N‐hydroxysuccinimidyl ester chemistry were recognized such as the rapid prestaining procedure. Here, we have investigated the labeling reaction for the fluorogenic pyrylium dye Py‐1 using liquid chromatography coupled to MS with the aim of determining its specificity and possible side products. Peptides containing no, one, and two lysine residue and a choice of no or one cysteine residue were labeled with Py‐1 at yields > 30%. Gas phase fragmentation proved both labeling of lysine residues as well as that of the N‐terminus also in peptides that contained a lysine residue. Evidence for cysteine labeling was not found, but several other products were detected such as the results of rearrangements with adjacent acidic amino acids. Apart from the use as a fluorogenic label, Py‐1 recommends itself for N‐terminal charge tagging as alternative to the commonly used quaternary ammonium salts. Predominantly a‐ and b‐type ion series were observed for N‐terminally labeled peptides. Further applications include chromophore tagging since the labeled product is not only fluorescent but also colored red.     

Renewable resource‐based poly (m‐phenylenevinylene)s and their statistical copolymers: Synthesis,characterization, and probing of molecular aggregation and Forster energy transfer processes

We report a novel poly (m‐phenylenevinylene)s and their copolymers based on renewable resource starting material 3‐pentadecylphenol to trace the Forster energy transfer process and molecular aggregation in the π‐conjugated polymers. The new bisylide monomer was polymerized with bisaldehyde (or benzaldehyde) under Wittig‐Horner reaction conditions to prepare poly [(4‐methoxy‐6‐pentadecyl‐1, 3‐phenylenevinylene)‐alt‐(1, 3‐phenylenevinylene)] (m‐PPV) and its para‐counterpart poly [(4‐methoxy‐6‐pentadecyl‐1, 3‐phenylenevinylene)‐alt‐(1, 4‐phenylenevinylene)] (p‐PPV) and oligo‐phenylenevinylene model compound 4‐methoxy‐6‐pentadecyl‐1, 3‐distyrylbenzene (OPV). A series of with m‐ or p‐conjugated segments were also prepared by varying the m‐ and p‐content from 0 to 100% in the feed. The selective excitation of m‐conjugated segments in the copolymer by 310 nm light showed emission properties of pure p‐conjugated segments indicating the efficient Forster energy transfer process in segmented copolymers. Both solution quantum yields and the emission intensities increase up to 75% of para‐content in the copolymers. In the solid state, the increase in the p‐incorporation in the copolymer decreases the photoluminescent intensity almost by four times as compared to that of pure meta‐substituted PPV. The excitation spectra of the polymers confirmed a new peak at 400 nm corresponding to the aggregated polymer chains in the film, which is absent in the solution. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 3241–3256, 2008     

One‐step synthesis of a thienylenepyridazinylenethienylene‐based coil‐rod‐coil copolymer with enhanced emission and improved fluorescence stability

A new coil‐rod‐coil copolymer is synthesized via Sonogashira coupling using one‐step methodology. The copolymer PEG‐OEPETPT‐PEG constitutes of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) as the coil block, and oligo[p‐(ethynylenephenyleneethynylene)‐alt‐(thienylenepyridazinylenethienylene)] (OEPETPT) as the rod segment. The conjugated polymer PEPETPT with the same conjugated building blocks is also synthesized for comparison. The structures of both polymers are confirmed by NMR, combined with other characterizations. PEG‐OEPETPT‐PEG has a 12 nm blue‐shift in the emission maximum compared with that of PEPETPT, and a higher quantum yield of fluorescence in THF. PEG‐OEPETPTE‐PEG tolerates up to 20% water content in H₂O/THF mixed solvent without significantly changing the emission wavelength and intensity, while the fluorescence of PEPETPT is dramatically quenched by a very small quantity of water. Further photophysical studies about these two polymers indicate that the introduction of PEG coils onto the conjugated block retards the water‐induced‐aggregation and therefore improves the fluorescence stability of PEG‐OEPETPT‐PEG. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2013     

Highly Emissive Diborylphenylene‐Containing Bis(phenylethynyl)benzenes: Structure–Photophysical Property Correlations and Fluoride Ion Sensing

A series of 2,5‐bis(dimesitylboryl)‐1,4‐bis(arylethynyl)benzenes 1 – 6 that contain various p‐substituents on the terminal benzene rings, including NPh₂ ( 1 ), OMe ( 2 ), Me ( 3 ), H ( 4 ), CF₃ ( 5 ), and CN ( 6 ) groups, were synthesized, and the effects of the p‐substituents on the absorption and fluorescence properties were investigated both in solution and in the solid state. Linear relationships were obtained not only between the Hammett σ_p⁺ constants of the p‐substituents and the absorption and fluorescence maxima, quantum yields, and excited‐state dynamics parameters in solution, but also between the σ_p⁺ constants and the fluorescence quantum yields in the solid state. An important finding extracted from these results is that the suppressed fluorescence quenching in the solid state is a common feature for the present laterally boryl‐substituted π‐conjugated skeletons. Hence, the diborylphenylene can serve as a useful core unit to develop highly emissive organic solids. In fact, most of the derivatives showed more intense emission in the solid state than in solution. In addition to these studies, the titration experiment of 1 by the addition of nBu₄NF was conducted, which showed the stepwise bindings of two fluoride ions with high association constants as well as a drastic change in the fluorescence spectra, while constantly maintaining high quantum yields (0.61–0.76), irrespective of the binding modes. This result also demonstrated the potential utility of the present molecules as an efficient fluorescent fluoride ion sensor.     

Measurement of the Binding of Adenosylcobalamin to Glutamate Mutase by Fluorescence Spectroscopy

Fluorescence spectroscopy is a fast, highly sensitive technique for investigating protein‐ligand interactions. Intrinsic protein fluorescence is usually occurred by exciting the proteins with 280‐295 nm ultraviolet light, and the light emission is observed approximately between 330‐350 nm. No emission light between 330‐350 nm can be observed when adenosylcobalamin (AdoCbl) is excited at 282 nm. The binding of AdoCbl to glutamate mutase was therefore investigated by fluorescence spectroscopy in this study. Our results show that direct measurement for determining the K_d of AdoCbl by fluorescence spectroscopy leads to significant errors. Here we report the source of error and a corrected method for measuring the binding of coenzyme B₁₂ to glutamate mutase using fluorescence spectroscopy.     

Electric migration of α‐hemolysin in supported n‐bilayers: A model for transmembrane protein microelectrophoresis

Proteome analysis involves separating proteins as a preliminary step toward their characterization. This paper reports on the translational migration of a model transmembrane protein (α‐hemolysin) in supported n‐bilayers (n, the number of bilayers, varies from 1 to around 500 bilayers) when an electric field parallel to the membrane plane is applied. The migration changes in direction as the charge on the protein changes its sign. Its electrophoretic mobility is shown to depend on size and charge. The electrophoretic mobility varies as 1/R², with R the equivalent geometric radius of the embedded part of the protein. Measuring mobilities at differing pH in our system enables us to determine the pI and the charge of the protein. Establishing all these variations points to the feasibility of electrophoretic transport of a charged object in this medium and is a first step toward electrophoretic separation of membrane proteins in n‐bilayer systems.     

An Efficient Synthesis and Fluorescent Properties of Pyrazole[3,4‐b]thieno[2,3‐e]pyridine Derivatives

A simple and efficient method for the synthesis of pyrazole[3,4‐b]thieno[2,3‐e]pyridine derivatives via the sequence of three‐component, catalyst‐free, and solvent‐free condensation and oxidation was described. The products feature a donor‐π‐conjugated acceptor fluorescent activity system, and the fluorescence emission wavelength was measured in methanol. Some products were fluorescent in solution emitting at blue light (λ_em = 430–505 nm).     

CE‐ESI‐MS coupled with dynamic pH junction online concentration for analysis of peptides in human urine samples

In this article, an approach has been developed for the analysis of some small peptides with similar pI values by CE‐ESI‐MS based on the online concentration strategy of dynamic pH junction. The factors affected on the separation, detection and online enrichment, such as BGE, injection pressure, sheath flow liquid and separation voltage have been investigated in detail. Under the optimum conditions, i.e. using 0.5 mol/L formic acid (pH 2.15) as the BGE, preparing the sample in 50 mM ammonium acetate solution (pH 7.5), 50 mbar of injection pressure for 300 s, using 7.5 mM of acetic acid in methanol–water (80% v/v) solution as the sheath flow liquid and 20 kV as the separation voltage, four peptides with similar pI values, such as L ‐Ala‐L ‐Ala (pI=5.57), L ‐Leu‐D ‐Leu (pI=5.52), Gly‐D ‐Phe (pI=5.52) and Gly‐Gly‐L ‐Leu (pI=5.52) achieved baseline separation within 18.3 min with detection limits in the range of 0.2–2.0 nmol/L. RSDs of peak migration time and peak area were in the range of 1.45–3.57 and 4.93–6.32%, respectively. This method has been applied to the analysis of the four peptides in the spiked urine sample with satisfactory results.     

Protein–induced aggregation of fluorescent conjugated polyelectrolytes with sulfonate groups: Synthesis and its sensing application

Anionically charged fluorescent conjugated polyelectrolytes of poly{[4,7‐(2,1,3‐benzothiadiazole)‐alt‐1,4‐phenylene]‐co‐[2,5‐bis(4‐sulfonatobutoxy)‐alt‐1,4‐phenylene]} ( P1 ) and poly{[4,7‐(bis(thiophen‐2‐yl)benzo‐2,1,3‐thiadiazole)‐alt‐1,4‐phenylene]‐co‐[2,5‐bis(4‐sulfonatobutoxy)‐alt‐1,4‐phenylene]} ( P2 ) were synthesized by Suzuki crosscoupling polymerization in the presence of a palladium catalyst. The conjugated polyelectrolytes with sulfonate groups, as efficient signal amplifying reporters, were carefully designed to be soluble in water over the entire pH range examined and interact with proteins through intermolecular forces. The polymers exhibited blue emission in aqueous solutions but green or red emission in solid form depending on the conjugation length due to intermolecular exciton migration. The anionic conjugated polymers exhibited blue‐to‐green or blue‐to‐red changes in fluorescence upon exposure to charged proteins, indicating that the polymers have potential applications in fluorescent array systems for protein. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2010     

Correlation of architecture with excimer emission in 100% pyrene‐labeled self‐assembled polymers

Pyrene was incorporated as pendant unit to side‐chain urethane methacrylate polymers having a short ethyleneoxy or a long polyethyleneoxy spacer segment. The short‐spacer pyrene urethane methacrylate was also incorporated either as block or random copolymer (1:9) along with polystyrene. The excimer emission was observed to be different for different polymers with the random copolymer exhibiting the lowest efficiency. But, the total quantum yield was highest (? = 0.58) for random copolymer due to the high emission coefficient of monomer compared to that of excimer. The polymer dynamics were compared by steady state emission and fluorescence decay in THF or THF/water (9:1) solvent mixture and films. The solid state decay profile showed decay without a rise time indicating presence of ground state aggregates. In THF/water (9:1), the decay profile at the excimer emission (500 nm) showed a rise time indicating dynamic excimers. The evolution of excimeric emission centred ～430 or ～480 nm as a function of temperature was also studied in THF/water (9:1). The I_E/I_M ratio for the λ_{343 nm} excitation exhibited steady increase with temperature with the block copolymer PS‐b‐PIHP exhibiting the highest ratio and highest rate of increase; whereas, the random copolymer PS‐r‐PIHP had the lowest I_E/I_M ratios. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011     

Synthesis and double doping behavior of a poly(p‐phenylenevinylene)s bearing conjugated side chains

A poly(p‐phenylenevinylene) derivative bearing conjugated side chains (polyCPV) was synthesized by Migita‐Kosugi‐Stille type coupling polycondensation reaction. This polymer contains phenylenevinylene units in both the main chain and the side chains. UV–vis absorption and fluorescence emission spectroscopies revealed a well‐developed π‐conjugation of the polyCPV. The absorption band of the polymer was extended to long wavelengths. A fluorescent emission maximum of polyCPV is located at considerably longer wavelengths than that of the conjugated side chain monomer. Electron spin resonance measurements of polyCPV confirmed generation of charge species in both the main chain and the side chains via iodine doping. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012     

Fluorescence Labeling and Determination of Pepsin with CdSe Quantum Dots

Based on the solid phase/liquid deposition CdSe quantum dots (QD) were synthesized using selenium and cadmium‐salt as precursor at room temperature. The average diameter of CdSe QD estimated from the high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) graph and absorption spectra was ca. 3–3.5 nm. The mercaptoacetic‐acid stabilized CdSe QD exhibited ultraviolet absorption at 350 and 380 nm and strong fluorescence emission at 481.6 nm, respectively. When conjugated with pepsin, the fluorescence peak intensity of CdSe QD decreased considerably and the fluorescence peak shifted to 467.2 nm. Under optimal conditions, a concentration in 5–50 mg· L^?1 of pepsin could be determined on the basis of fluorescence decrease ratio of CdSe QD, with a detection limit 3δ of 0.36 mg·L^?1 (n=10). The proposed method was applied to detection of the concentration of pepsin in human gastric juice.     

Thermal stabilization of tissues and the preservation of protein phosphorylation states for two‐dimensional gel electrophoresis

2‐DE is typically capable of discriminating proteins differing by a single phosphorylation or dephosphorylation event. However, a reliable representation of protein phosphorylation states as they occur in vivo requires that both phosphatases and kinases are rapidly and completely inactivated. Thermal stabilization of mouse cerebral cortex homogenates effectively inactivated these enzymes, as evidenced by comparison with unstabilized tissues where abscissal pI shifts were a common feature in 2‐D gels. Of the 588 matched proteins separated on 2‐D gels comparing stabilized and unstabilized tissues, 53 proteins exhibited greater than twofold differences in spot volume (ANOVA, p<0.05). Phosphoprotein‐specific staining was corroborated by the identification of 16 phosphoproteins by nano‐LC MS/MS and phosphotyrosine kinase activity assay.     

Layer effects of photovoltaic heterojunction of fully conjugated heterocyclic aromatic rigid‐rod polymer poly‐p‐phenylenebenzobisoxazole

Poly‐p‐phenylenebenzobisoxazole (PBO) contains a fully conjugated rod‐like backbone entailing excellent optoelectronic properties and superior stabilities. Poly(2,3‐dihydrothieno‐1,4‐dioxin):polystyrenesulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) is a hole transferring medium, which was spun into a thin‐film between PBO and indium‐tin‐oxide to facilitate photovoltaic (PV) effect by forming a donor‐acceptor interlayer to separate and to transport photoinduced charges. Optimum PBO thickness for PV heterojunctions was about 71 nm at which the hole transferring PEDOT:PSS generated the maximum short circuit current (I_sc) at a thickness of 115 nm. By using a layer of lithium fluoride (LiF) as an electron transferring layer adhering to Al cathode, the most open circuit voltage (V_oc) and I_sc were achieved with a LiF thickness of 1–2 nm because of possible electric dipole effect leading to an increase of V_oc from 0.7 to 0.92 V and of I_sc from about 0.1 to 0.2 μA. No PV response was observed for all PBO homojunctions because of insufficient exciton separation into electrons and holes. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 45: 988–993, 2007     

Phase Separation of Poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) in Mixtures of Water and Methanol: A Spectroscopic Study of the Phase‐Transition Process with a Polymer Tagged with a Fluorescent Dye and a Spin Label

The thermoreversible phase transition of poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) randomly labeled with a spin label, 4‐amino‐2,2′,6,6′‐tetramethylpiperidine 1‐oxide (TEMPO), and a fluorescent dye, 4‐(pyren‐1‐yl)butyl (PNIPAM‐Py‐T), in different H₂O/MeOH mixtures was studied by turbidimetry, continuous‐wave electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy (CW‐EPR), and fluorescence spectroscopy. The macroscopic phase diagram of PNIPAM‐Py‐T in H₂O/MeOH measured by turbidimetry was identical to those of poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) and of TEMPO‐labeled PNIPAM (PNIPAM‐T) in H₂O/MeOH mixtures. However, distinct differences among the three polymers were detected in their solvent‐dependent EPR and fluorescence‐spectroscopic properties. The EPR spectra were analyzed in terms of the isotropic hyperfine coupling constants, which monitor the variation in environmental polarity of the radical labels occurring for the conformational transitions of the polymer as a function of temperature, as well as the correlation time for reorientation motion, the increase of which is indicative of the increased viscosity of the radical environment and interactions occurring between the radical and other surface groups of the precipitated polymer, if compared to the soluble polymer. The fluorescence of Py in PNIPAM‐Py‐T displayed contributions from isolated excited pyrenes (monomer emission) and from preformed pyrene ground‐state aggregates (excimer emission). The quantum efficiencies of monomer and excimer emission were monitored as a function of solvent composition. By the two experimental approaches, we demonstrate the profound influence of the PNIPAM‐attached pyrene units in increasing the hydrophobicity of the nanodomains formed upon heat‐induced precipitation of PNIPAM‐Py‐T.