Amplification of a FRET Probe by Lipid–Water Partition for the Detection of Acid Sphingomyelinase in Live Cells

Real‐time monitoring of acid sphingomyelinase (ASM) activity is crucial for investigating its role in lipid‐mediated signaling processes. In this study, we synthesized fluorescent phosphosphingolipids capable of FRET by phosphorodichloridate chemistry. These sphingomyelin analogues are substrates for recombinant human ASM and can be used to monitor ASM activity by fluorescence spectroscopy. Incubation with cell lysates from wild‐type and knock‐out mice further confirmed probe cleavage to be exclusive to ASM. We also systematically exploited the environmental sensitivity of the fluorophores to achieve significant increases in responsiveness. This concept may be transferred to other lipid probes in the future. The ASM activity in live cells was imaged by two‐photon‐excitation microscopy.     

Ratiometric fluorescence transduction by hybridization after isothermal amplification for determination of zeptomole quantities of oligonucleotide biomarkers with a paper-based platform and camera-based detection

Paper is a promising platform for the development of decentralized diagnostic assays owing to the low cost and ease of use of paper-based analytical devices (PADs). It can be challenging to detect on PADs very low concentrations of nucleic acid biomarkers of lengths as used in clinical assays. Herein we report the use of thermophilic helicase-dependent amplification (tHDA) in combination with a paper-based platform for fluorescence detection of probe-target hybridization. Paper substrates were patterned using wax printing. The cellulosic fibers were chemically derivatized with imidazole groups for the assembly of the transduction interface that consisted of immobilized quantum dot (QD)–probe oligonucleotide conjugates. Green-emitting QDs (gQDs) served as donors with Cy3 as the acceptor dye in a fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based transduction method. After probe-target hybridization, a further hybridization event with a reporter sequence brought the Cy3 acceptor dye in close proximity to the surface of immobilized gQDs, triggering a FRET sensitized emission that served as an analytical signal. Ratiometric detection was evaluated using both an epifluorescence microscope and a low-cost iPad camera as detectors. Addition of the tHDA method for target amplification to produce sequences of ∼100 base length allowed for the detection of zmol quantities of nucleic acid targets using the two detection platforms. The ratiometric QD-FRET transduction method not only offered improved assay precision, but also lowered the limit of detection of the assay when compared with the non-ratiometric QD-FRET transduction method. The selectivity of the hybridization assays was demonstrated by the detection of single nucleotide polymorphism.     

Synthesis of Fe3O4@phenol formaldehyde resin core-shell nanospheres loaded with Au nanoparticles as magnetic FRET nanoprobes for detection of thiols in living cells

A magnetic, sensitive, and selective fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) probe for detection of thiols in living cells was designed and prepared. The FRET probe consists of an Fe(3)O(4) core, a green-luminescent phenol formaldehyde resin (PFR) shell, and Au nanoparticles (NPs) as FRET quenching agent on the surface of the PFR shell. The Fe(3)O(4) NPs were used as the core and coated with green-luminescent PFR nanoshells by a simple hydrothermal approach. Au NPs were then loaded onto the surface of the PFR shell by electric charge absorption between Fe(3)O(4)@PFR and Au NPs after modifying the Fe(3)O(4)@PFR nanocomposites with polymers to alter the charge of the PFR shell. Thus, a FRET probe can be designed on the basis of the quenching effect of Au NPs on the fluorescence of Fe(3)O(4)@PFR nanocomposites. This magnetic and sensitive FRET probe was used to detect three kinds of primary biological thiols (glutathione, homocysteine, and cysteine) in cells. Such a multifunctional fluorescent probe shows advantages of strong magnetism for sample separation, sensitive response for sample detection, and low toxicity without injury to cellular components.     

DNA tetrahedron-based split aptamer probes for reliable imaging of ATP in living cells

Accurate detection and imaging of adenosine triphosphate(ATP) expression levels in living cells is of great value for understanding cell metabolism, physiological activities, and pathologic mechanisms. Here, we developed a DNA tetrahedron-based split aptamer probe(TD probe) for ratiometric fluorescence imaging of ATP in living cells. The TD probe is constructed by hybridizing two split ATP aptamer probes(Apt-a and Apt-b) to a DNA tetrahedron assembled by four DNA oligonucleotides(T1, T2, T3 and ...     

谷胱甘肽和凋亡酶-3响应的环肽分子荧光探针

设计、合成了一类新型谷胱甘肽(glutathione,GSH)和凋亡酶-3(Caspase-3)响应的环肽分子荧光探针.该类探针主要由能量共振转移(FRET)分子荧光对、Caspase-3特异性识别多肽序列和GSH响应双硫键组成,分为不含穿膜肽序列(CP)和包含穿膜肽序列(cp CP)的两种不同环肽分子荧光探针.2种环肽分子荧光探针均能实现在GSH和Caspase-3同时存在情况下的精确成像,同时具有良好的响应性、特异性和高信噪比.该类环肽分子荧光探针在细胞培养环境中具有良好的稳定性和生物相容性.利用该探针,可以实现对星形孢菌素(STS)诱发的细胞凋亡进行实时、原位的成像监测,并对抗肿瘤药物阿霉素(DOX)和顺铂(cisplatin)诱导的细胞凋亡进行成像.这种具有多重响应并能用于精确成像的分子荧光探针将极大地促进疾病的精确诊断.     

Genetically encoded FRET probe for PKC activity based on pleckstrin

We developed a probe for investigating protein kinase C (PKC) activity in living cells. The probe is based on a fragment of pleckstrin enclosed by two FRET-capable fluorophores. PKC activity modulation was reliably followed by FRET change in vitro and in vivo. The probe responds quickly to PKC activation by phorbol ester. FRET changes were reversible when PKC inhibitors were administered. Stimulation of cellular signaling pathways using histamine or bradykinin triggered PKC in a physiologically relevant way.     

Design and synthesis of an enzyme activity-based labeling molecule with fluorescence spectral change

Methods of covalent labeling of a specific tag protein with small-molecular dyes play an important role in studying dynamic behaviors of proteins in living cells. On the basis of quinone methide chemistry, we designed and synthesized a beta-galactosidase labeling probe, CMFbeta-gal, which shows a fluorescence wavelength change accompanying the labeling reaction, owing to fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). Since the FRET efficiency changes accompanying the labeling reaction, fluorescence of labeled protein can be observed separately from that of the unreacted probe, so immediate detection of the target protein is possible. This is the first report of a protein labeling probe which features a change of fluorescence wavelength upon reaction, allowing the labeled protein to be detected even in the presence of unreacted probe.     

A FRET-based fluorescent probe for imaging H2S in living cells

A FRET-based fluorescence probe was developed for selective detection of H₂S in aqueous buffer and inside living cells. For this probe, the FRET probe could be cleaved by H₂S, and the fluorescence of FRET donor is released. The probe is highly selective to H₂S over other biologically relevant species to give color change for naked eye observation. Confocal imaging indicated that the probe could monitor intracellular H₂S level changes.     

A sensitive and selective detection method for thiol compounds using novel fluorescence probe

In this work, a sensitive and selective detection method based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) was developed for analyzing thiol compounds by using a novel fluorescent probe. The new fluorescent probe contains a disulfide bond which selectively reacts with nucleophilic thiolate through the thiol-disulfide exchange reaction. An obvious fluorescence recovery can be observed upon addition of the thiol compound in the fluorescent probe solution due to the thiol-disulfide exchange reaction and the destruction of FRET. This novel probe was successfully used to determine dithiothreitol (DTT), glutathione (GSH) and cysteine (Cys). The limits of detection (LOD) were 2.0 μM for DTT, 0.6 μM for GSH, and 0.8 μM for Cys. This new detection method was further investigated in the analysis of compound amino acid injection.     

A simple FRET-based modular design for diagnostic probes

In recent years, there has been a massive effort to develop molecular probes with optical modes of action. Probes generally produce detectable signals based on changes in fluorescence properties. Here, we demonstrate the potential of self-immolative molecular adaptors as a platform for Turn-On probes based on the FRET technique. The probe is equipped with identical fluorophore pairs or a fluorophore/quencher FRET pair and a triggering substrate. Upon reaction of the analyte of interest with the triggering substrate, the self-immolative adaptor spontaneously releases the two dye molecules to break off the FRET effect. As a result, a new measurable fluorescent signal is generated. The fluorescence obtained can be used to quantify the analyte. The modular structure of the probe design will allow the preparation of various chemical probes based on the FRET activation technique.     

A ratiometric fluorescent probe based on boron dipyrromethene and rhodamine Förster resonance energy transfer platform for hypochlorous acid and its application in living cells

We have developed a ratiometric fluorescent probe BRT based on boron dipyrromethene (BODIPY) and rhodamine-thiohydrazide Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) platform for sensing hypochlorous acid (HOCl) with high selectivity and sensitivity. The probe can detect HOCl in 15 s with the detection limit of 38 nM. Upon mixing with HOCl the fluorescence colour of probe BRT changed from green to orange. Moreover, probe BRT was applied to successfully monitor HOCl in living RAW 264.7 cells.     

Design strategy for a near-infrared fluorescence probe for matrix metalloproteinase utilizing highly cell permeable boron dipyrromethene

Near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence probes are especially useful for simple and noninvasive in vivo imaging inside the body because of low autofluorescence and high tissue transparency in the NIR region compared with other wavelength regions. However, existing NIR fluorescence probes for matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), which are tumor, atherosclerosis, and inflammation markers, have various disadvantages, especially as regards sensitivity. Here, we report a novel design strategy to obtain a NIR fluorescence probe that is rapidly internalized by free diffusion and well retained intracellularly after activation by extracellular MMPs. We designed and synthesized four candidate probes, each consisting of a cell permeable or nonpermeable NIR fluorescent dye as a F?rster resonance energy transfer (FRET) donor linked to the NIR dark quencher BHQ-3 as a FRET acceptor via a MMP substrate peptide. We applied these probes for detection of the MMP activity of cultured HT-1080 cells, which express MMP2 and MT1-MMP, by fluorescence microscopy. Among them, the probe incorporating BODIPY650/665, BODIPY-MMP, clearly visualized the MMP activity as an increment of fluorescence inside the cells. We then applied this probe to a mouse xenograft tumor model prepared with HT-1080 cells. Following intratumoral injection of the probe, MMP activity could be visualized for much longer with BODIPY-MMP than with the probe containing SulfoCy5, which is cell impermeable and consequently readily washed out of the tissue. This simple design strategy should be applicable to develop a range of sensitive, rapidly responsive NIR fluorescence probes not only for MMP activity, but also for other proteases.     

β-cyclodextrin as the vehicle for forming ratiometric mercury ion sensor usable in aqueous media, biological fluids, and live cells

The selective and sensitive detection methods for toxic transition-metal ions, which are rapid, facile, and applicable to the environmental and biological milieus, are of great importance. In this study, we designed a β-CD-based ratiometric sensor for detecting mercury ions in aqueous media, some biological fluids, and live cells. In this sensing platform, the thiocarbamido-containing probe dye was covalently linked onto the hydrophilic β-CD rim, which is conducive to complexing with metal ion, while the donor dye was anchored inside hydrophobic β-CD cavity via the adamantyl moiety, which is good for avoiding self-aggregation and enhancing the quantum yield of the donor dye. Upon associating with mercury ion, the probe dye undergoes ring-opening process and serves as the energy acceptor and constitutes the FRET system with the donor dye; by this way ratiometric detection of mercury ion in water can be realized with the detection limit of 10 nM. The cyclodextrin plays a crucial role for the sensing system; it not only accommodates both the donor dye and the probe dye which can form FRET system upon addition of Hg(2+) but also makes the sensor water-soluble and cell membrane permeable. This nontoxic sensing platform can be used for mercury ion detection in aqueous medium, biological fluids, and live cells (L929 and Hela). We also found that, upon being taken up by L929 cells, the sensor exhibited no cytotoxicity, and the cell proliferation was not affected.     

Fluorescence resonance energy transfer in gaseous, mass-selected polyproline peptides

Despite the many successes of mass spectrometry in the analysis of biological samples, the need to better understand the correlation between condensed-phase properties and those of electrospray species remains. In particular, the link between structures in the condensed phase and in the gaseous environment of the mass spectrometer is still elusive. Here, we show that fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) can be used to probe the conformations of gaseous biopolymers which are formed by electrospray ionization (ESI) and manipulated in a quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer. A rhodamine dye pair suitable for gas-phase FRET is characterized. Both steady state spectra and lifetime measurements are used to monitor energy transfer in a series of dye-labeled polyproline-based peptides. FRET efficiency is explored as a function of peptide chain length and charge state. For the peptide with eight proline repeats, virtually complete energy transfer is observed. For the peptide with 14 proline repeats, energy transfer decreases as the charge state increases, consistent with Coulomb repulsion induced elongation of the peptide backbone. FRET measurements of the longest peptide examined, which has 20 proline repeats, indicates that the peptide adopts a bent configuration. Evidence for multiple conformations present within the ensemble of trapped ions is provided by fluorescence lifetime measurements. Gas-phase FRET measurements promise to be a new route to probe the conformations of large gaseous ions.     

Anionic Conjugated Polyelectrolytes for FRET-based Imaging of Cellular Membrane Potential

We report a Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based imaging ensemble for the visualization of membrane potential in living cells. A water-soluble poly(fluorene-cophenylene) conjugated polyelectrolyte (FsPFc10) serves as a FRET donor to a voltage-sensitive dye acceptor (FluoVolt^™). We observe FRET between FsPFc10 and FluoVolt^™, where the enhancement in FRET-sensitized emission from FluoVolt^™ is measured at various donor/acceptor ratios. At a donor/acceptor ratio of 1, the excitation of FluoVolt^™ in a FRET configuration results in a three-fold enhancement in its fluorescence emission (compared to when it is excited directly). FsPFc10 efficiently labels the plasma membrane of HEK 293T/17 cells and remains resident with minimal cellular internalization for ~ 1.5 h. The successful plasma membrane-associated colabeling of the cells with the FsPFc10-FluoVolt^™ donor-acceptor pair is confirmed by dual-channel confocal imaging. Importantly, cells labeled with FsPFc10 show excellent cellular viability with no adverse effect on cell membrane depolarization. During depolarization of membrane potential, HEK 293T/17 cells labeled with the donor-acceptor FRET pair exhibit a greater fluorescence response in FluoVolt^™ emission relative to when FluoVolt^™ is used as the sole imaging probe. These results demonstrate the conjugated polyelectrolyte to be a new class of membrane labeling fluorophore for use in voltage sensing schemes.     

A Small‐Molecule FRET Reporter for the Real‐Time Visualization of Cell‐Surface Proteolytic Enzyme Functions

Real‐time imaging of cell‐surface‐associated proteolytic enzymes is critical to better understand their performances in both physiological and pathological processes. However, most current approaches are limited by their complexity and poor membrane‐anchoring properties. Herein, we have designed and synthesized a unique small‐molecule fluorescent probe, which combines the principles of passive exogenous membrane insertion and Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) to image cell‐surface‐localized furin‐like convertase activities. The membrane‐associated furin‐like enzymatic cleavage of the peptide probe leads to an increased fluorescence intensity which was mainly localized on the plasma membrane of the furin‐expressed cells. This small‐molecule fluorescent probe may serve as a unique and reliable reporter for real‐time visualization of endogenous cell‐surfaceassociated proteolytic furin‐like enzyme functions in live cells and tissues using one‐photon and two‐photon microscopy.     

Quantum dot-conjugated hybridization probes for preliminary screening of siRNA sequences

In the present study, we describe the design and fabrication of quantum dot-conjugated hybridization probes and their application to the development of a comparatively simple and rapid procedure for the selection of highly effective small-interfering RNA (siRNA) sequences for RNA interference (RNAi) in mammalian cells, for example, siRNAs with high accessibility and affinity to the respective mRNA target. A single-stranded siRNA was conjugated with a quantum dot and used as a hybridization probe. The target mRNA was amplified in the presence of Cy5-labeled nucleotides, and Cy5-mRNA served as a hybridization sample. The formation of siRNA/mRNA duplexes during a comparatively short hybridization time (1 h) was used as a criterion for the selection of highly effective, target-specific siRNA sequences. The accessibility and affinity of the siRNA sequence for the target mRNA site were determined by fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) between a quantum dot (donor) and a fluorescent dye molecule (Cy5, acceptor) localized at an appropriate distance from each other when hybridization occurred. The FRET signal was observed only when there was high accessibility between an antisense siRNA and a sense mRNA and did not appear in the case of mismatch siRNAs. Moreover, the amplitude of the FRET signal significantly correlated with the specific effect of siRNA on the expression of the target mRNA and protein, determined in native cells by RT-PCR and immunoblot analysis, respectively.     

Fluorescent Detection of Hypochlorous Acid from Turn‐On to FRET‐Based Ratiometry by a HOCl‐Mediated Cyclization Reaction

Hypochlorous acid (HOCl), a reactive oxygen species (ROS), plays a significant biological role in living systems. However, abnormal levels of HOCl are implicated in many inflammation‐associated diseases. Therefore, the detection of HOCl is of great importance. In this work, we describe the HOCl‐promoted cyclization of rhodamine‐thiosemicarbazides to rhodamine‐oxadiazoles, which is then exploited as a novel design strategy for the development of a new fluorescence turn‐on HOCl probe 2 . On the basis of the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) signaling mechanism, 2 was further converted into 1 a and 1 b , which represent the first paradigm of FRET‐based ratiometric fluorescent HOCl probes. The outstanding features of 1 a and 1 b include well‐resolved emission peaks, high sensitivity, high selectivity, good functionality at physiological pH, rapid response, low cytotoxicity, and good cell‐membrane permeability. Furthermore, these excellent attributes enable us to demonstrate, for the first time, the ratiometric imaging of endogenously produced HOCl in living cells by using these novel ratiometric probes. We expect that 1 a and 1 b will be useful molecular tools for studies of HOCl biology. In addition, the HOCl‐promoted cyclization reaction of rhodamine‐thiosemicarbazides to rhodamine‐oxadiazoles should be widely applicable for the development of different types of fluorescent HOCl probes.     

Fluorescence imaging of potassium ions in living cells using a fluorescent probe based on a thrombin binding aptamer-peptide conjugate

When a biotinylated FRET probe based on a peptide-thrombin binding aptamer conjugate was introduced together with streptavidin and biotinylated nuclear export signal peptide into HeLa cells, the resulting ternary complex enabled visualization of K(+) concentration changes in the cell.