A convenient method for multicolour labelling of proteins with BODIPY fluorophores via tyrosine residues

Photochem Photobiol Sci. 2017 Aug 9;16(8):1260-1267. doi: 10.1039/c7pp00091j.

Abstract

Fluorescence is an essential imaging modality for labelling and visualising cells and sub-cellular structures. Multicolour labelling is especially challenging due to differences in physicochemical and photophysical behaviour of structurally unrelated fluorophores in the heterogeneous environments found in sub-cellular compartments. Herein, we report the conjugation of three azide-bearing BODIPYs with similar core structures but widely different emission wavelengths (green, red and NIR) to tyrosine residues of a model globular protein (BSA) via a common linking methodology. The resulting BODIPY-BSA conjugates have demonstrated multi-wavelength fluorescence emission for biological applications. Fluorescence imaging was performed in HeLa cells through live cell confocal microscopy imaging, with good intracellular location visualisation observed.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Boron Compounds / chemistry*
  • Boron Compounds / metabolism
  • Cattle
  • Fluorescent Dyes / chemistry
  • HeLa Cells
  • Humans
  • Infrared Rays
  • Microscopy, Confocal
  • Serum Albumin, Bovine / chemistry*
  • Serum Albumin, Bovine / metabolism
  • Spectrophotometry
  • Tyrosine / chemistry*
  • Tyrosine / metabolism

Substances

  • 4,4-difluoro-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene
  • Boron Compounds
  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • Serum Albumin, Bovine
  • Tyrosine