scholarly journals Evaluating Brightness and Spectral Properties of Click Beetle and Firefly Luciferases Using Luciferin Analogues: Identification of Preferred Pairings of Luciferase and Substrate for In Vivo Bioluminescence Imaging

2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (6) ◽  
pp. 1523-1531
Author(s):  
Giorgia Zambito ◽  
Natasa Gaspar ◽  
Yanto Ridwan ◽  
Mary P. Hall ◽  
Ce Shi ◽  
...  

Abstract Purpose Currently, a variety of red and green beetle luciferase variants are available for bioluminescence imaging (BLI). In addition, new luciferin analogues providing longer wavelength luminescence have been developed that show promise for improved deep tissue imaging. However, a detailed assessment of these analogues (e.g., Akalumine-HCl, CycLuc1, and amino naphthyl luciferin (NH2-NpLH2)) combined with state of the art luciferases has not been performed. The aim of this study was to evaluate for the first time the in vivo brightness and spectral characteristics of firefly (Luc2), click beetle green (CBG99), click beetle red 2 (CBR2), and Akaluc luciferases when paired with different d-luciferin (d-LH2) analogues in vivo. Procedures Transduced human embryonic kidney (HEK 293T) cells expressing individual luciferases were analyzed both in vitro and in mice (via subcutaneous injection). Following introduction of the luciferins to cells or animals, the resulting bioluminescence signal and photon emission spectrum were acquired using a sensitive charge-coupled device (CCD) camera equipped with a series of band pass filters and spectral unmixing software. Results Our in vivo analysis resulted in four primary findings: (1) the best substrate for Luc2, CBG99, and CBR2 in terms of signal strength was d-luciferin; (2) the spectra for Luc2 and CBR2 were shifted to a longer wavelength when Akalumine-HCl was the substrate; (3) CBR2 gave the brightest signal with the near-infrared substrate, NH2-NpLH2; and (4) Akaluc was brighter when paired with either CycLuc1 or Akalumine-HCl when paired with d-LH2. Conclusion We believe that the experimental results described here should provide valuable guidance to end users for choosing the correct luciferin/luciferase pairs for a variety of BLI applications.

Photonics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 556
Author(s):  
Yuliya Maklygina ◽  
Igor Romanishkin ◽  
Aleksej Skobeltsin ◽  
Dina Farrakhova ◽  
Sergej Kharnas ◽  
...  

In this work, we tested a new approach to assess the presence of inflammatory process in the implant area using spectral methods and the technique of fiber fluorescence analysis of photosensitizers in nanoform. First of all, the spectral characteristics of the photosensitizer when interacting with the porous surface of the implant, based on hydroxyapatite under in vitro and in vivo conditions, were determined. Thus, it was shown that spectral characteristics of photosensitizers can be used for judgement on the process of inflammation in the implant area and thus on the local presence of the immunocompetent cells. The analysis was performed at a sufficient depth in the biotissue by using the near-infrared spectral region, as well as two different methods: fiber-based laser spectroscopy and fiber-optic neuroscopy, which served to monitor the process and regular fluorescence diagnosis of the studied area. Fluorescence spectroscopic analysis was performed on experimental animals in vivo, i.e., under conditions of active immune system intervention, as well as on cell cultures in vitro in order to judge the role of the immune system in the interaction with the implant in comparison. Thus, the aim of the study was to determine the relationship between the fluorescence signal of nanophotosensitizers in the near infrared spectral region and its parameters with the level of inflammation and the type of surface with which the photosensitizer interacts in the implant area. Thus, fiber-optic control opens up new approaches for further diagnosis and therapy in the implant area, making immune cells a prime target for advanced therapies.


2015 ◽  
Vol 81 (16) ◽  
pp. 5344-5349 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine Daniel ◽  
Sabine Poiret ◽  
Véronique Dennin ◽  
Denise Boutillier ◽  
Delphine Armelle Lacorre ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTLactic acid bacteria are found in the gastrointestinal tract of mammals and have received tremendous attention due to their health-promoting properties. We report the development of two dual-color luciferase-producingLactobacillus(Lb.)plantarumandLactococcus(Lc.)lactisstrains for noninvasive simultaneous tracking in the mouse gastrointestinal tract. We previously described the functional expression of the red luciferase mutant (CBRluc) fromPyrophorus plagiophthalamusinLb. plantarumNCIMB8826 andLc. lactisMG1363 (C. Daniel, S. Poiret, V. Dennin, D. Boutillier, and B. Pot, Appl Environ Microbiol79:1086–1094, 2013,http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/AEM.03221-12). In this study, we determined that CBRluc is a better-performing luciferase forin vivolocalization of both lactic acid bacteria after oral administration than the green click beetle luciferase mutant construct developed in this study. We further established the possibility to simultaneously detect red- and green-emitting lactic acid bacteria by dual-wavelength bioluminescence imaging in combination with spectral unmixing. The difference in spectra of light emission by the red and green click beetle luciferase mutants and dual bioluminescence detection allowedin vitroandin vivoquantification of the red and green emitted signals; thus, it allowed us to monitor the dynamics and fate of the two bacterial populations simultaneously. Persistence and viability of both strains simultaneously administered to mice in different ratios was studiedin vivoin anesthetized mice andex vivoin mouse feces. The application of dual-luciferase-labeled bacteria has considerable potential to simultaneously study the interactions and potential competitions of different targeted bacteria and their hosts.


eLife ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cassandra L Stowe ◽  
Thomas A Burley ◽  
Helen Allan ◽  
Maria Vinci ◽  
Gabriela Kramer-Marek ◽  
...  

Bioluminescence imaging (BLI) is ubiquitous in scientific research for the sensitive tracking of biological processes in small animal models. However, due to the attenuation of visible light by tissue, and the limited set of near-infrared bioluminescent enzymes, BLI is largely restricted to monitoring single processes in vivo. Here we show, that by combining stabilised colour mutants of firefly luciferase (FLuc) with the luciferin (LH2) analogue infraluciferin (iLH2), near-infrared dual BLI can be achieved in vivo. The X-ray crystal structure of FLuc with a high-energy intermediate analogue, 5’-O-[N-(dehydroinfraluciferyl)sulfamoyl] adenosine (iDLSA) provides insight into the FLuc-iLH2 reaction leading to near-infrared light emission. The spectral characterisation and unmixing validation studies reported here established that iLH2 is superior to LH2 for the spectral unmixing of bioluminescent signals in vivo; which led to this novel near-infrared dual BLI system being applied to monitor both tumour burden and CAR T cell therapy within a systemically induced mouse tumour model.


2008 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 1155-1159 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jun Zhang ◽  
Junfeng Su ◽  
Li Liu ◽  
Yalou Huang ◽  
Ralph P. Mason

Non-invasive fluorescent imaging of preclinical animal models in vivo is a rapidly developing field with new emerging technologies and techniques. Quantum dot (QD) fluorescent probes with longer emission wavelengths in red and near infrared (NIR) emission ranges are more amenable to deep-tissue imaging, because both scattering and autofluorescence are reduced as wavelengths are increased. We have designed and synthesized red CdTe and NIR CdHgTe QDs for fluorescent imaging. We demonstrated fluorescent imaging by using CdTe and CdHgTe QDs as fluorescent probes both in vitro and in vivo. Both CdTe and CdHgTe QDs provided sensitive detection over background autofluorescence in tissue biopsies and live mice, making them attractive probes for in vivo imaging extending into deep tissues or whole animals. The studies suggest a basis of using QD-antibody conjugates to detect membrane antigens.


Author(s):  
E. D. Salmon ◽  
J. C. Waters ◽  
C. Waterman-Storer

We have developed a multi-mode digital imaging system which acquires images with a cooled CCD camera (Figure 1). A multiple band pass dichromatic mirror and robotically controlled filter wheels provide wavelength selection for epi-fluorescence. Shutters select illumination either by epi-fluorescence or by transmitted light for phase contrast or DIC. Many of our experiments involve investigations of spindle assembly dynamics and chromosome movements in live cells or unfixed reconstituted preparations in vitro in which photodamage and phototoxicity are major concerns. As a consequence, a major factor in the design was optical efficiency: achieving the highest image quality with the least number of illumination photons. This principle applies to both epi-fluorescence and transmitted light imaging modes. In living cells and extracts, microtubules are visualized using X-rhodamine labeled tubulin. Photoactivation of C2CF-fluorescein labeled tubulin is used to locally mark microtubules in studies of microtubule dynamics and translocation. Chromosomes are labeled with DAPI or Hoechst DNA intercalating dyes.


2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (12) ◽  
pp. 950-960
Author(s):  
Soghra Farzipour ◽  
Seyed Jalal Hosseinimehr

Tumor-targeting peptides have been generally developed for the overexpression of tumor specific receptors in cancer cells. The use of specific radiolabeled peptide allows tumor visualization by single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and positron emission tomography (PET) tools. The high affinity and specific binding of radiolabeled peptide are focusing on tumoral receptors. The character of the peptide itself, in particular, its complex molecular structure and behaviors influence on its specific interaction with receptors which are overexpressed in tumor. This review summarizes various strategies which are applied for the expansion of radiolabeled peptides for tumor targeting based on in vitro and in vivo specific tumor data and then their data were compared to find any correlation between these experiments. With a careful look at previous studies, it can be found that in vitro unblock-block ratio was unable to correlate the tumor to muscle ratio and the success of radiolabeled peptide for in vivo tumor targeting. The introduction of modifiers’ approaches, nature of peptides, and type of chelators and co-ligands have mixed effect on the in vitro and in vivo specificity of radiolabeled peptides.


2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yusaku Hontani ◽  
Mikhail Baloban ◽  
Francisco Velazquez Escobar ◽  
Swetta A. Jansen ◽  
Daria M. Shcherbakova ◽  
...  

AbstractNear-infrared fluorescent proteins (NIR FPs) engineered from bacterial phytochromes are widely used for structural and functional deep-tissue imaging in vivo. To fluoresce, NIR FPs covalently bind a chromophore, such as biliverdin IXa tetrapyrrole. The efficiency of biliverdin binding directly affects the fluorescence properties, rendering understanding of its molecular mechanism of major importance. miRFP proteins constitute a family of bright monomeric NIR FPs that comprise a Per-ARNT-Sim (PAS) and cGMP-specific phosphodiesterases - Adenylyl cyclases - FhlA (GAF) domain. Here, we structurally analyze biliverdin binding to miRFPs in real time using time-resolved stimulated Raman spectroscopy and quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) calculations. Biliverdin undergoes isomerization, localization to its binding pocket, and pyrrolenine nitrogen protonation in <1 min, followed by hydrogen bond rearrangement in ~2 min. The covalent attachment to a cysteine in the GAF domain was detected in 4.3 min and 19 min in miRFP670 and its C20A mutant, respectively. In miRFP670, a second C–S covalent bond formation to a cysteine in the PAS domain occurred in 14 min, providing a rigid tetrapyrrole structure with high brightness. Our findings provide insights for the rational design of NIR FPs and a novel method to assess cofactor binding to light-sensitive proteins.


Cells ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 499
Author(s):  
Tracy W. Liu ◽  
Seth T. Gammon ◽  
David Piwnica-Worms

Intravital microscopic imaging (IVM) allows for the study of interactions between immune cells and tumor cells in a dynamic, physiologically relevant system in vivo. Current IVM strategies primarily use fluorescence imaging; however, with the advances in bioluminescence imaging and the development of new bioluminescent reporters with expanded emission spectra, the applications for bioluminescence are extending to single cell imaging. Herein, we describe a molecular imaging window chamber platform that uniquely combines both bioluminescent and fluorescent genetically encoded reporters, as well as exogenous reporters, providing a powerful multi-plex strategy to study molecular and cellular processes in real-time in intact living systems at single cell resolution all in one system. We demonstrate that our molecular imaging window chamber platform is capable of imaging signaling dynamics in real-time at cellular resolution during tumor progression. Importantly, we expand the utility of IVM by modifying an off-the-shelf commercial system with the addition of bioluminescence imaging achieved by the addition of a CCD camera and demonstrate high quality imaging within the reaches of any biology laboratory.


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