scholarly journals Estimating numbers of fluorescent molecules in single cells by analysing fluctuations in photobleaching

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elco Bakker ◽  
Peter S. Swain
Keyword(s):  
Fluorescence Microscopy ◽  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Fluorescent Proteins ◽  
Single Cells ◽  
Measurement Noise ◽  
Wide Field ◽  
Stochastic Fluctuations ◽  
Biochemical Measurements ◽  
Green Fluorescent ◽  
The Impact

The impact of fluorescence microscopy has been limited by the difficulties of express-ing measurements of fluorescent proteins in numbers of molecules. Absolute numbers enable the integration of results from different laboratories, empower mathematical modelling, and are the bedrock for a quantitative, predictive biology. Here we develop a general algorithm to infer numbers of molecules from fluctuations in the photobleaching of proteins tagged with Green Fluorescent Protein. To untangle measurement noise from stochastic fluctuations, we use the linear noise approximation and Kalman filtering within a framework of Bayesian inference. Not only do our results agree with biochemical measurements for multiple proteins in budding yeast, but we also provide a statistically verified model of measurement noise for fluorescence microscopes. The experiments we require are straightforward and use only a wide-field fluorescence microscope. As such, our approach has the potential to become standard for those practising quantitative fluorescence microscopy.

scholarly journals Estimating numbers of intracellular molecules through analysing fluctuations in photobleaching

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elco Bakker ◽  
Peter S. Swain
Keyword(s):  
Green Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Fluorescence Microscopy ◽  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Fluorescent Proteins ◽  
Wide Field ◽  
Order Of Magnitude ◽  
Biochemical Measurements ◽  
Green Fluorescent ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Quantitative Fluorescence

Abstract The impact of fluorescence microscopy has been limited by the difficulties of expressing measurements of fluorescent proteins in numbers of molecules. Absolute numbers enable the integration of results from different laboratories, empower mathematical modelling, and are the bedrock for a quantitative, predictive biology. Here we propose an estimator to infer numbers of molecules from fluctuations in the photobleaching of proteins tagged with Green Fluorescent Protein. Performing experiments in budding yeast, we show that our estimates of numbers agree, within an order of magnitude, with published biochemical measurements, for all six proteins tested. The experiments we require are straightforward and use only a wide-field fluorescence microscope. As such, our approach has the potential to become standard for those practising quantitative fluorescence microscopy.

scholarly journals Influence of nanobody binding on fluorescence emission, mobility and organization of GFP-tagged proteins

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Falk Schneider ◽  
Christian Eggeling ◽  
Erdinc Sezgin
Keyword(s):  
Green Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Fluorescence Microscopy ◽  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Fluorescent Proteins ◽  
Fluorescence Emission ◽  
Fluorescence Properties ◽  
Great Care ◽  
Target Molecules ◽  
Green Fluorescent

SummaryAdvanced fluorescence microscopy studies require specific and monovalent molecular labelling with bright and photostable fluorophores. This necessity led to the widespread use of fluorescently labelled nanobodies against commonly employed fluorescent proteins. However, very little is known how these nanobodies influence their target molecules. Here, we observed clear changes of the fluorescence properties, mobility and organisation of green fluorescent protein (GFP) tagged proteins after labelling with an anti-GFP nanobody. Intriguingly, we did not observe any co-diffusion of fluorescently-labelled nanobodies with the GFP-labelled proteins. Our results suggest significant binding of the nanobodies to a non-emissive, oligomerized form of the fluorescent proteins, promoting disassembly into more monomeric forms after binding. Our findings show that great care must be taken when using nanobodies for studying dynamic and quantitative protein organisation.

scholarly journals Lab-on-a-chip technologies for proteomic analysis from isolated cells

2008 ◽  
Vol 5 (suppl_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
H Sedgwick ◽  
F Caron ◽  
P.B Monaghan ◽  
W Kolch ◽  
J.M Cooper
Keyword(s):  
Green Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Fluorescence Microscopy ◽  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Single Cells ◽  
Lab On A Chip ◽  
Carcinoma Cells ◽  
Isolated Cells ◽  
Confocal Fluorescence ◽  
On Chip ◽  
Green Fluorescent

Lab-on-a-chip systems offer a versatile environment in which low numbers of cells and molecules can be manipulated, captured, detected and analysed. We describe here a microfluidic device that allows the isolation, electroporation and lysis of single cells. A431 human epithelial carcinoma cells, expressing a green fluorescent protein-labelled actin, were trapped by dielectrophoresis within an integrated lab-on-a-chip device containing saw-tooth microelectrodes. Using these same trapping electrodes, on-chip electroporation was performed, resulting in cell lysis. Protein release was monitored by confocal fluorescence microscopy.

Structural Evidence of Photoisomerization Pathways in Fluorescent Proteins

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey Chang ◽  
Matthew Romei ◽  
Steven Boxer
Keyword(s):  
Rational Design ◽  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Fluorescent Proteins ◽  
Super Resolution ◽  
Unit Cell Size ◽  
Chlorine Substituent ◽  
Gfp Chromophore ◽  
The One ◽  
Green Fluorescent ◽  
Super Resolution Microscopy

<p>Double-bond photoisomerization in molecules such as the green fluorescent protein (GFP) chromophore can occur either via a volume-demanding one-bond-flip pathway or via a volume-conserving hula-twist pathway. Understanding the factors that determine the pathway of photoisomerization would inform the rational design of photoswitchable GFPs as improved tools for super-resolution microscopy. In this communication, we reveal the photoisomerization pathway of a photoswitchable GFP, rsEGFP2, by solving crystal structures of <i>cis</i> and <i>trans</i> rsEGFP2 containing a monochlorinated chromophore. The position of the chlorine substituent in the <i>trans</i> state breaks the symmetry of the phenolate ring of the chromophore and allows us to distinguish the two pathways. Surprisingly, we find that the pathway depends on the arrangement of protein monomers within the crystal lattice: in a looser packing, the one-bond-flip occurs, whereas in a tighter packing (7% smaller unit cell size), the hula-twist occurs.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> <p> </p>

scholarly journals Probing chemotaxis activity inEscherichia coliusing fluorescent protein fusions

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clémence Roggo ◽  
Jan Roelof van der Meer
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Protein Interactions ◽  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Fluorescent Proteins ◽  
Bacterial Chemotaxis ◽  
Ph Sensitive ◽  
Flagellar Motors ◽  
Receptor Interactions ◽  
Split Egfp ◽  
Green Fluorescent

ABSTRACTChemotaxis is based on ligand-receptor interactions that are transmitted via protein-protein interactions to the flagellar motors. Ligand-receptor interactions in chemotaxis can be deployed for the development of rapid biosensor assays, but there is no consensus as to what the best readout of such assays would have to be. Here we explore two potential fluorescent readouts of chemotactically activeEscherichia colicells. In the first, we probed interactions between the chemotaxis signaling proteins CheY and CheZ by fusing them individually with non-fluorescent parts of a ‘split’-Green Fluorescent Protein. Wild-type chemotactic cells but not mutants lacking the CheA kinase produced distinguishable fluorescence foci, two-thirds of which localize at the cell poles with the chemoreceptors and one-third at motor complexes. Cells expressing fusion proteins only were attracted to serine sources, demonstrating measurable functional interactions between CheY~P and CheZ. Fluorescent foci based on stable split-eGFP displayed small fluctuations in cells exposed to attractant or repellent, but those based on an unstable ASV-tagged eGFP showed a higher dynamic behaviour both in the foci intensity changes and the number of foci per cell. For the second readout, we expressed the pH-sensitive fluorophore pHluorin in the cyto- and periplasm of chemotactically activeE. coli. Calibrations of pHluorin fluorescence as a function of pH demonstrated that cells accumulating near a chemo-attractant temporally increase cytoplasmic pH while decreasing periplasmic pH. Both readouts thus show promise as proxies for chemotaxis activity, but will have to be further optimized in order to deliver practical biosensor assays.IMPORTANCEBacterial chemotaxis may be deployed for future biosensing purposes with the advantages of its chemoreceptor ligand-specificity and its minute-scale response time. On the downside, chemotaxis is ephemeral and more difficult to quantitatively read out than, e.g., reporter gene expression. It is thus important to investigate different alternative ways to interrogate chemotactic response of cells. Here we gauge the possibilities to measure dynamic response in theEscherichia colichemotaxis pathway resulting from phosphorylated CheY-CheZ interactions by using (unstable) split-fluorescent proteins. We further test whether pH differences between cyto- and periplasm as a result of chemotactic activity can be measured with help of pH-sensitive fluorescent proteins. Our results show that both approaches conceptually function, but will need further improvement in terms of detection and assay types to be practical for biosensing.

scholarly journals Green Fluorescent Chimeras Indicate Nonpolar Localization of Pullulanase Secreton Components PulL and PulM

2006 ◽  
Vol 188 (8) ◽  
pp. 2928-2935 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nienke Buddelmeijer ◽  
Olivera Francetic ◽  
Anthony P. Pugsley
Keyword(s):  
Fluorescence Microscopy ◽  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Cell Envelope ◽  
Klebsiella Oxytoca ◽  
Subcellular Location ◽  
Type Ii Secretion ◽  
Type Ii ◽  
Native Proteins ◽  
Type Ii Secretion System ◽  
Green Fluorescent

ABSTRACT The Klebsiella oxytoca pullulanase secreton (type II secretion system) components PulM and PulL were tagged at their N termini with green fluorescent protein (GFP), and their subcellular location was examined by fluorescence microscopy and fractionation. When produced at moderate levels without other secreton components in Escherichia coli, both chimeras were envelope associated, as are the native proteins. Fluorescent GFP-PulM was evenly distributed over the cell envelope, with occasional brighter foci. Under the same conditions, GFP-PulL was barely detectable in the envelope by fluorescence microscopy. When produced together with all other secreton components, GFP-PulL exhibited circumferential fluorescence, with numerous brighter patches. The envelope-associated fluorescence of GFP-PulL was almost completely abolished when native PulL was also produced, suggesting that the chimera cannot compete with PulL for association with other secreton components. The patches of GFP-PulL might represent functional secretons, since GFP-PulM also appeared in similar patches. GFP-PulM and GFP-PulL both appeared in spherical polar foci when made at high levels. In K. oxytoca, GFP-PulM was evenly distributed over the cell envelope, with few patches, whereas GFP-PulL showed only weak envelope-associated fluorescence. These data suggest that, in contrast to their Vibrio cholerae Eps secreton counterparts (M. Scott, Z. Dossani, and M. Sandkvist, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 98:13978-13983, 2001), PulM and PulL do not localize specifically to the cell poles and that the Pul secreton is distributed over the cell surface.

Microscopic Observation and Processing Validation of Fruit Sanitizing Treatments for the Enhanced Microbiological Safety of Fresh Orange Juice†

2001 ◽  
Vol 64 (3) ◽  
pp. 310-314 ◽  
Author(s):  
STEVEN PAO ◽  
CRAIG L. DAVIS ◽  
MICKEY E. PARISH
Keyword(s):  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Citrus Fruit ◽  
Microbial Reduction ◽  
Hot Water ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Surface Areas ◽  
Orange Fruit ◽  
Green Fluorescent ◽  
The Impact

Studies were conducted to evaluate the infiltration of dye and bacteria into the interior of orange fruit and the impact of possible infiltration on achieving a 5-log microbial reduction during fresh juice processing. Fresh orange fruit were treated at the stem end area with dye and either Salmonella Rubislaw or Escherichia coli strains expressing green fluorescent protein. Microscopic images showed that bacterial contaminants localized at the surface or near surface areas that may be sanitized by surface treatments. Dye infiltration was not a reliable indicator of bacterial penetration in citrus fruit. To quantify the reduction of bacterial contamination, orange fruit were inoculated with E. coli and processed with and without hot water treatments. Greater than 5-log reductions were achieved in juice extracted from fruit immersed in hot water for 1 or 2 min at 80°C, in comparison to the E. coli level detected in the control juice obtained by homogenization of inoculated fruit.

High agonist-independent clearance of rabbit kinin B1 receptors in cultured cells

2003 ◽  
Vol 284 (5) ◽  
pp. H1647-H1654 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean-Philippe Fortin ◽  
Johanne Bouthillier ◽  
François Marceau
Keyword(s):  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Cultured Cells ◽  
Fluorescent Proteins ◽  
Yellow Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Brefeldin A ◽  
Metabolic Inhibitors ◽  
Maximal Effect ◽  
Hek 293 ◽  
B1 Receptors ◽  
Green Fluorescent

We hypothesized that the inducible kinin B1 receptor (B1R) is rapidly cleared from cells when its synthesis subsides. The agonist-independent degradation of the rabbit B1Rs and related B2 receptors (B2Rs) was investigated. Endocytosis of the B1R-yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) conjugate was more intense than that of B2R-green fluorescent protein (GFP) based on fluorescence accumulation in HEK 293 cells treated with a lysosomal inhibitor. The cells expressing B1R-YFP contained more GFP/YFP-sized degradation product(s) than those expressing B2R-GFP (immunoblot, antibodies equally reacting with both fluorescent proteins). The binding site density of B1R-YFP decreased in the presence of protein synthesis or maturation inhibitors (anisomycin, brefeldin A), whereas that of B2R-GFP remained constant. Wild-type B1Rs were also cleared faster than B2Rs in rabbit smooth muscle cells treated with metabolic inhibitors. Contractility experiments based on brefeldin A-treated isolated rabbit blood vessels also functionally support that B1Rs are more rapidly eliminated than B2Rs (decreased maximal effect of agonist over 2 h). The highly regulated B1R is rapidly degraded, relative to the constitutive B2R.

scholarly journals Small fluorescence-activating and absorption-shifting tag for tunable protein imaging in vivo

2015 ◽  
Vol 113 (3) ◽  
pp. 497-502 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie-Aude Plamont ◽  
Emmanuelle Billon-Denis ◽  
Sylvie Maurin ◽  
Carole Gauron ◽  
Frederico M. Pimenta ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Fluorescent Proteins ◽  
Fluorescent Labeling ◽  
Activation Mechanism ◽  
Photoactive Yellow Protein ◽  
Reversible Binding ◽  
A Cell ◽  
Rapid Labeling ◽  
Green Fluorescent

This paper presents Yellow Fluorescence-Activating and absorption-Shifting Tag (Y-FAST), a small monomeric protein tag, half as large as the green fluorescent protein, enabling fluorescent labeling of proteins in a reversible and specific manner through the reversible binding and activation of a cell-permeant and nontoxic fluorogenic ligand (a so-called fluorogen). A unique fluorogen activation mechanism based on two spectroscopic changes, increase of fluorescence quantum yield and absorption red shift, provides high labeling selectivity. Y-FAST was engineered from the 14-kDa photoactive yellow protein by directed evolution using yeast display and fluorescence-activated cell sorting. Y-FAST is as bright as common fluorescent proteins, exhibits good photostability, and allows the efficient labeling of proteins in various organelles and hosts. Upon fluorogen binding, fluorescence appears instantaneously, allowing monitoring of rapid processes in near real time. Y-FAST distinguishes itself from other tagging systems because the fluorogen binding is highly dynamic and fully reversible, which enables rapid labeling and unlabeling of proteins by addition and withdrawal of the fluorogen, opening new exciting prospects for the development of multiplexing imaging protocols based on sequential labeling.

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