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Alteen MG, Deme JC, Alvarez CP, Loppnau P, Hutchinson A, Seitova A, Chandrasekaran R, Silva Ramos E, Secker C, Alqazzaz M, Wanker EE, Lea SM, Arrowsmith CH, Harding RJ. Delineation of functional subdomains of Huntingtin protein and their interaction with HAP40. Structure 2023; 31:1121-1131.e6. [PMID: 37390814 PMCID: PMC10527579 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2023.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Revised: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/02/2023]
Abstract
The huntingtin (HTT) protein plays critical roles in numerous cellular pathways by functioning as a scaffold for its many interaction partners and HTT knock out is embryonic lethal. Interrogation of HTT function is complicated by the large size of this protein so we studied a suite of structure-rationalized subdomains to investigate the structure-function relationships within the HTT-HAP40 complex. Protein samples derived from the subdomain constructs were validated using biophysical methods and cryo-electron microscopy, revealing they are natively folded and can complex with validated binding partner, HAP40. Derivatized versions of these constructs enable protein-protein interaction assays in vitro, with biotin tags, and in cells, with luciferase two-hybrid assay-based tags, which we use in proof-of-principle analyses to further interrogate the HTT-HAP40 interaction. These open-source biochemical tools enable studies of fundamental HTT biochemistry and biology, will aid the discovery of macromolecular or small-molecule binding partners and help map interaction sites across this large protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew G Alteen
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7, Canada; POINT Biopharma, 22 St Clair Avenue E Suite 1201, Toronto, ON M4T 2S3, Canada
| | - Justin C Deme
- Center for Structural Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Claudia P Alvarez
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7, Canada; SCIEX, 71 Four Valley Dr, Vaughan, ON L4K 4V8, Canada
| | - Peter Loppnau
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7, Canada
| | - Ashley Hutchinson
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7, Canada
| | - Alma Seitova
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7, Canada
| | - Renu Chandrasekaran
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7, Canada
| | - Eduardo Silva Ramos
- Neuroproteomics, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Robert-Rössle-Str. 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany
| | - Christopher Secker
- Neuroproteomics, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Robert-Rössle-Str. 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany
| | - Mona Alqazzaz
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7, Canada
| | - Erich E Wanker
- Neuroproteomics, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Robert-Rössle-Str. 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany
| | - Susan M Lea
- Center for Structural Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Cheryl H Arrowsmith
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7, Canada; Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7, Canada.
| | - Rachel J Harding
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7, Canada; Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada.
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2
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Wu Y, Lewis W, Wai JL, Xiong M, Zheng J, Yang Z, Gordon C, Lu Y, New SY, Zhang XB, Lu Y. Ratiometric Detection of Zn 2+ Using DNAzyme-Based Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer Sensors. CHEMISTRY (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 5:1745-1759. [PMID: 38371491 PMCID: PMC10874629 DOI: 10.3390/chemistry5030119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
While fluorescent sensors have been developed for monitoring metal ions in health and diseases, they are limited by the requirement of an excitation light source that can lead to photobleaching and a high autofluorescence background. To address these issues, bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET)-based protein or small molecule sensors have been developed; however, most of them are not highly selective nor generalizable to different metal ions. Taking advantage of the high selectivity and generalizability of DNAzymes, we report herein DNAzyme-based ratiometric sensors for Zn2+ based on BRET. The 8-17 DNAzyme was labeled with luciferase and Cy3. The proximity between luciferase and Cy3 permiQed BRET when coelenterazine, the substrate for luciferase, was introduced. Adding samples containing Zn2+ resulted in a cleavage of the substrate strand, causing dehybridization of the DNAzyme construct, thus increasing the distance between Cy3 and luciferase and changing the BRET signals. Using these sensors, we detected Zn2+ in serum samples and achieved Zn2+ detection with a smartphone camera. Moreover, since the BRET pair is not the component that determines the selectivity of the sensors, this sensing platform has the potential to be adapted for the detection of other metal ions with other metal-dependent DNAzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuting Wu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801
| | - Whitney Lewis
- Department of Chemistry, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801
| | - Jing Luen Wai
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of No0ingham Malaysia, Semenyih, Selangor 43500, Malaysia
| | - Mengyi Xiong
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801
- Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, China
| | - Jiao Zheng
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801
| | - Zhenglin Yang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Chloe Gordon
- Department of Chemistry, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Ying Lu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Siu Yee New
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of No0ingham Malaysia, Semenyih, Selangor 43500, Malaysia
| | - Xiao-Bing Zhang
- Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, China
| | - Yi Lu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
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3
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Abstract
The genetically encoded fluorescent sensors convert chemical and physical signals into light. They are powerful tools for the visualisation of physiological processes in living cells and freely moving animals. The fluorescent protein is the reporter module of a genetically encoded biosensor. In this study, we first review the history of the fluorescent protein in full emission spectra on a structural basis. Then, we discuss the design of the genetically encoded biosensor. Finally, we briefly review several major types of genetically encoded biosensors that are currently widely used based on their design and molecular targets, which may be useful for the future design of fluorescent biosensors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minji Wang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Chemical Processes, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, No. 3663 Zhong Shan Road North, Shanghai, 200062, China
| | - Yifan Da
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Chemical Processes, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, No. 3663 Zhong Shan Road North, Shanghai, 200062, China
| | - Yang Tian
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Chemical Processes, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, No. 3663 Zhong Shan Road North, Shanghai, 200062, China
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4
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Sakono M, Oya T, Aoki M. Development of a Transcriptional Activator-Like Effector Protein to Accurately Discriminate Single Nucleotide Difference. Chembiochem 2023; 24:e202200486. [PMID: 36409599 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202200486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Revised: 11/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Transcriptional activator-like effector (TALE), a DNA-binding protein, is widely used in genome editing. However, the recognition of the target sequence by the TALE is adversely affected by the number of mismatches. Therefore, the association constant of DNA-TALE complex formation can be controlled by appropriately introducing a mismatch into the TALE recognition sequence. This study aimed to construct a TALE that can distinguish a single nucleotide difference. Our results show that a single mismatch present in repeats 2 or 3 of TALE did not interfere with the complex formation with DNA, whereas continuous mismatches present in repeats 2 and 3 significantly reduced association with the target DNA. Based on these findings, we constructed a detection system of the one nucleotide difference in gene with high accuracy and constructed a TALE-nuclease (TALEN) that selectively cleaves DNA with a single mismatch.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masafumi Sakono
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, University of Toyama, 3190 Gofuku, Toyama, Toyama, 930-855, Japan
| | - Takuma Oya
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, University of Toyama, 3190 Gofuku, Toyama, Toyama, 930-855, Japan
| | - Mio Aoki
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, University of Toyama, 3190 Gofuku, Toyama, Toyama, 930-855, Japan
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Lay CS, Bridges A, Goulding J, Briddon SJ, Soloviev Z, Craggs PD, Hill SJ. Probing the binding of interleukin-23 to individual receptor components and the IL-23 heteromeric receptor complex in living cells using NanoBRET. Cell Chem Biol 2022; 29:19-29.e6. [PMID: 34038748 PMCID: PMC8790524 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2021.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Revised: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Interleukin-23 (IL-23) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine involved in the host defense against pathogens but is also implicated in the development of several autoimmune disorders. The IL-23 receptor has become a key target for drug discovery, but the exact mechanism of the receptor ligand interaction remains poorly understood. In this study the affinities of IL-23 for its individual receptor components (IL23R and IL12Rβ1) and the heteromeric complex formed between them have been measured in living cells using NanoLuciferase-tagged full-length proteins. Here, we demonstrate that TAMRA-tagged IL-23 has a greater than 7-fold higher affinity for IL12Rβ1 than IL23R. However, in the presence of both receptor subunits, IL-23 affinity is increased more than three orders of magnitude to 27 pM. Furthermore, we show that IL-23 induces a potent change in the position of the N-terminal domains of the two receptor subunits, consistent with a conformational change in the heteromeric receptor structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles S Lay
- Division of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK; Centre of Membrane Proteins and Receptors, Universities of Birmingham and Nottingham, The Midlands, UK; Medicine Design, Medicinal Science and Technology, GlaxoSmithKline, Stevenage SG1 2NY, UK
| | - Angela Bridges
- Protein and Cellular Sciences, Medicinal Science and Technology, GlaxoSmithKline, Stevenage SG1 2NY, UK
| | - Joelle Goulding
- Division of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK; Centre of Membrane Proteins and Receptors, Universities of Birmingham and Nottingham, The Midlands, UK
| | - Stephen J Briddon
- Division of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK; Centre of Membrane Proteins and Receptors, Universities of Birmingham and Nottingham, The Midlands, UK
| | - Zoja Soloviev
- Protein and Cellular Sciences, Medicinal Science and Technology, GlaxoSmithKline, Stevenage SG1 2NY, UK
| | - Peter D Craggs
- Medicine Design, Medicinal Science and Technology, GlaxoSmithKline, Stevenage SG1 2NY, UK; GSK-Francis Crick Institute Linklabs, Medicinal Science and Technology, GlaxoSmithKline, Stevenage SG1 2NY, UK.
| | - Stephen J Hill
- Division of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK; Centre of Membrane Proteins and Receptors, Universities of Birmingham and Nottingham, The Midlands, UK.
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6
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Leguay K, Decelle B, He YY, Pagniez A, Hogue M, Kobayashi H, Le Gouill C, Bouvier M, Carréno S. Development of conformational BRET biosensors that monitor ezrin, radixin and moesin activation in real time. J Cell Sci 2021; 134:237806. [PMID: 33712451 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.255307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Ezrin, radixin and moesin compose the family of ERM proteins. They link actin filaments and microtubules to the plasma membrane to control signaling and cell morphogenesis. Importantly, their activity promotes invasive properties of metastatic cells from different cancer origins. Therefore, a precise understanding of how these proteins are regulated is important for the understanding of the mechanism controlling cell shape, as well as providing new opportunities for the development of innovative cancer therapies. Here, we developed and characterized novel bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET)-based conformational biosensors, compatible with high-throughput screening, that monitor individual ezrin, radixin or moesin activation in living cells. We showed that these biosensors faithfully monitor ERM activation and can be used to quantify the impact of small molecules, mutation of regulatory amino acids or depletion of upstream regulators on their activity. The use of these biosensors allowed us to characterize the activation process of ERMs that involves a pool of closed-inactive ERMs stably associated with the plasma membrane. Upon stimulation, we discovered that this pool serves as a cortical reserve that is rapidly activated before the recruitment of cytoplasmic ERMs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kévin Leguay
- Cellular Mechanisms of Morphogenesis during Mitosis and Cell Motility lab, Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC), Université de Montréal, P.O. Box 6128, Station Centre-Ville, Montréal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Barbara Decelle
- Cellular Mechanisms of Morphogenesis during Mitosis and Cell Motility lab, Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC), Université de Montréal, P.O. Box 6128, Station Centre-Ville, Montréal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Yu Yan He
- Cellular Mechanisms of Morphogenesis during Mitosis and Cell Motility lab, Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC), Université de Montréal, P.O. Box 6128, Station Centre-Ville, Montréal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada.,Molecular pharmacology lab, Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC), Université de Montréal, P.O. Box 6128, Station Centre-Ville, Montréal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Anthony Pagniez
- Cellular Mechanisms of Morphogenesis during Mitosis and Cell Motility lab, Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC), Université de Montréal, P.O. Box 6128, Station Centre-Ville, Montréal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Mireille Hogue
- Molecular pharmacology lab, Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC), Université de Montréal, P.O. Box 6128, Station Centre-Ville, Montréal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Hiroyuki Kobayashi
- Molecular pharmacology lab, Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC), Université de Montréal, P.O. Box 6128, Station Centre-Ville, Montréal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Christian Le Gouill
- Molecular pharmacology lab, Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC), Université de Montréal, P.O. Box 6128, Station Centre-Ville, Montréal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Michel Bouvier
- Molecular pharmacology lab, Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC), Université de Montréal, P.O. Box 6128, Station Centre-Ville, Montréal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Sébastien Carréno
- Cellular Mechanisms of Morphogenesis during Mitosis and Cell Motility lab, Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC), Université de Montréal, P.O. Box 6128, Station Centre-Ville, Montréal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada.,Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec H3C 3J7, Canada
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7
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Johnstone EKM, See HB, Abhayawardana RS, Song A, Rosengren KJ, Hill SJ, Pfleger KDG. Investigation of Receptor Heteromers Using NanoBRET Ligand Binding. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:1082. [PMID: 33499147 PMCID: PMC7866079 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22031082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2021] [Revised: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Receptor heteromerization is the formation of a complex involving at least two different receptors with pharmacology that is distinct from that exhibited by its constituent receptor units. Detection of these complexes and monitoring their pharmacology is crucial for understanding how receptors function. The Receptor-Heteromer Investigation Technology (Receptor-HIT) utilizes ligand-dependent modulation of interactions between receptors and specific biomolecules for the detection and profiling of heteromer complexes. Previously, the interacting biomolecules used in Receptor-HIT assays have been intracellular proteins, however in this study we have for the first time used bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) with fluorescently-labeled ligands to investigate heteromerization of receptors on the cell surface. Using the Receptor-HIT ligand binding assay with NanoBRET, we have successfully investigated heteromers between the angiotensin II type 1 (AT1) receptor and the β2 adrenergic receptor (AT1-β2AR heteromer), as well as between the AT1 and angiotensin II type 2 receptor (AT1-AT2 heteromer).
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth K. M. Johnstone
- Molecular Endocrinology and Pharmacology Group, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia; (H.B.S.); (R.S.A.); (S.J.H.)
- Centre for Medical Research, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre for Personalised Therapeutics Technologies, Canberra, NSW 2609, Australia
| | - Heng B. See
- Molecular Endocrinology and Pharmacology Group, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia; (H.B.S.); (R.S.A.); (S.J.H.)
- Centre for Medical Research, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre for Personalised Therapeutics Technologies, Canberra, NSW 2609, Australia
| | - Rekhati S. Abhayawardana
- Molecular Endocrinology and Pharmacology Group, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia; (H.B.S.); (R.S.A.); (S.J.H.)
- Centre for Medical Research, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre for Personalised Therapeutics Technologies, Canberra, NSW 2609, Australia
| | - Angela Song
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; (A.S.); (K.J.R.)
| | - K. Johan Rosengren
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; (A.S.); (K.J.R.)
| | - Stephen J. Hill
- Molecular Endocrinology and Pharmacology Group, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia; (H.B.S.); (R.S.A.); (S.J.H.)
- Centre for Medical Research, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
- Division of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham Medical School, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK
- Centre of Membrane Proteins and Receptors, University of Nottingham, Midlands NG7 2UH, UK
| | - Kevin D. G. Pfleger
- Molecular Endocrinology and Pharmacology Group, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia; (H.B.S.); (R.S.A.); (S.J.H.)
- Centre for Medical Research, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre for Personalised Therapeutics Technologies, Canberra, NSW 2609, Australia
- Dimerix Limited, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia
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8
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Weihs F, Anderson A, Trowell S, Caron K. Resonance Energy Transfer-Based Biosensors for Point-of-Need Diagnosis-Progress and Perspectives. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 21:660. [PMID: 33477883 PMCID: PMC7833371 DOI: 10.3390/s21020660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Revised: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The demand for point-of-need (PON) diagnostics for clinical and other applications is continuing to grow. Much of this demand is currently serviced by biosensors, which combine a bioanalytical sensing element with a transducing device that reports results to the user. Ideally, such devices are easy to use and do not require special skills of the end user. Application-dependent, PON devices may need to be capable of measuring low levels of analytes very rapidly, and it is often helpful if they are also portable. To date, only two transduction modalities, colorimetric lateral flow immunoassays (LFIs) and electrochemical assays, fully meet these requirements and have been widely adopted at the point-of-need. These modalities are either non-quantitative (LFIs) or highly analyte-specific (electrochemical glucose meters), therefore requiring considerable modification if they are to be co-opted for measuring other biomarkers. Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (RET)-based biosensors incorporate a quantitative and highly versatile transduction modality that has been extensively used in biomedical research laboratories. RET-biosensors have not yet been applied at the point-of-need despite its advantages over other established techniques. In this review, we explore and discuss recent developments in the translation of RET-biosensors for PON diagnoses, including their potential benefits and drawbacks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix Weihs
- CSIRO Health & Biosecurity, Parkville, 343 Royal Parade, Melbourne, VIC 3030, Australia;
| | - Alisha Anderson
- CSIRO Health & Biosecurity, Black Mountain, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia;
| | - Stephen Trowell
- PPB Technology Pty Ltd., Centre for Entrepreneurial Agri-Technology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia;
| | - Karine Caron
- CSIRO Health & Biosecurity, Black Mountain, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia;
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9
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Krasitskaya VV, Bashmakova EE, Frank LA. Coelenterazine-Dependent Luciferases as a Powerful Analytical Tool for Research and Biomedical Applications. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E7465. [PMID: 33050422 PMCID: PMC7590018 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21207465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Revised: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
: The functioning of bioluminescent systems in most of the known marine organisms is based on the oxidation reaction of the same substrate-coelenterazine (CTZ), catalyzed by luciferase. Despite the diversity in structures and the functioning mechanisms, these enzymes can be united into a common group called CTZ-dependent luciferases. Among these, there are two sharply different types of the system organization-Ca2+-regulated photoproteins and luciferases themselves that function in accordance with the classical enzyme-substrate kinetics. Along with deep and comprehensive fundamental research on these systems, approaches and methods of their practical use as highly sensitive reporters in analytics have been developed. The research aiming at the creation of artificial luciferases and synthetic CTZ analogues with new unique properties has led to the development of new experimental analytical methods based on them. The commercial availability of many ready-to-use assay systems based on CTZ-dependent luciferases is also important when choosing them by first-time-users. The development of analytical methods based on these bioluminescent systems is currently booming. The bioluminescent systems under consideration were successfully applied in various biological research areas, which confirms them to be a powerful analytical tool. In this review, we consider the main directions, results, and achievements in research involving these luciferases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vasilisa V. Krasitskaya
- Institute of Biophysics SB RAS, Federal Research Center “Krasnoyarsk Science Center SB RAS”, 660036 Krasnoyarsk, Russia; (V.V.K.); (E.E.B.)
| | - Eugenia E. Bashmakova
- Institute of Biophysics SB RAS, Federal Research Center “Krasnoyarsk Science Center SB RAS”, 660036 Krasnoyarsk, Russia; (V.V.K.); (E.E.B.)
| | - Ludmila A. Frank
- Institute of Biophysics SB RAS, Federal Research Center “Krasnoyarsk Science Center SB RAS”, 660036 Krasnoyarsk, Russia; (V.V.K.); (E.E.B.)
- School of Fundamental Biology and Biotechnology, Siberian Federal University, 660041 Krasnoyarsk, Russia
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10
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Weihs F, Wang J, Pfleger KDG, Dacres H. Experimental determination of the bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) Förster distances of NanoBRET and red-shifted BRET pairs. Anal Chim Acta X 2020; 6:100059. [PMID: 33392495 PMCID: PMC7772631 DOI: 10.1016/j.acax.2020.100059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Revised: 08/08/2020] [Accepted: 08/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer (BRET) is widely applied to study protein-protein interactions, as well as increasingly to monitor both ligand binding and molecular rearrangements. The Förster distance (R0) describes the physical distance between the two chromophores at which 50% of the maximal energy transfer occurs and it depends on the choice of RET components. R0 can be experimentally determined using flexible peptide linkers of known lengths to separate the two chromophores. Knowledge of the R0 helps to inform on the choice of BRET system. For example, we have previously shown that BRET2 exhibits the largest R0 to date for any genetically encoded RET pair, which may be advantageous for investigating large macromolecular complexes if its issues of low and fast-decaying bioluminescence signal can be accommodated. In this study we have determined R0 for a range of bright and red-shifted BRET pairs, including NanoBRET with tetramethylrhodamine (TMR), non-chloro TOM (NCT), mCherry or Venus as acceptor, and BRET6, a red-shifted BRET2-like system. This study revealed R0 values of 6.15 nm and 6.94 nm for NanoBRET using TMR or NCT as acceptor ligands, respectively. R0 was 5.43 nm for NanoLuc-mCherry, 5.59 nm for NanoLuc-Venus and 5.47 nm for BRET6. This extends the palette of available BRET Förster distances, to give researchers a better-informed choice when considering BRET systems and points towards NanoBRET with NCT as a good alternative to BRET2 as an analysis tool for large macromolecular complexes. Experimental determination of Förster distances (R0) for commonly applied BRET pairs. Determination of R0 for NanoBRET with Venus, mCherry and HaloTag (TMR, NCT). Determination of R0 for BRET6. NanoLuc-HaloTag (NCT) exhibits the second largest R0 of any genetically encoded system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix Weihs
- CSIRO Health & Biosecurity, Parkville, 343 Royal Parade, Melbourne, VIC, 3030, Australia
| | - Jian Wang
- CSIRO Health & Biosecurity, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - Kevin D G Pfleger
- Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research and Centre for Medical Research, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre for Personalised Therapeutics Technologies, Australia.,Dimerix Limited, Nedlands, WA, Australia
| | - Helen Dacres
- CSIRO Health & Biosecurity, Food Innovation Centre, 671 Sneydes Road, Werribee, VIC, 3030, Australia
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11
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Stumpf C, Wimmer T, Lorenz B, Stieger K. Creation of different bioluminescence resonance energy transfer based biosensors with high affinity to VEGF. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0230344. [PMID: 32214330 PMCID: PMC7098639 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0230344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2019] [Accepted: 02/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
In age-related macular degeneration (AMD) or diabetic retinopathy (DR), hypoxia and inflammatory processes lead to an upregulation of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression and thereby to pathological neovascularisation with incorrectly formed vessels prone to damage, thus increasing the vascular permeability and the risk of bleeding and oedema in the retina. State of the art treatment is the repeated intraocular injection of anti-VEGF molecules. For developing improved individualized treatment approaches, a minimally invasive, repeatable method for in vivo quantification of VEGF in the eye is necessary. Therefore, we designed single molecule eBRET2 VEGF biosensors by directly fusing a Renilla luciferase mutant (Rluc8) N-terminal and a green fluorescent protein (GFP2) C-terminal to a VEGF binding domain. In total, 10 different VEGF biosensors (Re01- Re10) were generated based on either single domains or full length of VEGF receptor 1 or 2 extracellular regions as VEGF binding domains. Full length expression of the biosensors in HEK293-T cells was verified via Western Blot employing an anti-Rluc8-IgG. Expression of alternative splice variants was eliminated through the deletion of the donor splice site by introduction of a silent point mutation. In all ten biosensors the energy transfer from the Rluc8 to the GFP2 occurs and generates a measurable eBRET2 ratio. Four biosensors show a relevant change of the BRET ratio (ΔBR) after VEGF binding. Furthermore, each biosensor shows a unique detection range for VEGF quantification and especially Re06 and Re07 have a high sensitivity in the range of in vivo VEGF concentrations in the eye, previously measured by invasive methods. In conclusion, we generated several eBRET2 biosensors that are suitable for VEGF quantification in vitro and could identify two eBRET2 biosensors, which may be suitable for non-invasive in vivo VEGF quantification with an implantable device.
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Affiliation(s)
- Constanze Stumpf
- Department of Ophthalmology, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Tobias Wimmer
- Department of Ophthalmology, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
- * E-mail:
| | - Birgit Lorenz
- Department of Ophthalmology, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Knut Stieger
- Department of Ophthalmology, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
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12
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Crans RAJ, Wouters E, Valle-León M, Taura J, Massari CM, Fernández-Dueñas V, Stove CP, Ciruela F. Striatal Dopamine D 2-Muscarinic Acetylcholine M 1 Receptor-Receptor Interaction in a Model of Movement Disorders. Front Pharmacol 2020; 11:194. [PMID: 32231561 PMCID: PMC7083216 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2020.00194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2019] [Accepted: 02/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor control deficits, which is associated with the loss of striatal dopaminergic neurons from the substantia nigra. In parallel to dopaminergic denervation, there is an increase of acetylcholine within the striatum, resulting in a striatal dopaminergic–cholinergic neurotransmission imbalance. Currently, available PD pharmacotherapy (e.g., prodopaminergic drugs) does not reinstate the altered dopaminergic–cholinergic balance. In addition, it can eventually elicit cholinergic-related adverse effects. Here, we investigated the interplay between dopaminergic and cholinergic systems by assessing the physical and functional interaction of dopamine D2 and muscarinic acetylcholine M1 receptors (D2R and M1R, respectively), both expressed at striatopallidal medium spiny neurons. First, we provided evidence for the existence of D2R–M1R complexes via biochemical (i.e., co-immunoprecipitation) and biophysical (i.e., BRET1 and NanoBiT®) assays, performed in transiently transfected HEK293T cells. Subsequently, a D2R–M1R co-distribution in the mouse striatum was observed through double-immunofluorescence staining and AlphaLISA® immunoassay. Finally, we evaluated the functional interplay between both receptors via behavioral studies, by implementing the classical acute reserpine pharmacological animal model of experimental parkinsonism. Reserpinized mice were administered with a D2R-selective agonist (sumanirole) and/or an M1R-selective antagonist (VU0255035), and alterations in PD-related behavioral tasks (i.e., locomotor activity) were evaluated. Importantly, VU0255035 (10 mg/kg) potentiated the antiparkinsonian-like effects (i.e., increased locomotor activity and decreased catalepsy) of an ineffective sumanirole dose (3 mg/kg). Altogether, our data suggest the existence of putative striatal D2R/M1R heteromers, which might be a relevant target to manage PD motor impairments with fewer adverse effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- René A J Crans
- Laboratory of Toxicology, Department of Bioanalysis, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.,Unitat de Farmacologia, Departament Patologia i Terapèutica Experimental, Facultat de Medicina, IDIBELL-Universitat de Barcelona, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Elise Wouters
- Laboratory of Toxicology, Department of Bioanalysis, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Marta Valle-León
- Unitat de Farmacologia, Departament Patologia i Terapèutica Experimental, Facultat de Medicina, IDIBELL-Universitat de Barcelona, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.,Institut de Neurociències, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jaume Taura
- Unitat de Farmacologia, Departament Patologia i Terapèutica Experimental, Facultat de Medicina, IDIBELL-Universitat de Barcelona, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.,Institut de Neurociències, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Caio M Massari
- Unitat de Farmacologia, Departament Patologia i Terapèutica Experimental, Facultat de Medicina, IDIBELL-Universitat de Barcelona, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.,Programa de Poìs-graduação em Bioquiìmica, Centro de Ciencias Bioloìgicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianoìpolis, Brazil
| | - Víctor Fernández-Dueñas
- Unitat de Farmacologia, Departament Patologia i Terapèutica Experimental, Facultat de Medicina, IDIBELL-Universitat de Barcelona, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.,Institut de Neurociències, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Christophe P Stove
- Laboratory of Toxicology, Department of Bioanalysis, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Francisco Ciruela
- Unitat de Farmacologia, Departament Patologia i Terapèutica Experimental, Facultat de Medicina, IDIBELL-Universitat de Barcelona, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.,Institut de Neurociències, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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13
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Hoare BL, Kocan M, Bruell S, Scott DJ, Bathgate RAD. Using the novel HiBiT tag to label cell surface relaxin receptors for BRET proximity analysis. Pharmacol Res Perspect 2019; 7:e00513. [PMID: 31384473 PMCID: PMC6667744 DOI: 10.1002/prp2.513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2019] [Revised: 07/11/2019] [Accepted: 07/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Relaxin family peptide 1 (RXFP1) is the receptor for relaxin a peptide hormone with important therapeutic potential. Like many G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), RXFP1 has been reported to form homodimers. Given the complex activation mechanism of RXFP1 by relaxin, we wondered whether homodimerization may be explicitly required for receptor activation, and therefore sought to determine if there is any relaxin-dependent change in RXFP1 proximity at the cell surface. Bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) between recombinantly tagged receptors is often used in GPCR proximity studies. RXFP1 targets poorly to the cell surface when overexpressed in cell lines, with the majority of the receptor proteins sequestered within the cell. Thus, any relaxin-induced changes in RXFP1 proximity at the cell surface may be obscured by BRET signal originating from intracellular compartments. We therefore, utilized the newly developed split luciferase system called HiBiT to specifically label the extracellular terminus of cell surface RXFP1 receptors in combination with mCitrine-tagged receptors, using the GABAB heterodimer as a positive control. This demonstrated that the BRET signal detected from RXFP1-RXFP1 proximity at the cell surface does not appear to be due to stable physical interactions. The fact that there is also no relaxin-mediated change in RXFP1-RXFP1 proximity at the cell surface further supports these conclusions. This work provides a basis by which cell surface GPCR proximity and expression levels can be specifically studied using a facile and homogeneous labeling technique such as HiBiT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bradley L. Hoare
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health and Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental HealthParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
| | - Martina Kocan
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health and Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental HealthParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
| | - Shoni Bruell
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health and Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental HealthParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyThe University of MelbourneParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
| | - Daniel J. Scott
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health and Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental HealthParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyThe University of MelbourneParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
| | - Ross A. D. Bathgate
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health and Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental HealthParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyThe University of MelbourneParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
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14
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Nishihara R, Paulmurugan R, Nakajima T, Yamamoto E, Natarajan A, Afjei R, Hiruta Y, Iwasawa N, Nishiyama S, Citterio D, Sato M, Kim SB, Suzuki K. Highly bright and stable NIR-BRET with blue-shifted coelenterazine derivatives for deep-tissue imaging of molecular events in vivo. Theranostics 2019; 9:2646-2661. [PMID: 31131059 PMCID: PMC6525985 DOI: 10.7150/thno.32219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2018] [Accepted: 02/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Bioluminescence imaging (BLI) is one of the most widely used optical platforms in molecular imaging, but it suffers from severe tissue attenuation and autoluminescence in vivo. Methods: Here, we developed a novel BLI platform on the basis of bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) for achieving a ~300 nm blue-to-near infrared shift of the emission (NIR-BRET) by synthesizing an array of 18 novel coelenterazine (CTZ) derivatives, named "Bottle Blue (BBlue)" and a unique iRFP-linked RLuc8.6-535SG fusion protein as a probe. Results: The best NIR-BRET was achieved by tuning the emission peaks of the CTZ derivatives to a Soret band of the iRFP. In mammalian cells, BBlue2.3, one of the CTZ derivatives, emits light that is ~50-fold brighter than DBlueC when combined with RLuc8.6-535SG, which shows stable BL kinetics. When we used a caged version of BBLue2.3, it showed a BL half decay time of over 60 minutes while maintaining the higher signal sensitivity. This NIR BL is sufficiently brighter to be used for imaging live mammalian cells at single cell level, and also for imaging metastases in deep tissues in live mice without generating considerable autoluminescence. A single-chain probe developed based on this BLI platform allowed us to sensitively image ligand antagonist-specific activation of estrogen receptor in the NIR region. Conclusion: This unique optical platform provides the brightest NIR BLI template that can be used for imaging a diverse group of cellular events in living subjects including protein‒protein interactions and cancer metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryo Nishihara
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Keio University, 3-14-1 Hiyoshi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 223-8522, Japan
- Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford, Bio-X Program, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California 94304, United States
| | - Ramasamy Paulmurugan
- Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford, Bio-X Program, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California 94304, United States
| | - Takahiro Nakajima
- Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 3-8-1, Komaba Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan
| | - Eiji Yamamoto
- Graduate School of Science and Technology, Keio University, 3-14-1 Hiyoshi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 223-8522, Japan
| | - Arutselvan Natarajan
- Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford, Bio-X Program, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California 94304, United States
| | - Rayhaneh Afjei
- Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford, Bio-X Program, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California 94304, United States
| | - Yuki Hiruta
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Keio University, 3-14-1 Hiyoshi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 223-8522, Japan
| | - Naoko Iwasawa
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Keio University, 3-14-1 Hiyoshi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 223-8522, Japan
| | - Shigeru Nishiyama
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Keio University, 3-14-1 Hiyoshi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 223-8522, Japan
| | - Daniel Citterio
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Keio University, 3-14-1 Hiyoshi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 223-8522, Japan
| | - Moritoshi Sato
- Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 3-8-1, Komaba Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan
| | - Sung Bae Kim
- Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford, Bio-X Program, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California 94304, United States
- Research Institute for Environmental Management Technology, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 16-1 Onogawa, Tsukuba 305-8569, Japan
| | - Koji Suzuki
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Keio University, 3-14-1 Hiyoshi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 223-8522, Japan
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15
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Dale NC, Johnstone EKM, White CW, Pfleger KDG. NanoBRET: The Bright Future of Proximity-Based Assays. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2019; 7:56. [PMID: 30972335 PMCID: PMC6443706 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2019.00056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2019] [Accepted: 03/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) is a biophysical technique used to monitor proximity within live cells. BRET exploits the naturally occurring phenomenon of dipole-dipole energy transfer from a donor enzyme (luciferase) to an acceptor fluorophore following enzyme-mediated oxidation of a substrate. This results in production of a quantifiable signal that denotes proximity between proteins and/or molecules tagged with complementary luciferase and fluorophore partners. BRET assays have been used to observe an array of biological functions including ligand binding, intracellular signaling, receptor-receptor proximity, and receptor trafficking, however, BRET assays can theoretically be used to monitor the proximity of any protein or molecule for which appropriate fusion constructs and/or fluorophore conjugates can be produced. Over the years, new luciferases and approaches have been developed that have increased the potential applications for BRET assays. In particular, the development of the small, bright and stable Nanoluciferase (NanoLuc; Nluc) and its use in NanoBRET has vastly broadened the potential applications of BRET assays. These advances have exciting potential to produce new experimental methods to monitor protein-protein interactions (PPIs), protein-ligand interactions, and/or molecular proximity. In addition to NanoBRET, Nluc has also been exploited to produce NanoBiT technology, which further broadens the scope of BRET to monitor biological function when NanoBiT is combined with an acceptor. BRET has proved to be a powerful tool for monitoring proximity and interaction, and these recent advances further strengthen its utility for a range of applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natasha C Dale
- Molecular Endocrinology and Pharmacology, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, QEII Medical Centre, Nedlands, WA, Australia.,Centre for Medical Research, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre for Personalised Therapeutics TechnologiesAustralia
| | - Elizabeth K M Johnstone
- Molecular Endocrinology and Pharmacology, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, QEII Medical Centre, Nedlands, WA, Australia.,Centre for Medical Research, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre for Personalised Therapeutics TechnologiesAustralia
| | - Carl W White
- Molecular Endocrinology and Pharmacology, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, QEII Medical Centre, Nedlands, WA, Australia.,Centre for Medical Research, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre for Personalised Therapeutics TechnologiesAustralia
| | - Kevin D G Pfleger
- Molecular Endocrinology and Pharmacology, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, QEII Medical Centre, Nedlands, WA, Australia.,Centre for Medical Research, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre for Personalised Therapeutics TechnologiesAustralia.,Dimerix Limited, Nedlands, WA, Australia
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16
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Integration of Nanomaterials and Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer Techniques for Sensing Biomolecules. BIOSENSORS-BASEL 2019; 9:bios9010042. [PMID: 30884844 PMCID: PMC6468577 DOI: 10.3390/bios9010042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2019] [Revised: 03/09/2019] [Accepted: 03/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) techniques offer a high degree of sensitivity, reliability and ease of use for their application to sensing biomolecules. BRET is a distance dependent, non-radiative energy transfer, which uses a bioluminescent protein to excite an acceptor through the resonance energy transfer. A BRET sensor can quickly detect the change of a target biomolecule quantitatively without an external electromagnetic field, e.g., UV light, which normally can damage tissue. Having been developed quite recently, this technique has evolved rapidly. Here, different bioluminescent proteins have been reviewed. In addition to a multitude of bioluminescent proteins, this manuscript focuses on the recent development of BRET sensors by utilizing quantum dots. The special size-dependent properties of quantum dots have made the BRET sensing technique attractive for the real-time monitoring of the changes of target molecules and bioimaging in vivo. This review offers a look into the basis of the technique, donor/acceptor pairs, experimental applications and prospects.
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17
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El Khamlichi C, Reverchon-Assadi F, Hervouet-Coste N, Blot L, Reiter E, Morisset-Lopez S. Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer as a Method to Study Protein-Protein Interactions: Application to G Protein Coupled Receptor Biology. Molecules 2019; 24:E537. [PMID: 30717191 PMCID: PMC6384791 DOI: 10.3390/molecules24030537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2018] [Revised: 01/21/2019] [Accepted: 01/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) approach involves resonance energy transfer between a light-emitting enzyme and fluorescent acceptors. The major advantage of this technique over biochemical methods is that protein-protein interactions (PPI) can be monitored without disrupting the natural environment, frequently altered by detergents and membrane preparations. Thus, it is considered as one of the most versatile technique for studying molecular interactions in living cells at "physiological" expression levels. BRET analysis has been applied to study many transmembrane receptor classes including G-protein coupled receptors (GPCR). It is well established that these receptors may function as dimeric/oligomeric forms and interact with multiple effectors to transduce the signal. Therefore, they are considered as attractive targets to identify PPI modulators. In this review, we present an overview of the different BRET systems developed up to now and their relevance to identify inhibitors/modulators of protein⁻protein interaction. Then, we introduce the different classes of agents that have been recently developed to target PPI, and provide some examples illustrating the use of BRET-based assays to identify and characterize innovative PPI modulators in the field of GPCRs biology. Finally, we discuss the main advantages and the limits of BRET approach to characterize PPI modulators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chayma El Khamlichi
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, CNRS, UPR 4301, University of Orléans and INSERM, 45071 Orléans, France.
- PRC, INRA, CNRS, Université François Rabelais-Tours, 37380 Nouzilly, France.
| | - Flora Reverchon-Assadi
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, CNRS, UPR 4301, University of Orléans and INSERM, 45071 Orléans, France.
| | - Nadège Hervouet-Coste
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, CNRS, UPR 4301, University of Orléans and INSERM, 45071 Orléans, France.
| | - Lauren Blot
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, CNRS, UPR 4301, University of Orléans and INSERM, 45071 Orléans, France.
| | - Eric Reiter
- PRC, INRA, CNRS, Université François Rabelais-Tours, 37380 Nouzilly, France.
| | - Séverine Morisset-Lopez
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, CNRS, UPR 4301, University of Orléans and INSERM, 45071 Orléans, France.
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18
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Caron K, Trowell SC. Highly Sensitive and Selective Biosensor for a Disaccharide Based on an AraC-Like Transcriptional Regulator Transduced with Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer. Anal Chem 2018; 90:12986-12993. [PMID: 30234965 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.8b03689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Sensitive and selective quantification of individual sugars in complex media is technically challenging and usually requires HPLC separation. Accurate measurement without the need for separation would be highly desirable. The measurement of trace levels of lactose in lactose-reduced milk exemplifies the problem, with the added challenge that trace lactose must be measured in the presence of ≈140 mM glucose and galactose, the products of lactase digestion of lactose. Biosensing is an alternative to HPLC, but current biosensing methods, based on coupled-enzyme assays, tend to have poor sensitivity and complex biochemistry and can be time-consuming. We explored a fundamentally different approach, based on identifying a lactose-specific binding protein compatible with photonic transduction. We identified the BgaR transcriptional regulator of Clostridium perfringens, which is highly selective for lactose, as a suitable ligand binding domain and combined it with a bioluminescence energy resonance transfer transduction system. This BRET-based biosensor showed a 27% decrease in the BRET ratio in the presence of saturating (1 mM) lactose. Using a 5 min assay, the half maximal effective concentration (EC50) for lactose in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) was 12 μM. The biosensor was 200 times more sensitive to lactose than to glucose or galactose. Sensitivity and selectivity were not significantly affected by the presence of 10% (v/v) dialyzed milk. The biosensor is suitable for direct determination of residual lactose in lactase-treated milk, with a limit of detection of 0.2 μM, 100 times below the most stringent lactose-free standard and without the need to remove fat or protein from the sample.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karine Caron
- CSIRO Health and Biosecurity , Canberra , Australian Capital Territory , 2601 , Australia
| | - Stephen C Trowell
- CSIRO Health and Biosecurity , Canberra , Australian Capital Territory , 2601 , Australia
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19
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Phototoxicity of flavoprotein miniSOG induced by bioluminescence resonance energy transfer in genetically encoded system NanoLuc-miniSOG is comparable with its LED-excited phototoxicity. JOURNAL OF PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOBIOLOGY B-BIOLOGY 2018; 188:107-115. [PMID: 30253374 DOI: 10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2018.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2018] [Revised: 08/15/2018] [Accepted: 09/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a clinical, minimally invasive method for destroying cancer cells in the presence of a photosensitizer, oxygen, and a light source. The main obstacle for the PDT treatment of deep tumors is a strong reduction of the excitation light intensity as a result of its refraction, reflection, and absorption by biological tissues. Internal light sources based on bioluminescence resonance energy transfer can be a solution of this problem. Here we show that luciferase NanoLuc being expressed as a fusion protein with phototoxic flavoprotein miniSOG in cancer cells in the presence of furimazine (highly specific NanoLuc substrate) induces a photodynamic effect of miniSOG comparable with its LED-excited (Light Emitting Diode) phototoxicity. Luminescence systems based on furimazine and hybrid protein NanoLuc-miniSOG targeted to mitochondria or cellular membranes possess the similar energy transfer efficiencies and similar BRET-induced cytotoxic effects on cancer cells, though the mechanisms of BRET-induced cell death are different. As the main components of the proposed system for BRET-mediated PDT are genetically encoded (luciferase and phototoxic protein), this system can potentially be delivered to any site in the organism and thus may be considered as a promising approach for simultaneous delivery of light source and photosensitizer in deep-lying tumors and metastasis anywhere in the body.
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20
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Sampaio NG, Kocan M, Schofield L, Pfleger KDG, Eriksson EM. Investigation of interactions between TLR2, MyD88 and TIRAP by bioluminescence resonance energy transfer is hampered by artefacts of protein overexpression. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0202408. [PMID: 30138457 PMCID: PMC6107161 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0202408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2017] [Accepted: 08/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Toll like receptors (TLRs) are important pattern recognition receptors that can detect pathogen and danger associated molecular patterns to initiate an innate immune response. TLR1 and 2 heterodimerize at the plasma membrane upon binding to triacylated lipopeptides from bacterial cell walls, or to the synthetic ligand Pam3CSK4. TLR1/2 dimers interact with adaptor molecules TIRAP and MyD88 to initiate a signalling cascade that leads to activation of key transcription factors, including NF-kB. Despite TLRs being extensively studied over the last two decades, the real-time kinetics of ligand binding and receptor activation remains largely unexplored. We aimed to study the kinetics of TLR activation and recruitment of adaptors, using TLR1/2 dimer interactions with adaptors MyD88 and TIRAP. Bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) allows detection of real-time protein-protein interactions in living cells, and was applied to study adaptor recruitment to TLRs. Energy transfer showed interactions between TLR2 and TIRAP, and between TLR2 and MyD88 only in the presence of TIRAP. Quantitative BRET and confocal microscopy confirmed that TIRAP is necessary for MyD88 interaction with TLR2. Furthermore, constitutive proximity between the proteins in the absence of Pam3CSK4 stimulation was observed with BRET, and was not abrogated with lowered protein expression, changes in protein tagging strategies, or use of the brighter NanoLuc luciferase. However, co-immunoprecipitation studies did not demonstrate constitutive interaction between these proteins, suggesting that the interaction observed with BRET likely represents artefacts of protein overexpression. Thus, caution should be taken when utilizing protein overexpression in BRET studies and in investigations of the TLR pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natália G. Sampaio
- Population Health and Immunity Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - Martina Kocan
- Drug Discovery Biology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Louis Schofield
- Population Health and Immunity Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Kevin D. G. Pfleger
- Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research and Centre for Medical Research, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
- Dimerix Limited, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Emily M. Eriksson
- Population Health and Immunity Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
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21
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Trepte P, Kruse S, Kostova S, Hoffmann S, Buntru A, Tempelmeier A, Secker C, Diez L, Schulz A, Klockmeier K, Zenkner M, Golusik S, Rau K, Schnoegl S, Garner CC, Wanker EE. LuTHy: a double-readout bioluminescence-based two-hybrid technology for quantitative mapping of protein-protein interactions in mammalian cells. Mol Syst Biol 2018; 14:e8071. [PMID: 29997244 PMCID: PMC6039870 DOI: 10.15252/msb.20178071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2017] [Revised: 06/08/2018] [Accepted: 06/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Information on protein-protein interactions (PPIs) is of critical importance for studying complex biological systems and developing therapeutic strategies. Here, we present a double-readout bioluminescence-based two-hybrid technology, termed LuTHy, which provides two quantitative scores in one experimental procedure when testing binary interactions. PPIs are first monitored in cells by quantification of bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) and, following cell lysis, are again quantitatively assessed by luminescence-based co-precipitation (LuC). The double-readout procedure detects interactions with higher sensitivity than traditional single-readout methods and is broadly applicable, for example, for detecting the effects of small molecules or disease-causing mutations on PPIs. Applying LuTHy in a focused screen, we identified 42 interactions for the presynaptic chaperone CSPα, causative to adult-onset neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (ANCL), a progressive neurodegenerative disease. Nearly 50% of PPIs were found to be affected when studying the effect of the disease-causing missense mutations L115R and ∆L116 in CSPα with LuTHy. Our study presents a robust, sensitive research tool with high utility for investigating the molecular mechanisms by which disease-associated mutations impair protein activity in biological systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Trepte
- Neuroproteomics, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sabrina Kruse
- Neuroproteomics, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Simona Kostova
- Neuroproteomics, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sheila Hoffmann
- Synaptopathy, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Berlin, Germany
| | - Alexander Buntru
- Neuroproteomics, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Anne Tempelmeier
- Neuroproteomics, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christopher Secker
- Neuroproteomics, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Neurology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Lisa Diez
- Neuroproteomics, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Aline Schulz
- Neuroproteomics, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Konrad Klockmeier
- Neuroproteomics, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Martina Zenkner
- Neuroproteomics, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sabrina Golusik
- Neuroproteomics, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Kirstin Rau
- Neuroproteomics, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sigrid Schnoegl
- Neuroproteomics, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Craig C Garner
- Synaptopathy, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Berlin, Germany
| | - Erich E Wanker
- Neuroproteomics, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
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Stoddart LA, Kilpatrick LE, Hill SJ. NanoBRET Approaches to Study Ligand Binding to GPCRs and RTKs. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2018; 39:136-147. [PMID: 29132917 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2017.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2017] [Revised: 10/12/2017] [Accepted: 10/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Recent advances in the development of fluorescent ligands for G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and receptor tyrosine kinase receptors (RTKs) have facilitated the study of these receptors in living cells. A limitation of these ligands is potential uptake into cells and increased nonspecific binding. However, this can largely be overcome by using proximity approaches, such as bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET), which localise the signal (within 10nm) to the specific receptor target. The recent engineering of NanoLuc has resulted in a luciferase variant that is smaller and significantly brighter (up to tenfold) than existing variants. Here, we review the use of BRET from N-terminal NanoLuc-tagged GPCRs or a RTK to a receptor-bound fluorescent ligand to provide quantitative pharmacology of ligand-receptor interactions in living cells in real time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leigh A Stoddart
- Division of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2UH, UK; Centre of Membrane Proteins and Receptors, University of Birmingham and University of Nottingham, The Midlands, UK; These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Laura E Kilpatrick
- Division of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2UH, UK; Centre of Membrane Proteins and Receptors, University of Birmingham and University of Nottingham, The Midlands, UK; These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Stephen J Hill
- Division of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2UH, UK; Centre of Membrane Proteins and Receptors, University of Birmingham and University of Nottingham, The Midlands, UK.
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23
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Using nanoBRET and CRISPR/Cas9 to monitor proximity to a genome-edited protein in real-time. Sci Rep 2017; 7:3187. [PMID: 28600500 PMCID: PMC5466623 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-03486-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2016] [Accepted: 04/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) has been a vital tool for understanding G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) function. It has been used to investigate GPCR-protein and/or -ligand interactions as well as GPCR oligomerisation. However the utility of BRET is limited by the requirement that the fusion proteins, and in particular the donor, need to be exogenously expressed. To address this, we have used CRISPR/Cas9-mediated homology-directed repair to generate protein-Nanoluciferase (Nluc) fusions under endogenous promotion, thus allowing investigation of proximity between the genome-edited protein and an exogenously expressed protein by BRET. Here we report BRET monitoring of GPCR-mediated β-arrestin2 recruitment and internalisation where the donor luciferase was under endogenous promotion, in live cells and in real time. We have investigated the utility of CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing to create genome-edited fusion proteins that can be used as BRET donors and propose that this strategy can be used to overcome the need for exogenous donor expression.
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24
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Metal-enhanced luminescence: Current trend and future perspectives- A review. Anal Chim Acta 2017; 971:1-13. [DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2017.03.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2016] [Revised: 03/22/2017] [Accepted: 03/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
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Bakayan A, Domingo B, Vaquero CF, Peyriéras N, Llopis J. Fluorescent Protein-photoprotein Fusions and Their Applications in Calcium Imaging. Photochem Photobiol 2017; 93:448-465. [PMID: 27925224 DOI: 10.1111/php.12682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2016] [Accepted: 09/19/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Calcium-activated photoproteins, such as aequorin, have been used as luminescent Ca2+ indicators since 1967. After the cloning of aequorin in 1985, microinjection was substituted by its heterologous expression, which opened the way for a widespread use. Molecular fusion of green fluorescent protein (GFP) to aequorin recapitulated the nonradiative energy transfer process that occurs in the jellyfish Aequorea victoria, from which these two proteins were obtained, resulting in an increase of light emission and a shift to longer wavelength. The abundance and location of the chimera are seen by fluorescence, whereas its luminescence reports Ca2+ levels. GFP-aequorin is broadly used in an increasing number of studies, from organelles and cells to intact organisms. By fusing other fluorescent proteins to aequorin, the available luminescence color palette has been expanded for multiplexing assays and for in vivo measurements. In this report, we will attempt to review the various photoproteins available, their reported fusions with fluorescent proteins and their biological applications to image Ca2+ dynamics in organelles, cells, tissue explants and in live organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adil Bakayan
- BioEmergences Unit (CNRS, USR3695), Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Beatriz Domingo
- Centro Regional de Investigaciones Biomédicas (CRIB) and Facultad de Medicina de Albacete, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Albacete, Spain
| | - Cecilia F Vaquero
- Centro Regional de Investigaciones Biomédicas (CRIB) and Facultad de Medicina de Albacete, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Albacete, Spain
| | - Nadine Peyriéras
- BioEmergences Unit (CNRS, USR3695), Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Juan Llopis
- Centro Regional de Investigaciones Biomédicas (CRIB) and Facultad de Medicina de Albacete, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Albacete, Spain
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26
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Wimmer T, Schroeter E, Lorenz B, Stieger K. Detection of the Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor with a Novel Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer Pair Using a Two-Component System. SENSORS 2017; 17:s17010145. [PMID: 28098756 PMCID: PMC5298718 DOI: 10.3390/s17010145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2016] [Revised: 12/30/2016] [Accepted: 01/09/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
In this paper we describe a two-component BRET (bioluminescence resonance energy transfer)-based method to detect vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) molecules in unknown samples as the basis for subsequent in vivo use. A luminescent VEGF binding molecule, which binds in the receptor binding motif of VEGF, is used as the energy donor, transferred to a fluorophore-coupled VEGF binding molecule (acceptor), which binds to the neuropilin binding motif of VEGF, thus enabling energy transfer from the donor to the acceptor molecule. This leads to the emission of light at a longer wavelength and thus the generation of an increased BRET signal only when VEGF is bound to both the donor and acceptor molecules. We further describe a novel BRET pair that uses the Renilla reniformis mutant luciferase RLuc8 and the chemically engineered fluorophore PerCP-Cy5.5®, which exhibits superior peak separation of approximately 300 nm. The implantation of capsules consisting of the two BRET components in solution, permeable for VEGF for its in vivo detection, would provide a new and improved method for monitoring VEGF-induced pathologies and thus an adjustment of therapy to patient needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Wimmer
- Department of Ophthalmology, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Friedrichstr. 18, 35390 Giessen, Germany.
| | - Eva Schroeter
- Department of Ophthalmology, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Friedrichstr. 18, 35390 Giessen, Germany.
| | - Birgit Lorenz
- Department of Ophthalmology, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Friedrichstr. 18, 35390 Giessen, Germany.
| | - Knut Stieger
- Department of Ophthalmology, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Friedrichstr. 18, 35390 Giessen, Germany.
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Frank T, Reichel A, Larsen O, Stilp AC, Rosenkilde MM, Stamminger T, Ozawa T, Tschammer N. Attenuation of chemokine receptor function and surface expression as an immunomodulatory strategy employed by human cytomegalovirus is linked to vGPCR US28. Cell Commun Signal 2016; 14:31. [PMID: 27955674 PMCID: PMC5153698 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-016-0154-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2016] [Accepted: 12/02/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Some herpesviruses like human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) encode viral G protein-coupled receptors that cause reprogramming of cell signaling to facilitate dissemination of the virus, prevent immune surveillance and establish life-long latency. Human GPCRs are known to function in complex signaling networks involving direct physical interactions as well as indirect crosstalk of orthogonal signaling networks. The human chemokine receptor CXCR4 is expressed on hematopoietic stem cells, leukocytes, endothelial and epithelial cells, which are infected by HCMV or display reservoirs of latency. Results We investigated the potential heteromerization of US28 with CXCR4 as well as the influence of US28 on CXCR4 signaling. Using Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer and luciferase-complementation based methods we show that US28 expression exhibits negative effects on CXCR4 signaling and constitutive surface expression in HEK293T cells. Furthermore, we demonstrate that this effect is not mediated by receptor heteromerization but via signaling crosstalk. Additionally, we show that in HCMV, strain TB40E, infected HUVEC the surface expression of CXCR4 is strongly downregulated, whereas in TB40E-delUS28 infected cells, CXCR4 surface expression is not altered in particular at late time points of infection. Conclusions We show that the vGPCR US28 is leading to severely disturbed signaling and surface expression of the chemokine receptor CXCR4 thereby representing an effective mechanism used by vGPCRs to reprogram host cell signaling. In contrast to other studies, we demonstrate that these effects are not mediated via heteromerization. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12964-016-0154-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theresa Frank
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Emil Fischer Center, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany.,Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virology, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Anna Reichel
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virology, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Olav Larsen
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Laboratory for Molecular Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Anne-Charlotte Stilp
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virology, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Mette M Rosenkilde
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Laboratory for Molecular Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Thomas Stamminger
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virology, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Takeaki Ozawa
- Department of Chemistry, School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Nuska Tschammer
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Emil Fischer Center, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany. .,Present Address: NanoTemper Technologies GmbH, Floessergasse 4, 81069, Munich, Germany.
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28
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Julian B, Gao K, Harwood BN, Beinborn M, Kopin AS. Mutation-Induced Functional Alterations of CCR6. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2016; 360:106-116. [PMID: 27789680 DOI: 10.1124/jpet.116.237669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2016] [Accepted: 10/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The Cys-Cys chemokine receptor 6 (CCR6) is a well-established modulator of inflammation. Although several genetic associations have been identified between CCR6 polymorphisms and immune system disorders (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's disease), the pharmacological effects of naturally occurring missense mutations in this receptor have yet to be characterized. In this study, we initially assessed G protein-mediated signaling and observed that wild-type (WT) CCR6 exhibited ligand-independent activity. In addition, we found that the five most frequent CCR6 missense variants (A89T, A150V, R155W, G345S, and A369V) exhibited decreased basal and/or ligand induced Gαi protein signaling. To complement the study of these loss-of-function variants, we engineered a set of constitutively active CCR6 receptors. Selected mutations enhanced basal G protein-mediated signaling up to 3-fold relative to the WT value. Using a bioluminescence resonance energy transfer assay we investigated the ability of each naturally occurring and engineered CCR6 receptor mutant to recruit β-arrestin. In contrast to G protein-mediated signaling, β-arrestin mobilization was largely unperturbed by the naturally occurring loss-of-function CCR6 variants. Elevated recruitment of β-arrestin was observed in one of the engineered constitutively active mutants (T98P). Our results demonstrate that point mutations in CCR6 can result in either a gain or loss of receptor function. These observations underscore the need to explore how CCR6 natural variants may influence immune cell physiology and human disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bina Julian
- Molecular Pharmacology Research Center, Molecular Cardiology Research Institute, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts (B.J., K.G., B.N.H, M.B., A.S.K.); and Program in Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts (B.J., M.B., A.S.K.)
| | - Kevin Gao
- Molecular Pharmacology Research Center, Molecular Cardiology Research Institute, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts (B.J., K.G., B.N.H, M.B., A.S.K.); and Program in Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts (B.J., M.B., A.S.K.)
| | - Benjamin N Harwood
- Molecular Pharmacology Research Center, Molecular Cardiology Research Institute, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts (B.J., K.G., B.N.H, M.B., A.S.K.); and Program in Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts (B.J., M.B., A.S.K.)
| | - Martin Beinborn
- Molecular Pharmacology Research Center, Molecular Cardiology Research Institute, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts (B.J., K.G., B.N.H, M.B., A.S.K.); and Program in Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts (B.J., M.B., A.S.K.)
| | - Alan S Kopin
- Molecular Pharmacology Research Center, Molecular Cardiology Research Institute, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts (B.J., K.G., B.N.H, M.B., A.S.K.); and Program in Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts (B.J., M.B., A.S.K.)
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29
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Stoddart LA, White CW, Nguyen K, Hill SJ, Pfleger KDG. Fluorescence- and bioluminescence-based approaches to study GPCR ligand binding. Br J Pharmacol 2016; 173:3028-37. [PMID: 26317175 PMCID: PMC5125978 DOI: 10.1111/bph.13316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2015] [Revised: 08/01/2015] [Accepted: 08/20/2015] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Ligand binding is a vital component of any pharmacologist's toolbox and allows the detailed investigation of how a molecule binds to its receptor. These studies enable the experimental determination of binding affinity of labelled and unlabelled compounds through kinetic, saturation (Kd ) and competition (Ki ) binding assays. Traditionally, these studies have used molecules labelled with radioisotopes; however, more recently, fluorescent ligands have been developed for this purpose. This review will briefly cover receptor ligand binding theory and then discuss the use of fluorescent ligands with some of the different technologies currently employed to examine ligand binding. Fluorescent ligands can be used for direct measurement of receptor-associated fluorescence using confocal microscopy and flow cytometry as well as in assays such as fluorescence polarization, where ligand binding is monitored by changes in the free rotation when a fluorescent ligand is bound to a receptor. Additionally, fluorescent ligands can act as donors or acceptors for fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) with the development of assays based on FRET and time-resolved FRET (TR-FRET). Finally, we have recently developed a novel bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) ligand binding assay utilizing a small (19 kDa), super-bright luciferase subunit (NanoLuc) from a deep sea shrimp. In combination with fluorescent ligands, measurement of RET now provides an array of methodologies to study ligand binding. While each method has its own advantages and drawbacks, binding studies using fluorescent ligands are now a viable alternative to the use of radioligands. Linked Articles This article is part of a themed section on Molecular Pharmacology of G Protein-Coupled Receptors. To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v173.20/issuetoc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leigh A Stoddart
- Cell Signalling Research Group, School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Carl W White
- Molecular Endocrinology and Pharmacology, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Nedlands, WA, Australia
- Centre for Medical Research, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | - Kim Nguyen
- Molecular Endocrinology and Pharmacology, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Nedlands, WA, Australia
- Centre for Medical Research, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | - Stephen J Hill
- Cell Signalling Research Group, School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Molecular Endocrinology and Pharmacology, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Nedlands, WA, Australia
- Centre for Medical Research, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | - Kevin D G Pfleger
- Molecular Endocrinology and Pharmacology, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Nedlands, WA, Australia.
- Centre for Medical Research, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia.
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30
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Quantification of the vascular endothelial growth factor with a bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) based single molecule biosensor. Biosens Bioelectron 2016; 86:609-615. [PMID: 27459244 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2016.07.058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2016] [Revised: 07/12/2016] [Accepted: 07/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Neovascular pathologies in the eye like age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the diabetic retinopathie (DR), retinopathie of prematurity (ROP) or the retinal vein occlusion (RVO) are caused through a hypoxia induced upregulation of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). So far a correlation of intraocular VEGF concentrations to the impact of the pathologies is limited because of invasive sampling. Therefore, a minimally invasive, repeatable quantification of VEGF levels in the eye is needed to correlate the stage of VEGF induced pathologies as well as the efficacy of anti-VEGF treatment. Here we describe the development of three variants of enhanced BRET2 (eBRET2) based, single molecule biosensors by fusing a Renilla luciferase mutant with enhanced light output (RLuc8) to the N-terminus and a suitable eBRET2 acceptor fluorophore (GFP2) to the C-terminus of a VEGF binding domain, directly fused or separated with two different peptide linkers for the quantification of VEGF in vitro. The VEGF binding domain consists of a single chain variable fragment (scFv) based on ranibizumab in which the light- and the heavy- F(ab) chains were connected with a peptide linker to generate one open reading frame (orf). All three variants generate measureable eBRET2 ratios by transferring energy from the luciferase donor to the GFP2 acceptor, whereas only the directly fused and the proline variant permit VEGF quantification. The directly fused biosensor variant allows the quantification of VEGF with higher sensitivity, compared to the widely used ELISA systems and a wide dynamic quantification range in vitro. Our system demonstrates not only an additional in vitro application on VEGF quantification but also a promising step towards an applicable biosensor in an implantable device able to quantify VEGF reliably after implantation in vivo.
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31
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De Niz M, Stanway RR, Wacker R, Keller D, Heussler VT. An ultrasensitive NanoLuc-based luminescence system for monitoring Plasmodium berghei throughout its life cycle. Malar J 2016; 15:232. [PMID: 27102897 PMCID: PMC4840902 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-016-1291-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2016] [Accepted: 04/13/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Bioluminescence imaging is widely used for cell-based assays and animal imaging studies, both in biomedical research and drug development. Its main advantages include its high-throughput applicability, affordability, high sensitivity, operational simplicity, and quantitative outputs. In malaria research, bioluminescence has been used for drug discovery in vivo and in vitro, exploring host-pathogen interactions, and studying multiple aspects of Plasmodium biology. While the number of fluorescent proteins available for imaging has undergone a great expansion over the last two decades, enabling simultaneous visualization of multiple molecular and cellular events, expansion of available luciferases has lagged behind. The most widely used bioluminescent probe in malaria research is the Photinus pyralis firefly luciferase, followed by the more recently introduced Click-beetle and Renilla luciferases. Ultra-sensitive imaging of Plasmodium at low parasite densities has not been previously achieved. With the purpose of overcoming these challenges, a Plasmodium berghei line expressing the novel ultra-bright luciferase enzyme NanoLuc, called PbNLuc has been generated, and is presented in this work. Results NanoLuc shows at least 150 times brighter signal than firefly luciferase in vitro, allowing single parasite detection in mosquito, liver, and sexual and asexual blood stages. As a proof-of-concept, the PbNLuc parasites were used to image parasite development in the mosquito, liver and blood stages of infection, and to specifically explore parasite liver stage egress, and pre-patency period in vivo. Conclusions PbNLuc is a suitable parasite line for sensitive imaging of the entire Plasmodium life cycle. Its sensitivity makes it a promising line to be used as a reference for drug candidate testing, as well as the characterization of mutant parasites to explore the function of parasite proteins, host-parasite interactions, and the better understanding of Plasmodium biology. Since the substrate requirements of NanoLuc are different from those of firefly luciferase, dual bioluminescence imaging for the simultaneous characterization of two lines, or two separate biological processes, is possible, as demonstrated in this work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana De Niz
- Institute of Cell Biology, University of Bern, 3012, Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Rebecca R Stanway
- Institute of Cell Biology, University of Bern, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Rahel Wacker
- Institute of Cell Biology, University of Bern, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Derya Keller
- Institute of Cell Biology, University of Bern, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Volker T Heussler
- Institute of Cell Biology, University of Bern, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
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32
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Yu X, Wen K, Wang Z, Zhang X, Li C, Zhang S, Shen J. General Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer Homogeneous Immunoassay for Small Molecules Based on Quantum Dots. Anal Chem 2016; 88:3512-20. [PMID: 26948147 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.5b03581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Here, we describe a general bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) homogeneous immunoassay based on quantum dots (QDs) as the acceptor and Renilla luciferase (Rluc) as the donor (QD-BRET) for the determination of small molecules. The ratio of the donor-acceptor that could produce energy transfer varied in the presence of different concentrations of free enrofloxacin (ENR), an important small molecule in food safety. The calculated Förster distance (R0) was 7.86 nm. Under optimized conditions, the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) for ENR was less than 1 ng/mL and the linear range covered 4 orders of magnitude (0.023 to 25.60 ng/mL). The cross-reactivities (CRs) of seven representative fluoroquinolones (FQs) were similar to the data obtained by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The average intra- and interassay recoveries from spiked milk of were 79.8-118.0%, and the relative standard deviations (RSDs) were less than 10%, meeting the requirement of residue detection, which was a satisfactory result. Furthermore, we compared the influence of different luciferase substrates on the performance of the assay. Considering sensitivity and stability, coelenterazine-h was the most appropriate substrate. The results from this study will enable better-informed decisions on the choice of Rluc substrate for QD-BRET systems. For the future, the QD-BRET immunosensor could easily be extended to other small molecules and thus represents a versatile strategy in food safety, the environment, clinical diagnosis, and other fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuezhi Yu
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University , No. 2 Yuanmingyuan West Road, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Kai Wen
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University , No. 2 Yuanmingyuan West Road, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Zhanhui Wang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University , No. 2 Yuanmingyuan West Road, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Xiya Zhang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University , No. 2 Yuanmingyuan West Road, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Chenglong Li
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University , No. 2 Yuanmingyuan West Road, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Suxia Zhang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University , No. 2 Yuanmingyuan West Road, Beijing 100193, China.,Beijing Laboratory for Food Quality and Safety and Beijing Key Laboratory of Detection Technology for Animal-Derived Food Safety , No. 2 Yuanmingyuan West Road, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Jianzhong Shen
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University , No. 2 Yuanmingyuan West Road, Beijing 100193, China.,Beijing Laboratory for Food Quality and Safety and Beijing Key Laboratory of Detection Technology for Animal-Derived Food Safety , No. 2 Yuanmingyuan West Road, Beijing 100193, China
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Alam R, Karam LM, Doane TL, Coopersmith K, Fontaine DM, Branchini BR, Maye MM. Probing Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer in Quantum Rod-Luciferase Nanoconjugates. ACS NANO 2016; 10:1969-77. [PMID: 26760436 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.5b05966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
We describe the necessary design criteria to create highly efficient energy transfer conjugates containing luciferase enzymes derived from Photinus pyralis (Ppy) and semiconductor quantum rods (QRs) with rod-in-rod (r/r) microstructure. By fine-tuning the synthetic conditions, CdSe/CdS r/r-QRs were prepared with two different emission colors and three different aspect ratios (l/w) each. These were hybridized with blue, green, and red emitting Ppy, leading to a number of new BRET nanoconjugates. Measurements of the emission BRET ratio (BR) indicate that the resulting energy transfer is highly dependent on QR energy accepting properties, which include absorption, quantum yield, and optical anisotropy, as well as its morphological and topological properties, such as aspect ratio and defect concentration. The highest BR was found using r/r-QRs with lower l/w that were conjugated with red Ppy, which may be activating one of the anisotropic CdSe core energy levels. The role QR surface defects play on Ppy binding, and energy transfer was studied by growth of gold nanoparticles at the defects, which indicated that each QR set has different sites. The Ppy binding at those sites is suggested by the observed BRET red-shift as a function of Ppy-to-QR loading (L), where the lowest L results in highest efficiency and furthest shift.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rabeka Alam
- Department of Chemistry, Syracuse University , Syracuse, New York 13244, United States
| | - Liliana M Karam
- Department of Chemistry, Syracuse University , Syracuse, New York 13244, United States
| | - Tennyson L Doane
- Department of Chemistry, Syracuse University , Syracuse, New York 13244, United States
| | - Kaitlin Coopersmith
- Department of Chemistry, Syracuse University , Syracuse, New York 13244, United States
| | - Danielle M Fontaine
- Department of Chemistry, Connecticut College , New London, Connecticut 06320, United States
| | - Bruce R Branchini
- Department of Chemistry, Connecticut College , New London, Connecticut 06320, United States
| | - Mathew M Maye
- Department of Chemistry, Syracuse University , Syracuse, New York 13244, United States
- Syracuse Biomaterials Institute, Syracuse University , Syracuse, New York 13244, United States
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34
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Robertson DN, Sleno R, Nagi K, Pétrin D, Hébert TE, Pineyro G. Design and construction of conformational biosensors to monitor ion channel activation: A prototype FlAsH/BRET-approach to Kir3 channels. Methods 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2015.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
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35
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Schaub FX, Reza MS, Flaveny CA, Li W, Musicant AM, Hoxha S, Guo M, Cleveland JL, Amelio AL. Fluorophore-NanoLuc BRET Reporters Enable Sensitive In Vivo Optical Imaging and Flow Cytometry for Monitoring Tumorigenesis. Cancer Res 2015; 75:5023-33. [PMID: 26424696 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-14-3538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2014] [Accepted: 08/28/2015] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Fluorescent proteins are widely used to study molecular and cellular events, yet this traditionally relies on delivery of excitation light, which can trigger autofluorescence, photoxicity, and photobleaching, impairing their use in vivo. Accordingly, chemiluminescent light sources such as those generated by luciferases have emerged, as they do not require excitation light. However, current luciferase reporters lack the brightness needed to visualize events in deep tissues. We report the creation of chimeric eGFP-NanoLuc (GpNLuc) and LSSmOrange-NanoLuc (OgNLuc) fusion reporter proteins coined LumiFluors, which combine the benefits of eGFP or LSSmOrange fluorescent proteins with the bright, glow-type bioluminescent light generated by an enhanced small luciferase subunit (NanoLuc) of the deep-sea shrimp Oplophorus gracilirostris. The intramolecular bioluminescence resonance energy transfer that occurs between NanoLuc and the fused fluorophore generates the brightest bioluminescent signal known to date, including improved intensity, sensitivity, and durable spectral properties, thereby dramatically reducing image acquisition times and permitting highly sensitive in vivo imaging. Notably, the self-illuminating and bifunctional nature of these LumiFluor reporters enables greatly improved spatiotemporal monitoring of very small numbers of tumor cells via in vivo optical imaging and also allows the isolation and analyses of single cells by flow cytometry. Thus, LumiFluor reporters are inexpensive, robust, noninvasive tools that allow for markedly improved in vivo optical imaging of tumorigenic processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franz X Schaub
- Department of Tumor Biology, Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
| | - Md Shamim Reza
- Department of Cancer Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, Scripps Florida, Jupiter, Florida
| | - Colin A Flaveny
- Department of Pharmacological & Physiological Science, School of Medicine, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Weimin Li
- Department of Tumor Biology, Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
| | - Adele M Musicant
- UNC Biological and Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Sany Hoxha
- Scripps Graduate Program, The Scripps Research Institute, Scripps Florida, Jupiter, Florida
| | - Min Guo
- Department of Cancer Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, Scripps Florida, Jupiter, Florida
| | - John L Cleveland
- Department of Tumor Biology, Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
| | - Antonio L Amelio
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Biomedical Research Imaging Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
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36
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Stoddart LA, Johnstone EKM, Wheal AJ, Goulding J, Robers MB, Machleidt T, Wood KV, Hill SJ, Pfleger KDG. Application of BRET to monitor ligand binding to GPCRs. Nat Methods 2015; 12:661-663. [PMID: 26030448 PMCID: PMC4488387 DOI: 10.1038/nmeth.3398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 191] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2014] [Accepted: 04/04/2015] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) is a well-established method for investigating protein-protein interactions. Here we present a novel BRET approach to monitor ligand binding to G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) on the surface of living cells made possible by the use of fluorescent ligands in combination with a novel bioluminescent protein (NanoLuc) that can be readily expressed on the N-terminus of GPCRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leigh A Stoddart
- Cell Signalling Research Group, School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham Medical School, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Elizabeth K M Johnstone
- Molecular Endocrinology and Pharmacology, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia.,Centre for Medical Research, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Amanda J Wheal
- Cell Signalling Research Group, School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham Medical School, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Joëlle Goulding
- Cell Signalling Research Group, School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham Medical School, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Keith V Wood
- Promega Corporation, Madison, Wisconsin, United States
| | - Stephen J Hill
- Cell Signalling Research Group, School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham Medical School, Nottingham, United Kingdom.,Molecular Endocrinology and Pharmacology, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia.,Centre for Medical Research, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Kevin D G Pfleger
- Molecular Endocrinology and Pharmacology, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia.,Centre for Medical Research, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
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BRET evidence that β2 adrenergic receptors do not oligomerize in cells. Sci Rep 2015; 5:10166. [PMID: 25955971 PMCID: PMC4424835 DOI: 10.1038/srep10166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2014] [Accepted: 04/01/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) is often used to study association of membrane proteins, and in particular oligomerization of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Oligomerization of class A GPCRs is controversial, in part because the methods used to study this question are not completely understood. Here we reconsider oligomerization of the class A β2 adrenergic receptor (β2AR), and reevaluate BRET titration as a method to study membrane protein association. Using inducible expression of the energy acceptor at multiple levels of donor expression we find that BRET between β2AR protomers is directly proportional to the density of the acceptor up to ~3,000 acceptors μm−2, and does not depend on the density of the donor or on the acceptor:donor (A:D) stoichiometry. In contrast, BRET between tightly-associating control proteins does not depend on the density of the acceptor, but does depend on the density of the donor and on the A:D ratio. We also find that the standard frameworks used to interpret BRET titration experiments rely on simplifying assumptions that are frequently invalid. These results suggest that β2ARs do not oligomerize in cells, and demonstrate a reliable method of assessing membrane protein association with BRET.
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38
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Johnstone EKM, Pfleger KDG. Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer Approaches to Discover Bias in GPCR Signaling. Methods Mol Biol 2015; 1335:191-204. [PMID: 26260602 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-2914-6_13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) is a well-established technique for investigating G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) pharmacology. BRET enables the monitoring of molecular proximity through the use of heterologously expressed proteins of interest and/or fluorophore-labeled ligands. Fusion to a donor luciferase enzyme or an acceptor fluorophore and subsequent detection of resonance energy transfer indicate the close proximity of the molecules of interest. As BRET is readily applied to the study of numerous GPCR signaling and regulatory paths, it is an ideal technique for investigating the pharmacology of biased ligands and receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth K M Johnstone
- Molecular Endocrinology and Pharmacology, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, QEII Medical Centre, 6 Verdun Street, Nedlands, WA, 6009, Australia
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39
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Demonstration of a direct interaction between β2-adrenergic receptor and insulin receptor by BRET and bioinformatics. PLoS One 2014; 9:e112664. [PMID: 25401701 PMCID: PMC4234468 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0112664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2014] [Accepted: 10/06/2014] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Glucose metabolism is under the cooperative regulation of both insulin receptor (IR) and β2-adrenergic receptor (β2AR), which represent the receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) and seven transmembrane receptors (7TMRs), respectively. Studies demonstrating cross-talk between these two receptors and their endogenous coexpression have suggested their possible interactions. To evaluate the effect of IR and prospective heteromerization on β2AR properties, we showed that IR coexpression had no effect on the ligand binding properties of β2AR; however, IR reduced β2AR surface expression and accelerated its internalization. Additionally, both receptors displayed a similar distribution pattern with a high degree of colocalization. To test the possible direct interaction between β2AR and IR, we employed quantitative BRET2 saturation and competition assays. Saturation assay data suggested constitutive β2AR and IR homo- and heteromerization. Calculated acceptor/donor (AD50) values as a measure of the relative affinity for homo- and heteromer formation differed among the heteromers that could not be explained by a simple dimer model. In heterologous competition assays, a transient increase in the BRET2 signal with a subsequent hyperbolical decrease was observed, suggesting higher-order heteromer formation. To complement the BRET2 data, we employed the informational spectrum method (ISM), a virtual spectroscopy method to investigate protein-protein interactions. Computational peptide scanning of β2AR and IR identified intracellular domains encompassing residues at the end of the 7th TM domain and C-terminal tail of β2AR and a cytoplasmic part of the IR β chain as prospective interaction domains. ISM further suggested a high probability of heteromer formation and homodimers as basic units engaged in heteromerization. In summary, our data suggest direct interaction and higher-order β2AR:IR oligomer formation, likely comprising heteromers of homodimers.
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40
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Le NCH, Gel M, Zhu Y, Wang J, Dacres H, Anderson A, Trowell SC. Sub-nanomolar detection of thrombin activity on a microfluidic chip. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2014; 8:064110. [PMID: 25553187 PMCID: PMC4257965 DOI: 10.1063/1.4902908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2014] [Accepted: 11/17/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) is a form of Förster resonance energy transfer. BRET has been shown to support lower limits of detection than fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) but, unlike FRET, has not been widely implemented on microfluidic devices for bioanalytical sensing. We recently reported a microscope-based microfluidic system for BRET-based biosensing, using a hybrid, high quantum-efficiency, form of BRET chemistry. This paper reports the first optical fiber-based system for BRET detection on a microfluidic chip, capable of quantifying photon emissions from the low quantum-efficiency BRET(2) system. We investigated the effects of varying core diameter and numerical aperture of optical fibers, as well as varying microfluidic channel design and measurement conditions. We optimized the set-up in order to maximize photon counts and minimize the response time. The optimized conditions supported measurement of thrombin activity, with a limit of detection of 20 pM, which is lower than the microscope-based system and more than 20 times lower than concentrations reported to occur in plasma clots.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nam Cao Hoai Le
- Microfluidics Laboratory , CSIRO Materials Science and Engineering and CSIRO Food Futures Flagship, Clayton South MDC, Victoria 3169, Australia
| | - Murat Gel
- Microfluidics Laboratory , CSIRO Materials Science and Engineering and CSIRO Food Futures Flagship, Clayton South MDC, Victoria 3169, Australia
| | | | - Jian Wang
- CSIRO Ecosystem Sciences and CSIRO Food Futures Flagship , GPO Box 1700, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Helen Dacres
- CSIRO Ecosystem Sciences and CSIRO Food Futures Flagship , GPO Box 1700, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Alisha Anderson
- CSIRO Ecosystem Sciences and CSIRO Food Futures Flagship , GPO Box 1700, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Stephen C Trowell
- CSIRO Ecosystem Sciences and CSIRO Food Futures Flagship , GPO Box 1700, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
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41
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Evidence for aggregation of protein kinase CK2 in the cell: a novel strategy for studying CK2 holoenzyme interaction by BRET(2). Mol Cell Biochem 2014; 397:285-93. [PMID: 25148873 DOI: 10.1007/s11010-014-2196-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2014] [Accepted: 08/13/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Protein kinase CK2 is a ubiquitous pro-survival kinase whose substrate targets are involved in various cellular processes. Crystal structure analysis confirmed constitutive activity of the kinase, yet CK2 activity regulation in the cell is still obscure. In-vitro studies suggest autoinhibitory aggregation of the hetero-tetrameric CK2 holoenzyme as a basis for CK2 regulation. In this study, we applied bioluminescent resonance energy transfer (BRET) technology to investigate CK2 holoenzyme aggregation in living cells. We designed a BRET(2) pair consisting of the fusion proteins CK2α-Rluc8 and CK2α-GFP(2). This BRET(2) sensor reported specific interaction of CK2 holoenzyme complexes. Furthermore, the BRET(2) sensor was applied to study modulators of CK2 aggregation. We found that CK2 aggregation is not static and can be influenced by the CK2-binding protein alpha subunit of the heterotrimeric G-protein that stimulates adenylyl cyclase (Gαs) and the polycationic compound polylysine. Gαs, but not the CK2 substrate β-arrestin2, decreased the BRET(2) signal by up to 50%. Likewise polylysine, but not the CK2 inhibitor DRB, decreased the signal in a dose-dependent manner up to 50%. For the first time, we present direct experimental evidence for CK2 holoenzyme aggregates in the cell. Our data suggest that CK2 activity may be controlled by holoenzyme aggregation, to our knowledge a novel mechanism for protein kinase regulation. Moreover, the BRET(2) sensor used in our study is a novel tool for studying CK2 regulation by aggregation and pharmacological screening for novel allosteric CK2 effectors.
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42
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Jaeger WC, Armstrong SP, Hill SJ, Pfleger KDG. Biophysical Detection of Diversity and Bias in GPCR Function. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2014; 5:26. [PMID: 24634666 PMCID: PMC3943086 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2014.00026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2014] [Accepted: 02/19/2014] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Guanine nucleotide binding protein (G protein)-coupled receptors (GPCRs) function in complexes with a range of molecules and proteins including ligands, G proteins, arrestins, ubiquitin, and other receptors. Elements of these complexes may interact constitutively or dynamically, dependent upon factors such as ligand binding, phosphorylation, and dephosphorylation. They may also be allosterically modulated by other proteins in a manner that changes temporally and spatially within the cell. Elucidating how these complexes function has been greatly enhanced by biophysical technologies that are able to monitor proximity and/or binding, often in real time and in live cells. These include resonance energy transfer approaches such as bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) and fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). Furthermore, the use of fluorescent ligands has enabled novel insights into allosteric interactions between GPCRs. Consequently, biophysical approaches are helping to unlock the amazing diversity and bias in G protein-coupled receptor signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Werner C. Jaeger
- Molecular Endocrinology and Pharmacology, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research and Centre for Medical Research, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Stephen P. Armstrong
- Molecular Endocrinology and Pharmacology, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research and Centre for Medical Research, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Stephen J. Hill
- Cell Signalling Research Group, School of Life Sciences, Queen’s Medical Centre, University of Nottingham Medical School, Nottingham, UK
| | - Kevin D. G. Pfleger
- Molecular Endocrinology and Pharmacology, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research and Centre for Medical Research, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
- Dimerix Bioscience Pty Ltd, Perth, WA, Australia
- *Correspondence: Kevin D. G. Pfleger, Molecular Endocrinology and Pharmacology, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research and Centre for Medical Research, The University of Western Australia, QEII Medical Centre, QQ Block, 6 Verdun Street, Nedlands, Perth, WA 6009, Australia e-mail:
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43
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Dacres H, Michie M, Anderson A, Trowell SC. Advantages of substituting bioluminescence for fluorescence in a resonance energy transfer-based periplasmic binding protein biosensor. Biosens Bioelectron 2012; 41:459-64. [PMID: 23083905 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2012.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2012] [Revised: 08/30/2012] [Accepted: 09/05/2012] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
A genetically encoded maltose biosensor was constructed, comprising maltose binding protein (MBP) flanked by a green fluorescent protein (GFP(2)) at the N-terminus and a Renilla luciferase variant (RLuc2) at the C-terminus. This Bioluminescence resonance energy transfer(2) (BRET(2)) system showed a 30% increase in the BRET ratio upon maltose binding, compared with a 10% increase with an equivalent fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) biosensor. BRET(2) provides a better matched Förster distance to the known separation of the N and C termini of MBP than FRET. The sensor responded to maltose and maltotriose and the response was completely abolished by introduction of a single point mutation in the BRET(2) tagged MBP protein. The half maximal effective concentration (EC(50)) was 0.37 μM for maltose and the response was linear over almost three log units ranging from 10nM to 3.16 μM maltose for the BRET(2) system compared to an EC(50) of 2.3 μM and a linear response ranging from 0.3 μM to 21.1 μM for the equivalent FRET-based biosensor. The biosensor's estimate of maltose in beer matched that of a commercial enzyme-linked assay but was quicker and more precise, demonstrating its applicability to real-world samples. A similar BRET(2)-based transduction scheme approach would likely be applicable to other binding proteins that have a "venus-fly-trap" mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen Dacres
- CSIRO Food Futures National Research Flagship & Ecosystem Sciences, Australia, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia.
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