Work

Facile synthesis of a novel genetically encodable fluorescent α-amino acid emitting greenish blue light

Year: 2020

Type: article

Abstract: We report the facile synthesis and characterization of a novel fluorescent α-amino acid 4-phenanthracen-9-yl-l-phenylalanine (Phen-AA) (5) that emits greenish blue light in the visible region. This genetically encodable l-α-amino acid has excellent photostability with a 75% quantum yield. It readily gets into human cells, being clearly imaged upon 405 nm laser excitation. The synthetic procedure is resistant to racemization and only involves three simple steps which use mild conditions and generate the Phen-AA in reasonably good yield. It may find broad applications in research, biotechnology, and the pharmaceutical industry.

Source: Chemical Communications

DOI: 10.1039/d0cc03643a

Authors: Aakash Gupta, Brian P. Garreffi, Maolin Guo

Institutions: University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, University of Massachusetts Amherst

Language: English

Topic: Luminescence and Fluorescent Materials

Subfield: Materials Chemistry

Field: Materials Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: green

Funders: National Institutes of Health, National Institute of General Medical Sciences

Awards: G5142170045, Developing a platform for incorporation of a fluorescent amino acid into proteins for live-cell imaging of protein trafficking events