Work

Engineering of bacterial phytochromes for near-infrared imaging, sensing, and light-control in mammals

Year: 2013

Type: review

Abstract: Near-infrared light is favourable for imaging in mammalian tissues due to low absorbance of hemoglobin, melanin, and water. Therefore, fluorescent proteins, biosensors and optogenetic constructs for optimal imaging, optical readout and light manipulation in mammals should have fluorescence and action spectra within the near-infrared window. Interestingly, natural Bacterial Phytochrome Photoreceptors (BphPs) utilize the low molecular weight biliverdin, found in most mammalian tissues, as a photoreactive chromophore. Due to their near-infrared absorbance BphPs are preferred templates for designing optical molecular tools for applications in mammals. Moreover, BphPs spectrally complement existing genetically-encoded probes. Several BphPs were already developed into the near-infrared fluorescent variants. Based on the analysis of the photochemistry and structure of BphPs we suggest a variety of possible BphP-based fluorescent proteins, biosensors, and optogenetic tools. Putative design strategies and experimental considerations for such probes are discussed.

Source: Chemical Society Reviews

DOI: 10.1039/c3cs35458j

Authors: Kiryl D. Piatkevich, Fedor V. Subach, Vladislav V. Verkhusha

Institution: Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Language: English

Topic: Photoreceptor and optogenetics research

Subfield: Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience

Field: Neuroscience

Domain: Life Sciences

Open Access status: green

Funders: National Cancer Institute, National Institute of General Medical Sciences, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering

Awards: Molecular Fluorescent Toolkit, Imaging Transcription in Living Animals, In Vivo Multiphoton Based Imaging of Complex Cancer Cell Behavior