Synthetic Green Fluorescent Protein Chromophores

ISBN-13: 9783639134537 / Angielski / Miękka / 2009 / 128 str.

Jian Dong

Opis

GFP is widely used as a biological marker because of its superb fluorescence properties. We have synthesized GFP chromophore and its derivatives, and their photochemistry and photophysics were investigated using various steady-state and time-resolved techniques. We first compared their optical properties between solution and solid state. We found some O-alkyl GFP chromophore derivatives exhibit large fluorescent enhancement in the solid state.Cis/trans isomerization is thought to be responsible for blinking behavior in fluorescent protein; however, the mechanism of the thermal reverse isomerization is more problematic. Using Hammett plot studies, we conceived, for the first time, a novel nucleophilic addition/elimination mechanism. Finally, a hydroxyl substituent at the meta position shows enhanced charge transfer and greater acidity in the excited state. As a result, we have demonstrated that the fast quenching of the excited state by internal conversion to the ground state is much slower in meta- than in para-HOBDI derivatives. This allows studies of this ultrafast intermolecular ESPT that competes with isomerization.

O autorze

Jian Dong obtained his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from Georgia
Institute of Technology in Auguest 2008. He is currently a
Postdoctoral Appointee at US Argonne National Laboratory. His
research interests are photochemical and photophysical studies
of organic synthetic Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) chromophore
and its derivatives.