Self-illumination of Carbon Dots by Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer

Overview

Journal Sci Rep

Specialty Science

Date 2019 Sep 26

PMID 31551471

Citations 2

Authors

Jisu Song

Jin Zhang

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Carbon-dots (CDs), the emerging fluorescent nanoparticles, show special multicolor properties, chemical stability, and biocompatibility, and are considered as the new and advanced imaging probe in replacement of molecular fluorophores and semiconductor quantum dots. However, the requirement of external high power light source limits the application of fluorescent nanomaterials in bio-imaging. The present study aims to take advantage of bioluminescence resonance energy transfer mechanism (BRET) in creating self-illuminating C-dots. Renilla luciferase (Rluc) is chosen as the BRET donor molecule. Conjugation of Renilla luciferase and C-dots is necessary to keep their distance close for energy transfer. The optimal condition for achieving BRET is investigated by studying the effects of different factors on the performance of BRET, including the type of conjugation, concentration of carbon dots, and conjugation time. The linear relationship of BRET efficiency as a function of the amount of C-dots in the range of 0.20-0.80 mg/mL is observed. The self-illuminating carbon dots could be applied in bioimaging avoiding the tissue damage from the external high power light source.

Citing Articles

Rapid detection of tear lactoferrin for diagnosis of dry eyes by using fluorescence polarization-based aptasensor.

Zhang Y, Yan P, Tang H, Zhang J Sci Rep. 2023; 13(1):15179.

PMID: 37704755 PMC: 10499909. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-42484-5.

Coelenterazine-Dependent Luciferases as a Powerful Analytical Tool for Research and Biomedical Applications.

Krasitskaya V, Bashmakova E, Frank L Int J Mol Sci. 2020; 21(20).

PMID: 33050422 PMC: 7590018. DOI: 10.3390/ijms21207465.

References

De A, Loening A, Gambhir S . An improved bioluminescence resonance energy transfer strategy for imaging intracellular events in single cells and living subjects. Cancer Res. 2007; 67(15):7175-83. PMC: 4161127. DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-06-4623. View

Alam R, Zylstra J, Fontaine D, Branchini B, Maye M . Novel multistep BRET-FRET energy transfer using nanoconjugates of firefly proteins, quantum dots, and red fluorescent proteins. Nanoscale. 2013; 5(12):5303-6. DOI: 10.1039/c3nr01842c. View

Woo J, Howell M, von Arnim A . Structure-function studies on the active site of the coelenterazine-dependent luciferase from Renilla. Protein Sci. 2008; 17(4):725-35. PMC: 2271170. DOI: 10.1110/ps.073355508. View

Kamkaew A, Sun H, England C, Cheng L, Liu Z, Cai W . Quantum dot-NanoLuc bioluminescence resonance energy transfer enables tumor imaging and lymph node mapping in vivo. Chem Commun (Camb). 2016; 52(43):6997-7000. PMC: 4912020. DOI: 10.1039/c6cc02764d. View

Pfleger K, Eidne K . Illuminating insights into protein-protein interactions using bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET). Nat Methods. 2006; 3(3):165-74. DOI: 10.1038/nmeth841. View

Qu S, Wang X, Lu Q, Liu X, Wang L . A biocompatible fluorescent ink based on water-soluble luminescent carbon nanodots. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2012; 51(49):12215-8. DOI: 10.1002/anie.201206791. View

Wolfbeis O . An overview of nanoparticles commonly used in fluorescent bioimaging. Chem Soc Rev. 2015; 44(14):4743-68. DOI: 10.1039/c4cs00392f. View

Rizzo M, Springer G, Granada B, Piston D . An improved cyan fluorescent protein variant useful for FRET. Nat Biotechnol. 2004; 22(4):445-9. DOI: 10.1038/nbt945. View

Marullo S, Bouvier M . Resonance energy transfer approaches in molecular pharmacology and beyond. Trends Pharmacol Sci. 2007; 28(8):362-5. DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2007.06.007. View

10.

Selo I, Negroni L, Creminon C, Grassi J, Wal J . Preferential labeling of alpha-amino N-terminal groups in peptides by biotin: application to the detection of specific anti-peptide antibodies by enzyme immunoassays. J Immunol Methods. 1996; 199(2):127-38. DOI: 10.1016/s0022-1759(96)00173-1. View

11.

Arts R, Aper S, Merkx M . Engineering BRET-Sensor Proteins. Methods Enzymol. 2017; 589:87-114. DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2017.01.010. View

12.

So M, Loening A, Gambhir S, Rao J . Creating self-illuminating quantum dot conjugates. Nat Protoc. 2007; 1(3):1160-4. DOI: 10.1038/nprot.2006.162. View

13.

Peng J, Gao W, Gupta B, Liu Z, Romero-Aburto R, Ge L . Graphene quantum dots derived from carbon fibers. Nano Lett. 2012; 12(2):844-9. DOI: 10.1021/nl2038979. View

14.

Baklaushev V, Kilpelainen A, Petkov S, Abakumov M, Grinenko N, Yusubalieva G . Luciferase Expression Allows Bioluminescence Imaging But Imposes Limitations on the Orthotopic Mouse (4T1) Model of Breast Cancer. Sci Rep. 2017; 7(1):7715. PMC: 5552689. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-07851-z. View

15.

Percherancier Y, Berchiche Y, Slight I, Volkmer-Engert R, Tamamura H, Fujii N . Bioluminescence resonance energy transfer reveals ligand-induced conformational changes in CXCR4 homo- and heterodimers. J Biol Chem. 2005; 280(11):9895-903. DOI: 10.1074/jbc.M411151200. View

16.

Chen L, Tse W, Chen Y, McDonald M, Melling J, Zhang J . Nanostructured biosensor for detecting glucose in tear by applying fluorescence resonance energy transfer quenching mechanism. Biosens Bioelectron. 2017; 91:393-399. DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2016.12.044. View

17.

Hwang E, Song J, Zhang J . Integration of Nanomaterials and Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer Techniques for Sensing Biomolecules. Biosensors (Basel). 2019; 9(1). PMC: 6468577. DOI: 10.3390/bios9010042. View

18.

Hsu C, Chen C, Yu H, Lin Y, Lai P . Bioluminescence resonance energy transfer using luciferase-immobilized quantum dots for self-illuminated photodynamic therapy. Biomaterials. 2012; 34(4):1204-12. DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2012.08.044. View

19.

Bhaumik S, Gambhir S . Optical imaging of Renilla luciferase reporter gene expression in living mice. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2001; 99(1):377-82. PMC: 117568. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.012611099. View

20.

Xie Q, Soutto M, Xu X, Zhang Y, Johnson C . Bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) imaging in plant seedlings and mammalian cells. Methods Mol Biol. 2010; 680:3-28. PMC: 3432581. DOI: 10.1007/978-1-60761-901-7_1. View