Modular generation of fluorescent phycobiliproteins

Wu, Xian-Jun; Chang, Kun; Luo, Juan; Zhou, Ming; Scheer, Hugo and Zhao, Kai-Hong (8. March 2013): Modular generation of fluorescent phycobiliproteins. In: Photochemical & Photochemical Sciences, Vol. 12, No. 6: pp. 1036-1040

Abstract

Phycobiliproteins are brightly-fluorescent light-harvesting pigments for photosynthesis in cyanobacteria and red algae. They are also of interest as fluorescent biomarkers, but their heterologous generation in vivo has previously required multiple transformations. We report here a modular approach that requires only two DNA segments. The first codes for the apo-protein. The second codes for fusions capable of chromophore biosynthesis and its covalent attachment to the apo-protein; it contains the genes of heme oxygenase, a bilin reductase, and a chromophore lyase. Phycobiliproteins containing phycoerythrobilin (lambda(fluor) similar to 560 nm), phycourobilin (lambda(fluor) similar to 500 nm), phycocyanobilin (lambda(fluor) similar to 630 nm) or phycoviolobilin (lambda(fluor) similar to 580 nm) were obtained in high yield in E. coli. This approach facilitates chromophorylation studies of phycobiliproteins, as well as their use for fluorescence labeling based on their high fluorescence.

• Item Type: Journal article
• Form of publication: Publisher's Version
• Faculties: Biology
• Subjects: 500 Science > 540 Chemistry; 500 Science > 570 Life sciences; biology
• ISSN: 1474-905X
• Alliance/National Licence: This publication is with permission of the rights owner freely accessible due to an Alliance licence and a national licence (funded by the DFG, German Research Foundation) respectively.
• Language: English