Review
Cell Biology
Hyunbin Kim, In-Yeop Baek, Jihye Seong
Summary: This review introduces genetically encoded fluorescent biosensors that can precisely monitor the real-time activation process of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) in live cells. These sensors allow observation of the activation process of GPCRs, including the binding of extracellular ligands, conformational changes of GPCRs, recruitment of G proteins or beta-arrestin, internalization and trafficking of GPCRs, and downstream signaling events associated with GPCRs.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Mengying Deng, Jing Yuan, Haibin Yang, Xuli Wu, Xiaoyuan Wei, Yang Du, Garry Wong, Yuyong Tao, Gang Liu, Zongwen Jin, Jun Chu
Summary: This study introduced a bright green fluorescent protein, Clover4, obtained through structure-guided mutagenesis, which showed improved performance in LUMABS sensors for antibody detection in serum. The Clover4-LUMABS sensors exhibited a larger dynamic range and lower limit of detection compared to previous sensors, offering a promising approach for fast and highly sensitive antibody detection.
Review
Chemistry, Analytical
Namdoo Kim, Seunghan Shin, Se Won Bae
Summary: cAMP serves a crucial role in signal transduction pathways, with research focusing on its dynamics leading to insights for drug development and disease treatment. To enable real-time non-invasive imaging, genetically-encoded sensors based on fluorescent proteins and luciferases have been developed as powerful tools.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ryohei Saito-Moriya, Jun Nakayama, Genta Kamiya, Nobuo Kitada, Rika Obata, Shojiro A. Maki, Hiroshi Aoyama
Summary: Bioluminescence reactions are commonly used in optical in vivo imaging for quantifying tumor cells and gene expression. Researchers have developed various bioluminescence systems, including multicolor BLI based on artificial luciferin analogues and/or luciferase mutants.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Giorgia Zambito, Chintan Chawda, Laura Mezzanotte
Summary: Bioluminescence imaging relies on enzymatic reactions between luciferase, luciferin, and cofactors to study gene expression and cell fate in research models. Recent developments include improved luciferase-luciferin systems for enhanced imaging, and caged luciferins to report on enzymatic activity and intracellular functions. This review critically evaluates the emerging tools for bioluminescence imaging, providing an overview of the latest developments (2018-2020) and their significant applications.
CURRENT OPINION IN CHEMICAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Chemistry, Inorganic & Nuclear
Yiyi Jiang, Xiaorui Shi, Chu Tang, Fu Wang
Summary: This review describes the recent advances in modifying natural luciferase reporter systems to improve the sensitivity of in vivo bioluminescence imaging (BLI) and expand its biomedical applications.
COORDINATION CHEMISTRY REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Maria Maddalena Calabretta, Antonia Lopreside, Laura Montali, Luca Cevenini, Aldo Roda, Elisa Michelini
Summary: This study introduces an intracellular nanosensor for screening compounds with androgenic activity based on split NanoLuc reporter. The use of 3D spheroids of HEK-293 cells was confirmed to be suitable for upgrading the 2D cell-based assay.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Gaku Mizuno, Daichi Yano, Jose Paitio, Hiromitsu Endo, Yuichi Oba
Summary: The lantern shark genus Etmopterus consists of approximately 40 species of bioluminescent cartilaginous fishes that emit blue light mainly from their ventral body surface. This study detected both coelenterazine and coelenterazine-dependent luciferase activity in the ventral photophore tissue of Etmopterus molleri, suggesting that bioluminescence in lantern sharks is produced using coelenterazine as a substrate for the luciferin-luciferase reaction, similar to some luminous bony fishes.
BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Caroline K. Brennan, Marya Y. Ornelas, Zi W. Yao, Jennifer A. Prescher
Summary: Researchers are overcoming the limitations of bioluminescent probes by engineering new luciferases and exploring naphthylamino luciferins as orthogonal probes. Three analogues were prepared and found to be robust emitters in vitro and in cellulo, showing potential for use in multi-component imaging with existing bioluminescent tools.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Glwadys Gagnot, Vincent Hervin, Eloi P. Coutant, Sophie Goyard, Yves Jacob, Thierry Rose, Fatima Ezzahra Hibti, Alessia Quatela, Yves L. Janin
Summary: This work focuses on the design and synthesis of luciferin analogues related to blue-hued coelenterazine, aiming to produce photons possibly at different wavelengths. Despite the presence of substituents found in actual substrates, no bioluminescence was observed with these compounds, however, they produced light signals through chemiluminescence in a phosphate buffer. The addition of a quaternary ammonium salt in the buffer increased the light signal intensity, contributing to the determination of emission spectra of these luciferin analogues.
CHEMISTRY-A EUROPEAN JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ahmad Homaei, Khosro Khajeh, Reyhaneh Sariri, Ehsan Kamrani
Summary: Approximately 80% of luminous organisms live in the oceans, with a significant diversity of life depending on bioluminescence among marine organisms. Among vertebrates, luminous fish species are the only group capable of emitting bioluminescent light. The lantern fish family (Myctophidae) is considered the most prominent among the luminous fish of the deep oceans and seas. Benthosema pterotum, a lantern fish species, possesses bioluminescence due to scattered photophores in its ventral-lateral region. However, no research has been conducted on its bioluminescence system and light emission mechanism. This study aimed to determine the type of bioluminescence system in B. pterotum, specifically whether it involves pigments, photoproteins, or the luciferin-luciferase system. The findings revealed that B. pterotum belongs to the luciferin-luciferase type of light-emitting system. This research not only demonstrated innovation but also has the potential to pave the way for further studies in marine biochemistry and the production of recombinant active enzymes for various purposes.
FISH PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Medicinal
Shufeng Li, Zhiyang Ruan, Hang Zhang, Haiwei Xu
Summary: Bioluminescence imaging (BLI) is a newly developed noninvasive visual approach that utilizes the firefly luciferin-luciferase system to achieve high sensitivity imaging of various biological processes, with applications in tumor activity evaluation, disease detection, and therapy.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mariana X. X. Navarro, Caroline K. K. Brennan, Anna C. C. Love, Jennifer A. A. Prescher
Summary: Bioluminescence is a sensitive technique that can be used for imaging biological features. Recent advancements have led to the development of probes that enable multiplexed bioluminescence imaging. These probes can generate unique signals and can be used together with endogenous enzymes for multiplexed studies.
PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sierra J. Williams, Jordan A. Gewing-Mullins, Whitney K. Lieberman, Bethany Kolbaba-Kartchner, Reema Iqbal, Hana M. Burgess, Clair M. Colee, Marya Y. Ornelas, Edison S. Reid-McLaughlin, Jeremy H. Mills, Jennifer A. Prescher, Aaron M. Leconte
Summary: Through studying the structure-function relationship of bioluminescent probes, we have successfully optimized the selectivity and thermal stability of Cashew/d-luc and Pecan/4'-BrLuc, making them suitable for multicomponent imaging applications.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Evgenia G. Matveeva, Andrea K. Stoddard, Hui-Hui Zeng, Graham Franke, Leslie Bourne, Carol A. Fierke, Richard B. Thompson
Summary: A novel zinc ion biosensing approach using a carbonic anhydrase-Oplophorus luciferase fusion protein has been described, which employs bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) to detect zinc ions in solution. This method offers high sensitivity and selectivity, allowing quantitative determination of free zinc ions and detection of their presence through color change in bioluminescence.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Hsien-Wei Yeh, Tianchen Wu, Minghai Chen, Hui-wang Ai
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Hsien-Wei Yeh, Ying Xiong, Tianchen Wu, Minghai Chen, Ao Ji, Xinyu Li, Hui-wang Ai
ACS CHEMICAL BIOLOGY
(2019)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Hsien-Wei Yeh, Kuan-Hung Lin, Syue-Yi Lyu, Yi-Shan Li, Chun-Man Huang, Yung-Lin Wang, Hao-Wei Shih, Ning-Shian Hsu, Chang-Jer Wu, Tsung-Lin Li
ACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA SECTION D-STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY
(2019)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Syue-Yi Lyu, Kuan-Hung Lin, Hsien-Wei Yeh, Yi-Shan Li, Chun-Man Huang, Yung-Lin Wang, Hao-Wei Shih, Ning-Shian Hsu, Chang-Jer Wu, Tsung-Lin Li
ACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA SECTION D-STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY
(2019)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kuan-Hung Lin, Syue-Yi Lyu, Hsien-Wei Yeh, Yi-Shan Li, Ning-Shian Hsu, Chun-Man Huang, Yung-Lin Wang, Hao-Wei Shih, Zhe-Chong Wang, Chang-Jer Wu, Tsung-Lin Li
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Alfredo Quijano-Rubio, Hsien-Wei Yeh, Jooyoung Park, Hansol Lee, Robert A. Langan, Scott E. Boyken, Marc J. Lajoie, Longxing Cao, Cameron M. Chow, Marcos C. Miranda, Jimin Wi, Hyo Jeong Hong, Lance Stewart, Byung-Ha Oh, David Baker
Summary: Protein switches have been repurposed for biosensor development by inverting the flow of information, creating modular molecular devices with a closed dark state and an open luminescent state. These sensors, based on thermodynamic coupling, require only one target binding domain for direct readout in solution, allowing for the detection of various molecules clinically, including the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein with high sensitivity and a 50-fold higher luminescence signal than background level. The modularity and sensitivity of this platform enable rapid sensor construction for a wide range of analytes, demonstrating the power of de novo protein design in creating multi-state protein systems with new functions.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Tianchen Wu, Yu Pang, Hui-wang Ai
Summary: The study investigated the tolerance of far-red FPs mMaroon1 and mCarmine towards circular permutation, resulting in the identification of five circularly permuted far-red FPs with excitation and emission maxima longer than 600 nm. Some of these variants showed appreciable brightness and efficient chromophore maturation, making them intriguing starting points for further engineering far-red GEFPIs for in vivo tissue imaging.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Jason Z. Zhang, Hsien-Wei Yeh, Alexandra C. Walls, Basile I. M. Wicky, Kaitlin R. Sprouse, Laura A. VanBlargan, Rebecca Treger, Alfredo Quijano-Rubio, Minh N. Pham, John C. Kraft, Ian C. Haydon, Wei Yang, Michelle DeWitt, John E. Bowen, Cameron M. Chow, Lauren Carter, Rashmi Ravichandran, Mark H. Wener, Lance Stewart, David Veesler, Michael S. Diamond, Alexander L. Greninger, David M. Koelle, David Baker
Summary: We developed a protein biosensor that can rapidly and sensitively detect neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 variants in serum. The biosensor can accurately differentiate between different samples based on the affinity and abundance of antibody binding, which is superior to traditional competition-based assays.
NATURE BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Andrew C. Hunt, James Brett Case, Young-Jun Park, Longxing Cao, Kejia Wu, Alexandra C. Walls, Zhuoming Liu, John E. Bowen, Hsien-Wei Yeh, Shally Saini, Louisa Helms, Yan Ting Zhao, Tien-Ying Hsiang, Tyler N. Starr, Inna Goreshnik, Lisa Kozodoy, Lauren Carter, Rashmi Ravichandran, Lydia B. Green, Wadim L. Matochko, Christy A. Thomson, Bastian Vogeli, Antje Kruger, Laura A. VanBlargan, Rita E. Chen, Baoling Ying, Adam L. Bailey, Natasha M. Kafai, Scott E. Boyken, Ajasja Ljubetic, Natasha Edman, George Ueda, Cameron M. Chow, Max Johnson, Amin Addetia, Mary-Jane Navarro, Nuttada Panpradist, Michael Gale, Benjamin S. Freedman, Jesse D. Bloom, Hannele Ruohola-Baker, Sean P. J. Whelan, Lance Stewart, Michael S. Diamond, David Veesler, Michael C. Jewett, David Baker
Summary: Researchers used a cell-free expression workflow to screen and optimize constructs containing computationally designed miniprotein inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2. They found that a homotrimeric version of the ACE2 mimic AHB2 (TRI2-2) achieved the broadest efficacy. The TRI2-2 miniprotein neutralized Omicron, Delta, and other variants with greater potency than clinically used monoclonal antibodies. It also provided prophylactic and therapeutic protection against SARS-CoV-2 in mice when administered intranasally. The designed miniprotein receptor mimics offer a widely applicable antiviral therapeutic strategy with advantages over antibodies and native receptor traps.
SCIENCE TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Andy Hsien-Wei Yeh, Christoffer Norn, Yakov Kipnis, Doug Tischer, Samuel J. Pellock, Declan Evans, Pengchen Ma, Gyu Rie Lee, Jason Z. Zhang, Ivan Anishchenko, Brian Coventry, Longxing Cao, Justas Dauparas, Samer Halabiya, Michelle DeWitt, Lauren Carter, K. N. Houk, David Baker
Summary: We have successfully designed an artificial luciferase with high selectivity and catalytic efficiency using a deep-learning-based approach. This achievement is a major milestone in computational enzyme design and has broad applications in biomedical research.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Jason Z. Zhang, Hsien-Wei Yeh, Alexandra C. Walls, Basile I. M. Wicky, Kaitlin R. Sprouse, Laura A. VanBlargan, Rebecca Treger, Alfredo Quijano-Rubio, Minh N. Pham, John C. Kraft, Ian C. Haydon, Wei Yang, Michelle DeWitt, John E. Bowen, Cameron M. Chow, Lauren Carter, Rashmi Ravichandran, Mark H. Wener, Lance Stewart, David Veesler, Michael S. Diamond, Alexander L. Greninger, David M. Koelle, David Baker
Summary: The protein biosensor designed in this study utilizes thermodynamic coupling to detect neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 variants, without the need for target modification, and can better distinguish differences between samples compared to traditional methods.
NATURE BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
