Global analysis of autocorrelation functions and photon counting distributions in fluorescence fluctuation spectroscopy

Revealing heterogeneity in correlation times of EGFP encapsulated in complex coacervate core micelles by analysis of fluorescence anisotropies

Encapsulation of enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) in complex coacervate core micelles (C3Ms) can be established by mixing EGFP with diblock polymers at equal charge ratio. It has previously been shown that this encapsulation system is highly dynamic, implying existence of different populations; GFP free in solution or complexed with polymers (small complexes) and EGFP encapsulated in C3Ms. We performed time resolved fluorescence anisotropy experiments to determine the relative populations of EGFP encapsulated in C3Ms using three different fluorescence anisotropy decay analysis methods. First, Maximum Entropy Method (MEM) data analysis was employed for five different EGFP concentrations in C3Ms that were mixed with dark fluorescent proteins (10, 20, 30, 40 and 50% EGFP, respectively). In all cases, correlation-time distributions between 0.1 and 100 ns (on a logarithmic timescale) are clearly visible showing bimodal distribution. The distribution between 0.1 and 2.0 ns is due to homo-FRET between EGFP molecules packed in micelles and the distribution between 8 and 30 ns coincides with the correlation-time distribution of free EGFP in solution. The fraction of homo-FRET distribution linearly increases with increase of relative micellar EGFP concentrations. These MEM results were corroborated by two different analysis methods: global population analysis of all five fluorescence anisotropy decays arising from EGFP in micelles together with the one of free EGFP (direct analysis of anisotropies) and global associative population analysis of anisotropies by fitting parallel and perpendicular fluorescence decay components. In contrast to global analyses approaches, the MEM method directly reveals distributions of correlation times without any prior information about the sample. However, global associative analysis of anisotropies by fitting parallel and perpendicular fluorescence decay components is the only method that allows to estimate accurately fractions of free fluorophores in solution and encapsulated fluorophores.

Combined FCS and PCH Analysis to Quantify Protein Dimerization in Living Cells

Protein dimerization plays a crucial role in the regulation of numerous biological processes. However, detecting protein dimers in a cellular environment is still a challenge. Here we present a methodology to measure the extent of dimerization of GFP-tagged proteins in living cells, using a combination of fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) and photon counting histogram (PCH) analysis of single-color fluorescence fluctuation data. We named this analysis method brightness and diffusion global analysis (BDGA) and adapted it for biological purposes. Using cell lysates containing different ratios of GFP and tandem-dimer GFP (diGFP), we show that the average brightness per particle is proportional to the fraction of dimer present. We further adapted this methodology for its application in living cells, and we were able to distinguish GFP, diGFP, as well as ligand-induced dimerization of FKBP12 (FK506 binding protein 12)-GFP. While other analysis methods have only sporadically been used to study dimerization in living cells and may be prone to errors, this paper provides a robust approach for the investigation of any cytosolic protein using single-color fluorescence fluctuation spectroscopy.

SDF2-like protein 1 (SDF2L1) regulates the endoplasmic reticulum localization and chaperone activity of ERdj3 protein

Molecular chaperones facilitate protein folding by associating with nascent polypeptides, thereby preventing protein misfolding and aggregation. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) chaperone BiP, the sole HSP70 chaperone in the ER, is regulated by HSP40 chaperones, including ER-resident protein ERdj3 (DNAJB11). ERdj3 lacks an ER retrieval signal, is secreted under ER stress conditions, and functions as a chaperone in the extracellular space, but how its secretion is regulated remains unclear. We recently showed that ERdj3 forms a complex with ER-resident stromal cell-derived factor 2 (SDF2) and SDF2L1 (SDF2-like protein 1) and thereby prevents protein aggregation during the BiP chaperone cycle. However, the contribution of the ERdj3-SDF2L1 complex to protein quality control is poorly understood. Here, we analyzed the intracellular localization and chaperone activity of ERdj3 in complex with SDF2L1. We found that ERdj3 was retained in the ER by associating with SDF2/SDF2L1. In vitro analyses revealed that the ERdj3 dimer incorporated two SDF2L1 molecules; otherwise, ERdj3 alone formed a homotetramer. The ERdj3-SDF2L1 complex suppressed ER protein aggregation, and this suppression did not require substrate transfer to BiP. The ERdj3-SDF2L1 complex inhibited aggregation of denatured GSH S-transferase (GST) in vitro and maintained GST in a soluble oligomeric state. Both in cellulo and in vitro, the chaperone activities of the ERdj3-SDF2L1 complex were higher than those of ERdj3 alone. These findings suggest that, under normal conditions, ERdj3 functions as an ER chaperone in complex with SDF2/SDF2L1 but is secreted into the extracellular space when it cannot form this complex.

Methods used to study the oligomeric structure of G-protein-coupled receptors

G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), which constitute the largest family of cell surface receptors, were originally thought to function as monomers, but are now recognized as being able to act in a wide range of oligomeric states and indeed, it is known that the oligomerization state of a GPCR can modulate its pharmacology and function. A number of experimental techniques have been devised to study GPCR oligomerization including those based upon traditional biochemistry such as blue-native PAGE (BN-PAGE), co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) and protein-fragment complementation assays (PCAs), those based upon resonance energy transfer, FRET, time-resolved FRET (TR-FRET), FRET spectrometry and bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET). Those based upon microscopy such as FRAP, total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIRFM), spatial intensity distribution analysis (SpIDA) and various single molecule imaging techniques. Finally with the solution of a growing number of crystal structures, X-ray crystallography must be acknowledged as an important source of discovery in this field. A different, but in many ways complementary approach to the use of more traditional experimental techniques, are those involving computational methods that possess obvious merit in the study of the dynamics of oligomer formation and function. Here, we summarize the latest developments that have been made in the methods used to study GPCR oligomerization and give an overview of their application.

GFP as potential cellular viscosimeter

The molecular dimensions of proteins such as green fluorescent protein (GFP) are large as compared to the ones of solvents like water or glycerol. The microscopic viscosity, which determines the resistance to diffusion of, e.g. GFP, is then the same as that determined from the resistance of the solvent to flow, which is known as macroscopic viscosity. GFP in water/glycerol mixtures senses this macroscopic viscosity, because the translational and rotational diffusion coefficients are proportional to the reciprocal value of the viscosity as predicted by the Stokes-Einstein equations. To test this hypothesis, we have performed time-resolved fluorescence anisotropy (reporting on rotational diffusion) and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (reporting on translational diffusion) experiments of GFP in water/glycerol mixtures. When the solvent also contains macromolecules of similar or larger dimensions as GFP, the microscopic and macroscopic viscosities can be markedly different and the Stokes-Einstein relations must be adapted. It was established from previous dynamic fluorescence spectroscopy observations of diffusing proteins with dextran polysaccharides as co-solvents (Lavalette et al 2006 Eur. Biophys. J. 35 517-22), that rotation and translation sense a different microscopic viscosity, in which the one arising from rotation is always less than that from translation. A microscopic viscosity parameter is defined that depends on scaling factors between GFP and its immediate environment. The direct consequence is discussed for two reported diffusion coefficients of GFP in living cells.