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Chen M, Yan C, Qin F, Zhang XE. Near-Infrared Luciferase Complementation Assay with Enhanced Bioluminescence for Studying Protein-Protein Interactions and Drug Evaluation Under Physiological Conditions. Anal Chem 2022; 94:13700-13709. [PMID: 36135776 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.2c01238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Identification of protein-protein interactions (PPIs) that occur in various cellular processes helps to reveal their potential molecular mechanisms, and there is still an urgent need to develop the assays to explore PPIs in living subjects. Here, we reported a near-infrared split luciferase complementation assay (SLCA) with enhanced bioluminescence produced by cleaving a luciferase, Akaluc, for exploring and visualizing PPIs in living cells and live mice. Compared with the previously developed and widely used red SLCA based on split firefly luciferase (Fluc-SLCA), the signal intensities for PPI recognition in living cells and live mice of the Akaluc-SLCA increased by ∼3.79-fold and ∼18.06-fold in the measured condition, respectively. Additionally, the interactions between the nucleocapsid protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and cellular RNA processing proteins were identified, and the drug evaluation assays were also performed in living cells using Akaluc-SLCA. This study provides a new tool in the near-infrared region for the identification of PPIs in living cells and in vivo and new information for the understanding and treatment of SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minghai Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Chuang Yan
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Fujun Qin
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Xian-En Zhang
- Faculty of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China.,National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
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Chen M, Yan C, Zheng L, Zhang XE. The smallest near-infrared fluorescence complementation system for imaging protein-protein and RNA-protein interactions. Chem Sci 2022; 13:1119-1129. [PMID: 35211278 PMCID: PMC8790895 DOI: 10.1039/d1sc04839b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) and its derivative molecular biosensor systems provide effective tools for visualizing biomolecular interactions. The introduction of red and near-infrared fluorescence emission proteins has expanded the spectrum of signal generating modules, enabling BiFC for in vivo imaging. However, the large size of the signal module of BiFC can hinder the interaction between proteins under investigation. In this study, we constructed the near-infrared BiFC and TriFC systems by splitting miRFP670nano, the smallest cyanobacteriochrome-evolved phytochrome available. The miRFP670nano-BiFC sensor system identified and enabled visualization of protein–protein interactions in living cells and live mice, and afforded a faster maturation rate and higher photostability and cellular stability when compared with those of reported near-infrared BiFC systems. We used the miRFP670nano-BiFC sensor system to identify interactions between the nucleocapsid (N) protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and cellular stress granule proteins in living cells and found that the N protein downregulated the expression level of granule protein G3BP1. With the advantages of small size and long wavelength emission of the signal module, the proposed molecular biosensor system should be suitable for various applications in cell imaging studies. The smallest near-infrared fluorescence complementation system for imaging protein–protein and RNA–protein interactions in living cells and live mice.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Minghai Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Shenzhen 518055 China
| | - Chuang Yan
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Shenzhen 518055 China
| | - Luping Zheng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Shenzhen 518055 China
| | - Xian-En Zhang
- Faculty of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Shenzhen 518055 China .,National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100101 China
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Chen M, Li S, Li W, Zhang ZP, Zhang X, Zhang XE, Ge F, Cui Z. Nanoscale Imaging of RNA-Protein Interactions with a Photoactivatable Trimolecular Fluorescence Complementation System. ACS Chem Biol 2021; 16:1003-1010. [PMID: 34009928 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.0c00945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Imaging RNA-protein interaction in the cellular space with single molecule sensitivity is attractive for studying gene expression and regulation, but remains a challenge. In this study, we reported a photoactivatable trimolecular fluorescence complementation (TriFC) system based on fluorescent protein, mIrisFP, to identify and visualize RNA-protein interactions in living mammalian cells. We also combined this TriFC system with photoactivated localization microscopy (PALM), named the TriFC-PALM technique, which allowed us to image the RNA-protein interactions with single molecule sensitivity. Using this TriFC-PALM technique, we identified the actin-bundling protein, FSCN1, specifically interacting with the HOX Transcript Antisense RNA (HOTAIR). The TriFC-PALM imaging acquired a higher resolution compared with the traditional method of total internal reflection (TIRF) imaging. The TriFC-PALM thus provides a useful tool for imaging and identifying the RNA-protein interactions inside cells at the nanometer scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minghai Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Siting Li
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Wei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Zhi-Ping Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Xiaowei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Xian-En Zhang
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Feng Ge
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Zongqiang Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China
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Chen M, Yan C, Ma Y, Zhang XE. A tandem near-infrared fluorescence complementation system with enhanced fluorescence for imaging protein-protein interactions in vivo. Biomaterials 2020; 268:120544. [PMID: 33253968 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2020.120544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Revised: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) is an effective tool for visualizing protein-protein interactions (PPIs). However, a BiFC system with long wavelength and high fluorescence intensity is yet to be developed for in vivo imaging. In this study, we constructed a tandem near-infrared BiFC (tBiFC) system by splitting a near-infrared phytochrome, IFP2.0. This system allows the identification and visualization of PPIs in live cells and living mice. The photophysical properties of the complementary fluorescence of the tBiFC system were similar to those of its parent protein IFP2.0, but the intensity was twice that of a single-copy IFP2.0-based BiFC system. Compared with previously reported near infrared BiFC systems-iRFP-BiFC and IFP1.4-BiFC-the signal intensity of the tBiFC system increased by ~1.48- and ~400-fold for weak PPIs in living cells, and ~1.51- and ~8-fold for strong PPIs, respectively. When applied to imaging PPIs in live mice, the complementary fluorescence intensity of the tBiFC system was also significantly higher than that of the other near-infrared BiFC systems. The use of this bright phytochrome in a tandem arrangement constitutes a powerful tool for imaging PPIs in the near infrared region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minghai Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Chuang Yan
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Yingxin Ma
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Xian-En Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China; National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
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