1
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Al-Handawi MB, Polavaram S, Kurlevskaya A, Commins P, Schramm S, Carrasco-López C, Lui NM, Solntsev KM, Laptenok SP, Navizet I, Naumov P. Spectrochemistry of Firefly Bioluminescence. Chem Rev 2022; 122:13207-13234. [PMID: 35926147 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.1c01047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The chemical reactions underlying the emission of light in fireflies and other bioluminescent beetles are some of the most thoroughly studied processes by scientists worldwide. Despite these remarkable efforts, fierce academic arguments continue around even some of the most fundamental aspects of the reaction mechanism behind the beetle bioluminescence. In an attempt to reach a consensus, we made an exhaustive search of the available literature and compiled the key discoveries on the fluorescence and chemiluminescence spectrochemistry of the emitting molecule, the firefly oxyluciferin, and its chemical analogues reported over the past 50+ years. The factors that affect the light emission, including intermolecular interactions, solvent polarity, and electronic effects, were analyzed in the context of both the reaction mechanism and the different colors of light emitted by different luciferases. The collective data points toward a combined emission of multiple coexistent forms of oxyluciferin as the most probable explanation for the variation in color of the emitted light. We also highlight realistic research directions to eventually address some of the remaining questions related to firefly bioluminescence. It is our hope that this extensive compilation of data and detailed analysis will not only consolidate the existing body of knowledge on this important phenomenon but will also aid in reaching a wider consensus on some of the mechanistic details of firefly bioluminescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marieh B Al-Handawi
- Smart Materials Lab (SML), New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Srujana Polavaram
- Smart Materials Lab (SML), New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Anastasiya Kurlevskaya
- Smart Materials Lab (SML), New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Patrick Commins
- Smart Materials Lab (SML), New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Stefan Schramm
- Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - César Carrasco-López
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, United States
| | - Nathan M Lui
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Kyril M Solntsev
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Sergey P Laptenok
- Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Isabelle Navizet
- Univ. Gustave Eiffel, Univ. Paris Est Creteil, CNRS, UMR 8208, MSME, F-77454 Marne-la-Vallée, France
| | - Panče Naumov
- Smart Materials Lab (SML), New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.,Molecular Design Institute, Department of Chemistry, New York University, 100 Washington Square East, New York, New York 10003, United States
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2
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Magalhães C, Esteves da Silva JCG, Pinto da Silva L. Theoretical Study of the Thermolysis Reaction and Chemiexcitation of Coelenterazine Dioxetanes. J Phys Chem A 2022; 126:3486-3494. [PMID: 35612291 PMCID: PMC9776548 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpca.2c01835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Coelenterazine and other imidazopyrazinones are important bioluminescent substrates widespread in marine species and can be found in eight phyla of luminescent organisms. Light emission from these systems is caused by the formation and subsequent thermolysis of a dioxetanone intermediate, whose decomposition allows for efficient chemiexcitation to singlet excited states. Interestingly, some studies have also reported the involvement of unexpected dioxetane intermediates in the chemi- and bioluminescent reactions of Coelenterazine, albeit with little information on the underlying mechanisms of these new species. Herein, we have employed a theoretical approach based on density functional theory to study for the first time the thermolysis reaction and chemiexcitation profile of two Coelenterazine dioxetanes. We have found that the thermolysis reactions of these species are feasible but with relevant energetic differences. More importantly, we found that the singlet chemiexcitation profiles of these dioxetanes are significantly less efficient than the corresponding dioxetanones. Furthermore, we identified triplet chemiexcitation pathways for the Coelenterazine dioxetanes. Given this, the chemiexcitation of these dioxetanes should lead only to minimal luminescence. Thus, our theoretical investigation of these systems indicates that the thermolysis of these dioxetanes should only provide "dark" pathways for the formation of nonluminescent degradation products of the chemi- and bioluminescent reactions of Coelenterazine and other imidazopyrazinones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla
M. Magalhães
- Chemistry
Research Unit (CIQUP), Institute of Molecular Sciences (IMS), Faculty of Sciences of University of Porto (FCUP), Rua do Campo Alegre 687, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Joaquim C. G. Esteves da Silva
- Chemistry
Research Unit (CIQUP), Institute of Molecular Sciences (IMS), Faculty of Sciences of University of Porto (FCUP), Rua do Campo Alegre 687, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal,LACOMEPHI,
GreenUPorto, Department of Geosciences, Environment and Territorial
Planning, Faculty of Sciences of University
of Porto (FCUP), Rua
do Campo Alegre 687, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Luís Pinto da Silva
- Chemistry
Research Unit (CIQUP), Institute of Molecular Sciences (IMS), Faculty of Sciences of University of Porto (FCUP), Rua do Campo Alegre 687, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal,LACOMEPHI,
GreenUPorto, Department of Geosciences, Environment and Territorial
Planning, Faculty of Sciences of University
of Porto (FCUP), Rua
do Campo Alegre 687, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal,
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3
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Chen SF, Vysotski ES, Liu YJ. H 2O-Bridged Proton-Transfer Channel in Emitter Species Formation in Obelin Bioluminescence. J Phys Chem B 2021; 125:10452-10458. [PMID: 34520210 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.1c03985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Bioluminescence of a number of marine organisms is conditioned by Ca2+-regulated photoprotein (CaRP) with coelenterazine as the reaction substrate. The reaction product, coelenteramide, at the first singlet excited state (S1) is the emitter of CaRP. The S1-state coelenteramide is produced via the decomposition of coelenterazine dioxetanone. Experiments suggested that the neutral S1-coelenteramide is the primary emitter species. This supposition contradicts with theoretical calculations showing that the anionic S1-coelenteramide is a primary product of the decomposition of coelenterazine dioxetanone. In this study, applying molecular dynamic (MD) simulations and the hybrid quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) method, we investigated a proton-transfer (PT) process taking place in CaRP obelin from Obelia longissima for emitter formation. Our calculations demonstrate a concerted PT process with a water molecule as a bridge between anionic S1-coelenteramide and the nearest histidine residue. The low activation barrier as well as the strong hydrogen-bond network between the proton donor and the proton acceptor suggests a fast PT process comparable with that of the lifetime of excited anionic S1-coelenteramide. The existence of the PT process eliminates the discrepancy between experimental and theoretical studies. The fast PT process at emitter formation can also take place in other CaRPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu-Feng Chen
- School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Shanghai Institute of Technology, Shanghai 201418, People's Republic of China
| | - Eugene S Vysotski
- Photobiology Laboratory, Institute of Biophysics SB RAS, Federal Research Center "Krasnoyarsk Science Center SB RAS", Krasnoyarsk 660036, Russia
| | - Ya-Jun Liu
- Center for Advanced Materials Research, Advanced Institute of Natural Sciences, Beijing Normal University at Zhuhai, Zhuhai 519087, China.,Key Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Photochemistry, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, People's Republic of China
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4
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Sousa J, Pinto da Silva L. Modelling the absorption properties of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and derivatives over three European cities by TD-DFT calculations. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 695:133881. [PMID: 31422327 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.133881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2019] [Revised: 08/01/2019] [Accepted: 08/10/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
While brown carbon is a strongly-light-absorbing type of organic aerosol that is capable of significant regional radiative forcing, it has been neglected from climate models, which results in differences between model predictions and measured data. This also results from uncertainty regarding the relationship between the chemical composition of brown carbon and its optical properties. Herein, here was utilized a time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) approach to model the "real-world" absorption of thirty polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and twenty-five derivatives (ten nitro-PAHs and fifteen oxygenated-PAHs) present in the atmosphere over three Southern European cities (Porto, Florence and Athens). These data were corrected both for "real-world" experimental concentration of these molecules over these cities, and for their theoretical fluorescence yield. These results indicate that the absorption of the molecules more relevant for climate forcing are at ~330, ~360 and ~440 nm. Furthermore, the absorption is explained mainly by PAH and oxygenated-PAH molecules, while nitro-PAHs provide only negligible contributions. Porto should be the city to be most affected by radiative forcing induced by these molecules, while Florence and Athens appear to be similarly affected. Finally, these models also demonstrate that absorption at ~330 nm is explained by both PAH and oxygenated-PAH molecules, while absorption at ~360 and ~440 nm is only attributed to oxygenated-PAHs. More specifically, from the fifty-five studied molecules, only coronene (a PAH), 1,8-naphthalic anhydride, 6-H-benzo[cd]pyrene-6-one and 7H-benz[de]anthracence-7-one (three oxygenated-PAHs) provide relevant contributions to radiative forcing.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Sousa
- Chemistry Research Unit (CIQUP), Faculty of Sciences of University of Porto, R. Campo Alegre 697, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Luís Pinto da Silva
- Chemistry Research Unit (CIQUP), Faculty of Sciences of University of Porto, R. Campo Alegre 697, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal; LACOMEPHI, GreenUPorto, Department of Geosciences, Environment and Territorial Planning, Faculty of Sciences of University of Porto, R. Campo Alegre 697, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal.
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5
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Min CG, Liu QB, Leng Y, Magalhães CM, Huang SJ, Liu CX, Yang XK, da Silva LP. Mechanistic Insight into the Chemiluminescent Decomposition of Cypridina Dioxetanone and the Chemiluminescent, Fluorescent Properties of the Light Emitter of Cypridina Bioluminescence. J Chem Inf Model 2019; 59:4393-4401. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.9b00614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Gang Min
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650093, P. R. China
- Research Center for Analysis and Measurement, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650093, P. R. China
- Analysis and Test Center of Yunnan Province, Kunming 650093, P. R. China
| | - Qing-Bo Liu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650093, P. R. China
- Research Center for Analysis and Measurement, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650093, P. R. China
- Analysis and Test Center of Yunnan Province, Kunming 650093, P. R. China
| | - Yan Leng
- Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650093, PR China
| | - Carla M. Magalhães
- Chemistry Research Unit (CIQUP), Faculty of Sciences of University of Porto, R. Campo Alegre 697, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Shao-Jun Huang
- Research Center for Analysis and Measurement, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650093, P. R. China
- Analysis and Test Center of Yunnan Province, Kunming 650093, P. R. China
| | - Chun-Xia Liu
- Research Center for Analysis and Measurement, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650093, P. R. China
- Analysis and Test Center of Yunnan Province, Kunming 650093, P. R. China
| | - Xi-Kun Yang
- Research Center for Analysis and Measurement, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650093, P. R. China
- Analysis and Test Center of Yunnan Province, Kunming 650093, P. R. China
| | - Luís Pinto da Silva
- Chemistry Research Unit (CIQUP), Faculty of Sciences of University of Porto, R. Campo Alegre 697, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
- LACOMEPHI, GreenUPorto, Department of Geosciences, Environment and Territorial Planning, Faculty of Sciences of University of Porto, R. Campo Alegre 697, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
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6
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Magalhães CM, Esteves da Silva JCG, Pinto da Silva L. Comparative study of the chemiluminescence of coelenterazine, coelenterazine-e and Cypridina luciferin with an experimental and theoretical approach. JOURNAL OF PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOBIOLOGY B-BIOLOGY 2018; 190:21-31. [PMID: 30453161 DOI: 10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2018.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2018] [Revised: 11/05/2018] [Accepted: 11/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Imidazopyrazinone is a typical scaffold present in marine bioluminescence, in which thermal energy is converted into excitation energy in an enzyme-catalyzed reaction. In fact, the imidazopyrazinone scaffold is a common link among organisms of eight phyla. The characterization of the light emission mechanism is essential for the development of future applications in bioimaging, bioanalysis and biomedicine. Herein, we have studied the chemiluminescent reaction of three commercially-available imidazopyrazinones (Cypridina luciferin, Coelenterazine and Coelenterazine-e) in several aprotic solvents at different pH. We have found that at acidic pH only DMF and DMSO consistently present high light emission, while chemiluminescence in other solvents is negligible. We have attributed this to the inability of most solvents to allow for the deprotonation of the imidazopyrazinone core, thereby preventing the oxygenation step. We have also observed that increasing the pH of the solution leads to the inhibition of chemiluminescence, which we attributed to the deprotonation of the dioxetanone intermediate, as the neutral species is the one associated with efficient chemiexcitation. We have also observed that the pKa of dioxetanone increases with the dielectric constant of the medium. Finally, our work indicated that the chemiexcitation yield increases with increasing polarity of the medium, due to a reduced transition dipole moment associated with S0 → S1 transition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla M Magalhães
- Chemistry Research Unit (CIQUP), Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences of University of Porto, R. Campo Alegre 687, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal; Master in Oncology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar - University of Porto (ICBAS-UP), Porto, Portugal
| | - Joaquim C G Esteves da Silva
- LACOMEPHI, GreenUP, Department of Geosciences, Environment and Territorial Planning, Faculty of Sciences of University of Porto, R. Campo Alegre 687, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal; Chemistry Research Unit (CIQUP), Environment and Territorial Planning, Faculty of Sciences of University of Porto, R. Campo Alegre 687, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Luís Pinto da Silva
- Chemistry Research Unit (CIQUP), Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences of University of Porto, R. Campo Alegre 687, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal; LACOMEPHI, GreenUP, Department of Geosciences, Environment and Territorial Planning, Faculty of Sciences of University of Porto, R. Campo Alegre 687, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal.
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7
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Zhou JG, Yang S, Deng ZY. Electrostatic Catalysis Induced by Luciferases in the Decomposition of the Firefly Dioxetanone and Its Analogue. J Phys Chem B 2017; 121:11053-11061. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.7b08000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jian-Ge Zhou
- Department of Physics,
Atmospheric Science, and Geoscience, Jackson State University, Jackson, Mississippi 39217, United States
| | - Shan Yang
- Department of Physics,
Atmospheric Science, and Geoscience, Jackson State University, Jackson, Mississippi 39217, United States
| | - Zhen-Yan Deng
- Department of Physics, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
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8
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Min CG, Ferreira PJ, Pinto da Silva L. Theoretically obtained insight into the mechanism and dioxetanone species responsible for the singlet chemiexcitation of Coelenterazine. JOURNAL OF PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOBIOLOGY B-BIOLOGY 2017; 174:18-26. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2017.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2017] [Revised: 07/01/2017] [Accepted: 07/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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9
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Pinto da Silva L, Pereira RFJ, Magalhães CM, Esteves da Silva JCG. Mechanistic Insight into Cypridina Bioluminescence with a Combined Experimental and Theoretical Chemiluminescent Approach. J Phys Chem B 2017; 121:7862-7871. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.7b06295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Luís Pinto da Silva
- Chemistry
Research Unit (CIQUP), Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences of University of Porto, R. Campo Alegre 687, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
- LACOMEPHI,
Department of Geosciences, Environment and Territorial Planning, Faculty of Sciences of University of Porto, R. Campo Alegre 687, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Rui F. J. Pereira
- Chemistry
Research Unit (CIQUP), Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences of University of Porto, R. Campo Alegre 687, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Carla M. Magalhães
- Chemistry
Research Unit (CIQUP), Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences of University of Porto, R. Campo Alegre 687, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Joaquim C. G. Esteves da Silva
- LACOMEPHI,
Department of Geosciences, Environment and Territorial Planning, Faculty of Sciences of University of Porto, R. Campo Alegre 687, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
- Chemistry
Research Unit (CIQUP), Department of Geosciences, Environment and
Territorial Planning, Faculty of Sciences of University of Porto, R. Campo Alegre 687, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
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10
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Magalhães CM, Esteves da Silva JCG, Pinto da Silva L. Chemiluminescence and Bioluminescence as an Excitation Source in the Photodynamic Therapy of Cancer: A Critical Review. Chemphyschem 2016; 17:2286-94. [DOI: 10.1002/cphc.201600270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2016] [Revised: 04/22/2016] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Carla M. Magalhães
- Centro de Investigação em Química; Departamento de Química e Bioquímica; Faculdade de Ciências; Universidade do Porto; R. Campo Alegre 687 4169-007 Porto Portugal
| | - Joaquim C. G. Esteves da Silva
- Centro de Investigação em Química; Departamento de Química e Bioquímica; Faculdade de Ciências; Universidade do Porto; R. Campo Alegre 687 4169-007 Porto Portugal
- Centro de Investigação em Química; Departamento de Geociências, Ambiente e Ordenamento do Território; Faculdade de Ciências; Universidade do Porto; R. Campo Alegre 687 4169-007 Porto Portugal
| | - Luís Pinto da Silva
- Centro de Investigação em Química; Departamento de Química e Bioquímica; Faculdade de Ciências; Universidade do Porto; R. Campo Alegre 687 4169-007 Porto Portugal
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11
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Zhou JG, Williams QL, Walters W, Deng ZY. How Does the Local Electrostatic Field Influence Emitted Wavelengths and Bioluminescent Intensities of Modified Heteroaromatic Luciferins? J Phys Chem B 2015. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.5b03827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jian-Ge Zhou
- Department
of Physics, Atmospheric Sciences, and Geoscience, Jackson State University, Jackson, Mississippi 39217, United States
| | - Quinton L. Williams
- Department
of Physics and Astronomy, Howard University, Washington D.C. 20059, United States
| | - Wilbur Walters
- Department
of Physics, Atmospheric Sciences, and Geoscience, Jackson State University, Jackson, Mississippi 39217, United States
| | - Zhen-Yan Deng
- Department
of Physics, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
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12
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Pinto da Silva L, Esteves da Silva JCG. A theoretical analysis of the potential role of π-π stacking interactions in the photoprotolytic cycle of firefly luciferin. Chemphyschem 2014; 15:3761-7. [PMID: 25236293 DOI: 10.1002/cphc.201402558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2014] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Firefly oxyluciferin is a photoacid that presents a pH-sensitive fluorescence, which results from pH-dependent changes on the conformation of self-aggregated π-π stacking complexes. Luciferin is a derivative of oxyluciferin with very similar fluorescence and photoacidic properties. This similarity indicates that luciferin is also expected to be able to form π-π stacking complexes, but no pH-sensitive fluorescence is found for this compound. Here, a theoretical approach is used to rationalize this finding. We have found that luciferin only forms π-π stacking complexes in the ground state at acidic pH. At basic pH and in the excited state, luciferin is present as a dianion. This species is not able to self-aggregate, owing to repulsive electrostatic interactions. Thus, this emissive species is not subject to π-π stacking interactions; this explains its pH-insensitive fluorescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luís Pinto da Silva
- Centro de Investigação em Química (CIQ-UP), Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, R. Campo Alegre 697, 4169-007 Porto (Portugal)
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13
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Koksharov MI, Ugarova NN. Strategy of mutual compensation of green and red mutants of firefly luciferase identifies a mutation of the highly conservative residue E457 with a strong red shift of bioluminescence. Photochem Photobiol Sci 2014; 12:2016-27. [PMID: 24057044 DOI: 10.1039/c3pp50242b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Bioluminescence spectra of firefly luciferases demonstrate highly pH-sensitive spectra changing the color from green to red light when pH is lowered from alkaline to acidic. This reflects a change of ratio of the green and red emitters in the bimodal spectra of bioluminescence. We show that the mutations strongly stabilizing green (Y35N) or red (H433Y) emission compensate each other leading to the WT color of firefly luciferase. We further used this compensating ability of Y35N to search for strong red-shifting mutations in the C-domain of firefly luciferase by random mutagenesis. The discovered mutation E457K substantially increased the contribution of the red emitter and caused a 12 nm red shift of the green emitter as well. E457 is highly conservative not only in beetle luciferases but also in a whole ANL superfamily of adenylating enzymes and forms a conservative structural hydrogen bond with V471. Our results suggest that the removal of this hydrogen bond only mildly affects luciferase properties and that most of the effect of E457K is caused by the introduction of positive charge. E457 forms a salt bridge with R534 in most ANL enzymes including pH-insensitive luciferases which is absent in pH-sensitive firefly luciferases. The mutant A534R shows that this salt bridge is not important for pH-sensitivity but considerably improves in vivo thermostability. Although E457 is located far from the oxyluciferin-binding site, the properties of the mutant E457K suggest that it affects color by influencing the AMP binding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikhail I Koksharov
- Department of Chemical Enzymology, Faculty of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119991, Russia.
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14
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Quantum/molecular mechanics study of firefly bioluminescence on luciferase oxidative conformation. Chem Phys Lett 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cplett.2014.05.061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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15
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Pinto da Silva L, Esteves da Silva JCG. Chemiexcitation Induced Proton Transfer: Enolate Oxyluciferin as the Firefly Bioluminophore. J Phys Chem B 2014; 119:2140-8. [DOI: 10.1021/jp5036458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Luís Pinto da Silva
- Centro de Investigação
em Química, Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, R. Campo Alegre 687, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Joaquim C. G. Esteves da Silva
- Centro de Investigação
em Química, Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, R. Campo Alegre 687, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
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16
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Pinto da Silva L, Simkovitch R, Huppert D, Esteves da Silva JCG. Theoretical Photodynamic Study of the Photoprotolytic Cycle of Firefly Oxyluciferin. Chemphyschem 2013; 14:2711-6. [DOI: 10.1002/cphc.201300330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2013] [Revised: 05/08/2013] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Luís Pinto da Silva
- Centro de Investigação em Química (CIQ‐UP), Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, R. Campo Alegre 687 4169‐007 Porto (Portugal)
| | - Ron Simkovitch
- Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, School of Chemistry, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978 (Israel)
| | - Dan Huppert
- Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, School of Chemistry, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978 (Israel)
| | - Joaquim C. G. Esteves da Silva
- Centro de Investigação em Química (CIQ‐UP), Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, R. Campo Alegre 687 4169‐007 Porto (Portugal)
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Kim HW, Rhee YM. On the pH Dependent Behavior of the Firefly Bioluminescence: Protein Dynamics and Water Content in the Active Pocket. J Phys Chem B 2013; 117:7260-9. [DOI: 10.1021/jp4024553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Hyun Woo Kim
- Center for Self-Assembly and Complexity, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Pohang 790-784,
Korea, and Department of Chemistry, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang 790-784,
Korea
| | - Young Min Rhee
- Center for Self-Assembly and Complexity, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Pohang 790-784,
Korea, and Department of Chemistry, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang 790-784,
Korea
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18
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Pinto da Silva L, Esteves da Silva JCG. Interstate Crossing-Induced Chemiexcitation as the Reason for the Chemiluminescence of Dioxetanones. Chemphyschem 2013; 14:1071-9. [DOI: 10.1002/cphc.201200872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2012] [Revised: 12/13/2012] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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19
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Pinto da Silva L, Esteves da Silva JCG. Theoretical fingerprinting of the photophysical properties of four firefly bioluminophores. Photochem Photobiol Sci 2013; 12:2028-35. [DOI: 10.1039/c3pp50203a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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20
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Pinto da Silva L, Santos AJM, Esteves da Silva JCG. Efficient Firefly Chemi/Bioluminescence: Evidence for Chemiexcitation Resulting from the Decomposition of a Neutral Firefly Dioxetanone Molecule. J Phys Chem A 2012; 117:94-100. [DOI: 10.1021/jp311711p] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Luís Pinto da Silva
- Centro de Investigação em Química,
Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, R. Campo
Alegre 687, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - A. Joel M. Santos
- Centro de Investigação em Química,
Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, R. Campo
Alegre 687, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Joaquim C. G. Esteves da Silva
- Centro de Investigação em Química,
Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, R. Campo
Alegre 687, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
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21
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Presiado I, Erez Y, Simkovitch R, Shomer S, Gepshtein R, Pinto da Silva L, Esteves da Silva JC, Huppert D. Excited-State Proton Transfer of Firefly Dehydroluciferin. J Phys Chem A 2012; 116:10770-9. [DOI: 10.1021/jp308818r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Itay Presiado
- Raymond and Beverly Sackler
Faculty of Exact Sciences, School of Chemistry, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Yuval Erez
- Raymond and Beverly Sackler
Faculty of Exact Sciences, School of Chemistry, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Ron Simkovitch
- Raymond and Beverly Sackler
Faculty of Exact Sciences, School of Chemistry, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Shay Shomer
- Raymond and Beverly Sackler
Faculty of Exact Sciences, School of Chemistry, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Rinat Gepshtein
- Raymond and Beverly Sackler
Faculty of Exact Sciences, School of Chemistry, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Luís Pinto da Silva
- Centro de Investigação
em Química, Departamento de Quimica, Faculdade de Ciencias da Universidade do Porto, R. Campo Alegre
687 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Joaquim C.G. Esteves da Silva
- Centro de Investigação
em Química, Departamento de Quimica, Faculdade de Ciencias da Universidade do Porto, R. Campo Alegre
687 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Dan Huppert
- Raymond and Beverly Sackler
Faculty of Exact Sciences, School of Chemistry, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
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22
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Vieira J, Pinto da Silva L, Esteves da Silva JCG. Advances in the knowledge of light emission by firefly luciferin and oxyluciferin. JOURNAL OF PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOBIOLOGY B-BIOLOGY 2012; 117:33-9. [PMID: 23026386 DOI: 10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2012.08.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2012] [Revised: 08/20/2012] [Accepted: 08/27/2012] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Firefly luciferase is the most important and studied bioluminescence system. Due to very interesting characteristics, this system has gained numerous biomedical, pharmaceutical and bioanalytical applications, among others. In order to improve the use of this system, various researchers have tried to understand experimentally the colour of bioluminescence, and to create ways of tuning the colour emitted. The objective of this manuscript is to review the experimental studies of firefly luciferin and oxyluciferin, and related analogues, fluorescence and bioluminescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Vieira
- Centro de Investigação em Química, Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, R. Campo Alegre 687, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal.
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23
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Pinto da Silva L, Vieira J, Esteves da Silva JC. Comparative theoretical study of the binding of luciferyl-adenylate and dehydroluciferyl-adenylate to firefly luciferase. Chem Phys Lett 2012. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cplett.2012.06.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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24
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Erez Y, Presiado I, Gepshtein R, Pinto da Silva L, Esteves da Silva JCG, Huppert D. Comparative Study of the Photoprotolytic Reactions of d-Luciferin and Oxyluciferin. J Phys Chem A 2012; 116:7452-61. [DOI: 10.1021/jp301910p] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yuval Erez
- Raymond and Beverly Sackler
Faculty of Exact Sciences, School of Chemistry, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978,
Israel
| | - Itay Presiado
- Raymond and Beverly Sackler
Faculty of Exact Sciences, School of Chemistry, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978,
Israel
| | - Rinat Gepshtein
- Raymond and Beverly Sackler
Faculty of Exact Sciences, School of Chemistry, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978,
Israel
| | - Luís Pinto da Silva
- Centro de Investigação
em Química, Departamento de Quimica, Faculdade de Ciencias da Universidade do Porto R. Campo Alegre 687, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Joaquim C. G. Esteves da Silva
- Centro de Investigação
em Química, Departamento de Quimica, Faculdade de Ciencias da Universidade do Porto R. Campo Alegre 687, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Dan Huppert
- Raymond and Beverly Sackler
Faculty of Exact Sciences, School of Chemistry, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978,
Israel
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25
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Silva LPD, Esteves da Silva JC. Response to “comment on density functional theory study of 1,2-dioxetanone decomposition in condensed phase”. J Comput Chem 2012. [DOI: 10.1002/jcc.23039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
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26
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Pinto da Silva L, Esteves da Silva JCG. Firefly chemiluminescence and bioluminescence: efficient generation of excited states. Chemphyschem 2012; 13:2257-62. [PMID: 22532490 DOI: 10.1002/cphc.201200195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2012] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Firefly luciferase catalyzes a light-emitting reaction in which an excited-state product is formed. Both experimental and theoretical methodologies are used to study this system, and the reactions catalyzed by luciferase are relatively well characterized. However, the mechanism by which an excited-state product is formed is still unknown. This Minireview deals with the current understanding of firefly bioluminescence and chemiluminescence. Thermal decomposition of simple 1,2-dioxetanes is also discussed, due to their role in formation of the excited-state bioluminophore.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luís Pinto da Silva
- Centro de Investigação em Química, Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre 687, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
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