Attenuation of photobleaching in two-photon excitation fluorescence from green fluorescent protein with shaped excitation pulses

Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2003 Nov 21;311(3):592-6. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2003.09.236.

Abstract

The two-photon excitation fluorescence (TPEF) process of an enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) for fluorescence signals was adaptively controlled by the phase-modulation of femtosecond pulses. After the iteration of pulse shaping, a twofold increase in the ratio of the fluorescence signal to the laser peak power was achieved. Compared with conventional pulses optimized for peak power, phase-optimized laser pulses reduced the bleaching rate of EGFP by a factor of 4 while maintaining the same intensity of the fluorescence signal. Our method will provide a powerful solution to various problems confronting researchers, such as the photobleaching of dyes in two-photon excitation microscopy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Fluorescent Dyes / pharmacology
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins
  • Lasers
  • Light
  • Luminescent Proteins / chemistry*
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence / methods*
  • Photobleaching
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • Luminescent Proteins
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins