A Quantitative Theoretical Framework For Protein-Induced Fluorescence Enhancement-Förster-Type Resonance Energy Transfer (PIFE-FRET)

J Phys Chem B. 2016 Jul 7;120(26):6401-10. doi: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.6b03692. Epub 2016 May 26.

Abstract

Single-molecule, protein-induced fluorescence enhancement (PIFE) serves as a molecular ruler at molecular distances inaccessible to other spectroscopic rulers such as Förster-type resonance energy transfer (FRET) or photoinduced electron transfer. In order to provide two simultaneous measurements of two distances on different molecular length scales for the analysis of macromolecular complexes, we and others recently combined measurements of PIFE and FRET (PIFE-FRET) on the single molecule level. PIFE relies on steric hindrance of the fluorophore Cy3, which is covalently attached to a biomolecule of interest, to rotate out of an excited-state trans isomer to the cis isomer through a 90° intermediate. In this work, we provide a theoretical framework that accounts for relevant photophysical and kinetic parameters of PIFE-FRET, show how this framework allows the extraction of the fold-decrease in isomerization mobility from experimental data, and show how these results provide information on changes in the accessible volume of Cy3. The utility of this model is then demonstrated for experimental results on PIFE-FRET measurement of different protein-DNA interactions. The proposed model and extracted parameters could serve as a benchmark to allow quantitative comparison of PIFE effects in different biological systems.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Binding Sites
  • Carbocyanines / chemistry
  • Computer Simulation
  • DNA / chemistry
  • DNA / metabolism
  • DNA Restriction Enzymes / chemistry
  • DNA Restriction Enzymes / metabolism
  • Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer* / methods
  • Fluorescent Dyes / chemistry
  • Isomerism
  • Kinetics
  • Models, Theoretical*
  • Photochemical Processes*

Substances

  • Carbocyanines
  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • cyanine dye 3
  • DNA
  • DNA Restriction Enzymes