Enhancing the biophysical properties of mRFP1 through incorporation of fluoroproline

July 28, 2017

Title

Enhancing the biophysical properties of mRFP1 through incorporation of fluoroproline

Author

Kanagavel Deepankumar, Saravanan Prabhu Nadarajan, Niraikulam Ayyadurai, Hyungdon Yun

Year

2013

Journal

Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications

Abstract

Here we enhanced the stability and biophysical properties of mRFP1 through a combination of canonical and non-canonical amino acid mutagenesis. The global replacement of proline residue with (2S, 4R)-4-fluoroproline [(4R)-FP] into mRFP1 led to soluble protein but lost its fluorescence, whereas (2S, 4S)-4-fluoroproline [(4S)-FP] incorporation resulted in insoluble protein. The bioinformatics analysis revealed that (4R)-FP incorporation at Pro63 caused fluorescence loss due to the steric hindrance of fluorine atom of (4R)-FP with the chromophore. Therefore, Pro63 residue was mutated with the smallest amino acid Ala to maintain non coplanar conformation of the chromophore and helps to retain its fluorescence with (4R)-FP incorporation. The incorporation of (4R)-FP into mRFP1-P63A showed about 2–3-fold enhancement in thermal and chemical stability. The rate of maturation is also greatly accelerated over the presence of (4R)-FP into mRFP1-P63A. Our study showed that a successful enhancement in the biophysical property of mRFP1-P63A[(4R)-FP] using non-canonical amino acid mutagenesis after mutating non-permissive site Pro63 into Ala.

Instrument

J-715

Keywords

Circular dichroism, Secondary structure, Biochemistry