A light-switching pyrene probe to detect phase-separated biomolecules.

ABSTRACT: Biomolecules may undergo liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) to spatiotemporally compartmentalize and regulate diverse biological processes. Because the number of tools to directly probe LLPS is limited (ie. FRAP, FRET, fluorescence microscopy, fluorescence anisotropy, circular dichroism, etc.), the physicochemical traits of phase-separated condensates remain largely elusive. Here, we introduce a light-switching dipyrene probe (Pyr-A) that forms monomers in either hydrophobic or viscous environments, and intramolecular excimers in aqueous solutions. By exploiting their distinct fluorescence emission spectra, we used fluorescent microscopic imaging to study phase-separated condensates formed by in vitro protein droplets and membraneless intracellular organelles (centrosomes). Ratio

SUBMITTER: Hazawa M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8346672 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature