Caged luciferins for bioluminescent activity-based sensing

Abstract

Bioluminescence imaging is a powerful modality for in vivo imaging owing to its low background and high signal-to-noise ratio. Because bioluminescent emission occurs only upon the catalytic reaction between the luciferase enzyme and its luciferin substrate, caging luciferins with analyte-reactive triggers offers a general approach for activity-based sensing of specific biochemical processes in living systems across cell, tissue, and animal models. In this review, we summarize recent efforts in the development of synthetic caged luciferins for tracking enzyme, small molecule, and metal ion activity and their contributions to physiological and pathological processes. Current Opinion in Biotechnology 2019, 60:xx-yy This review comes from a themed issue on Chemical Bbiotechnology

Noninvasive imaging and quantification of bile salt hydrolase activity: From bacteria to humans

“…S2A). Since many in vitro “caged” luciferin assays rely on FLuc enzyme readout ( 24 , 27 ), we decided to test whether the efficiency of BSH-specific deconjugation of BAL probes can be measured by the simple addition of FLuc enzyme directly to a bacterial culture that is known to express high levels of BSH. The CL probe was incubated with various concentrations of Lactobacillus plantarum for 1 hour at 37°C, followed by the addition of FLuc enzyme in the corresponding buffer and signal acquisition.…”

Applications of bioluminescence in biotechnology and beyond

“…Nonetheless, several caged-luciferins have been successfully used for in vivo imaging of mice and there has been an excellent recent review covering the advances in this area. 280 Moreover, the first example of a bioluminescent probe that can measure mitochondrial membrane potential in a non-invasive manner in vivo has just been reported to be a caged luciferin probe that called a 'mitochondria-activatable luciferin' (MAL probe) (Fig. 8).…”

Recent Progress in the Development of Fluorescent Probes for Thiophenol

“…Chemiluminescence- and bioluminescence-based analytical assays have a number of advantages including simple procedures and equipment as no excitation light is needed, low background signal and high sensitivity, and good biocompatibility [132,133]. Li et al reported a dual bioluminescent and chemiluminescent PhSH probe ( 56 ) (Figure 23) based on coelenterazine [134].…”