Live-Cell Mitochondrial Targeted NIR Fluorescent Covalent Labeling of Specific Proteins Using a Dual Localization Effect

Abstract

Here, our designed water-soluble NIR fluorescent unsymmetrical Cy-5-Mal/TPP+ consists of a lipophilic cationic TPP+ subunit that can selectively target and accumulate in a live-cell inner mitochondrial matrix where a maleimide residue of the probe undergoes faster chemoselective and site-specific covalent attachment with the exposed Cys residue of mitochondrion-specific proteins. On the basis of this dual localization effect, Cy-5-Mal/TPP+ molecules remain for a longer time period even after membrane depolarization, enabling long-term live-cell mitochondrial imaging. Due to the adequate concentration of Cy-5-Mal/TPP+ reached in live-cell mitochondria, it facilitates site-selective NIR fluorescent covalent labeling with Cys-exposed proteins, which are identified by the in-gel fluorescence assay and LC–MS/MS-based proteomics and supported by a computational method. This dual targeting approach with admirable photostability, narrow NIR absorption/emission bands, bright emission, long fluorescence lifetime, and insignificant cytotoxicity has been shown to improve real-time live-cell mitochondrial tracking including dynamics and interorganelle crosstalk with multicolor imaging applications.

A Review on Recent Advances in Peptide‐based Fluorescence Probes and their Potential Applications

“…The peptide fragment Lys-Leu-Val-Phe-Phe (KLVFF) and asymmetric near-red (NIR) anthocyanin-5 (Cy-5) chromophore can combine to form asymmetric NIR KLVFF/Cy-5 probe. [80] The probe can be used for selectively targeting mitochondria and NIR imaging. The study found that KLVFF/Cy-5 possessed high light stability, high fluorescence lifetime and high fluorescence quantum yield.…”