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Abstract Strategic incorporation of ameta‐dimethylamino (–NMe2) group on the conformationally locked green fluorescent protein (GFP) model chromophore (m‐NMe2‐LpHBDI) has drastically altered molecular electronic properties, counterintuitively enhancing fluorescence of only the neutral and cationic chromophores in aqueous solution. A ~200‐fold decrease in fluorescence quantum yield ofm‐NMe2‐LpHBDI in alcohols (e.g., MeOH, EtOH and 2‐PrOH) supports this GFP‐derived compound as a fluorescence turn‐on water sensor, with large fluorescence intensity differences between H2O and ROH emissions in various H2O/ROH binary mixtures. A combination of steady‐state electronic spectroscopy, femtosecond transient absorption, ground‐state femtosecond stimulated Raman spectroscopy (FSRS) and quantum calculations elucidates an intermolecular hydrogen‐bonding chain between a solvent –OH group and the chromophore phenolic ring –NMe2and –OH functional groups, wherein fluorescence differences arise from an extended hydrogen‐bonding network beyond the first solvation shell, as opposed to fluorescence quenching via a dark twisted intramolecular charge‐transfer state. The absence of ameta‐NMe2group twisting coordinate upon electronic excitation was corroborated by experiments on control samples without themeta‐NMe2group or with bothmeta‐NMe2andpara‐OH groups locked in a six‐membered ring. These deep mechanistic insights stemming from GFP chromophore scaffold will enable rational design of organic, compact and environmentally friendly water sensors.
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Analog Retinal Redshifts Visible Absorption of QuasAr Transmembrane Voltage Sensors into Near‐infrared
Abstract Opsin‐based transmembrane voltage sensors (OTVSs) are increasingly important tools for neuroscience enabling neural function in complex brain circuits to be explored in live, behaving animals. However, the visible wavelengths required for fluorescence excitation of the current generation of OTVSs limit optogenetic imaging in the brain to depths of only a few mm due to the strong absorption and scattering of visible light by biological tissues. We report that substitution of the native A1 retinal chromophore of the widely used QuasAr1/2 OTVSs with the retinal analog MMAR containing a methylamino‐modified dimethylphenyl ring results in over a 100‐nm redshift of the maxima of the absorption and fluorescence emission bands to near 700 and 840 nm, respectively. FT‐Raman spectroscopy reveals that at pH 7 QuasAr1 with both the A1 and MMAR chromophores possess predominantly an all‐transprotonated Schiff base configuration with the MMAR chromophore exhibiting increased torsion of the polyene single‐/double‐bond system similar to the O‐intermediate of the BR photocycle. In contrast, the A1 and the MMAR chromophores of QuasAr2 exist partially in a 13‐cisPSB configuration. These results demonstrate that QuasArs containing the MMAR chromophore are attractive candidates for use as NIR‐OTVSs, especially for applications such as deep brain imaging.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1706322
- PAR ID:
- 10458543
- Publisher / Repository:
- Wiley-Blackwell
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Photochemistry and Photobiology
- Volume:
- 96
- Issue:
- 1
- ISSN:
- 0031-8655
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- p. 55-66
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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