Category
Poster - Applied
Description
Fluorescence is a valuable tool in the fields of chemistry and biology used to study reaction mechanisms and to visualize biologically relevant structures. Fluorescent dyes used in these applications have been functionalized to tag many classes of biomolecules, including proteins. Such dyes have also been used in biomedical or clinical settings, such as identification and diagnosis of diseases or genetic disorders. With the goal of optimizing fluorescent protein labeling, this research seeks to investigate if our dyes can be made more water soluble, have a broader Stokes shift, show a higher quantum yield, and label the target protein more efficiently. Investigated labeling techniques include specific fluorophores with protein-binding groups with the intent to use these groups’ properties to link the fluorescent dye to a specific protein. Various linkers or spacers between the core dye and protein-binding units are utilized in many commercially available fluorescent dyes, and this research aims to apply these spacers to our own dyes. Reaction products were analyzed using thin-layer chromatography and infrared spectroscopy, with further measurements of fluorescence, Stokes shift, and quantum yield with a fluorometer. Preliminary results will be presented. Potential future applications of this research could lead to the development of a more highly specialized fluorescent dye used for protein labeling.
Functionalizing Fluorophores for Protein Labeling
Poster - Applied
Fluorescence is a valuable tool in the fields of chemistry and biology used to study reaction mechanisms and to visualize biologically relevant structures. Fluorescent dyes used in these applications have been functionalized to tag many classes of biomolecules, including proteins. Such dyes have also been used in biomedical or clinical settings, such as identification and diagnosis of diseases or genetic disorders. With the goal of optimizing fluorescent protein labeling, this research seeks to investigate if our dyes can be made more water soluble, have a broader Stokes shift, show a higher quantum yield, and label the target protein more efficiently. Investigated labeling techniques include specific fluorophores with protein-binding groups with the intent to use these groups’ properties to link the fluorescent dye to a specific protein. Various linkers or spacers between the core dye and protein-binding units are utilized in many commercially available fluorescent dyes, and this research aims to apply these spacers to our own dyes. Reaction products were analyzed using thin-layer chromatography and infrared spectroscopy, with further measurements of fluorescence, Stokes shift, and quantum yield with a fluorometer. Preliminary results will be presented. Potential future applications of this research could lead to the development of a more highly specialized fluorescent dye used for protein labeling.
Comments
Undergraduate - 1st Place Award Winner