A Variable Light Domain
Fluorogen Activating Protein Homodimerizes To Activate Dimethylindole
Red
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Abstract
Novel fluorescent tools such as green fluorescent protein
analogues and fluorogen activating proteins (FAPs) are useful in biological
imaging for tracking protein dynamics in real time with a low fluorescence
background. FAPs are single-chain variable fragments (scFvs) selected
from a yeast surface display library that produce fluorescence upon
binding a specific dye or fluorogen that is normally not fluorescent
when present in solution. FAPs generally consist of human immunoglobulin
variable heavy (V<sub>H</sub>) and variable light (V<sub>L</sub>)
domains covalently attached via a glycine- and serine-rich linker.
Previously, we determined that the yeast surface clone, V<sub>H</sub>-V<sub>L</sub> M8, could bind and activate the fluorogen dimethylindole
red (DIR) but that the fluorogen activation properties were localized
to the M8V<sub>L</sub> domain. We report here that both nuclear magnetic
resonance and X-ray diffraction methods indicate the M8V<sub>L</sub> forms noncovalent, antiparallel homodimers that are the fluorogen
activating species. The M8V<sub>L</sub> homodimers activate DIR by
restriction of internal rotation of the bound dye. These structural
results, together with directed evolution experiments with both V<sub>H</sub>-V<sub>L</sub> M8 and M8V<sub>L</sub>, led us to rationally
design tandem, covalent homodimers of M8V<sub>L</sub> domains joined
by a flexible linker that have a high affinity for DIR and good quantum
yields