Metal-enhanced fluorescence of single green fluorescent protein (GFP)
- Center for Fluorescence Spectroscopy, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 725 W. Lombard Street, Baltimore, MD 21201 (United States)
The green fluorescent protein (GFP) has emerged as a powerful reporter molecule for monitoring gene expression, protein localization, and protein-protein interaction. However, the detection of low concentrations of GFPs is limited by the weakness of the fluorescent signal and the low photostability. In this report, we observed the proximity of single GFPs to metallic silver nanoparticles increases its fluorescence intensity approximately 6-fold and decreases the decay time. Single protein molecules on the silvered surfaces emitted 10-fold more photons as compared to glass prior to photobleaching. The photostability of single GFP has increased to some extent. Accordingly, we observed longer duration time and suppressed blinking. The single-molecule lifetime histograms indicate the relatively heterogeneous distributions of protein mutants inside the structure.
- OSTI ID:
- 21217113
- Journal Information:
- Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, Vol. 376, Issue 4; Other Information: DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2008.09.062; PII: S0006-291X(08)01799-3; Copyright (c) 2008 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0006-291X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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