Mikhail Drobizhev - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Mikhail Drobizhev

Research paper thumbnail of The Two-Photon Bazooka: A New Way of Optically Screening Randomly Mutagenized Libraries of Fluorescent Proteins

Biophysical Journal, 2014

Research paper thumbnail of Mechanisms of Multiphoton Bleaching of Red Fluorescent Proteins

Biophysical Journal, 2014

Research paper thumbnail of Two-Photon Voltmeter for Measuring a Molecular Electric Field

Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English), Jan 8, 2015

We present a new approach for determining the strength of the dipolar solute-induced reaction fie... more We present a new approach for determining the strength of the dipolar solute-induced reaction field, along with the ground- and excited-state electrostatic dipole moments and polarizability of a solvated chromophore, using exclusively one-photon and two-photon absorption measurements. We verify the approach on two benchmark chromophores N,N-dimethyl-6-propionyl-2-naphthylamine (prodan) and coumarin 153 (C153) in a series of toluene/dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) mixtures and find that the experimental values show good quantitative agreement with literature and our quantum-chemical calculations. Our results indicate that the reaction field varies in a surprisingly broad range, 0-10(7) V cm(-1) , and that at close proximity, on the order of the chromophore radius, the effective dielectric constant of the solute-solvent system displays a unique functional dependence on the bulk dielectric constant, offering new insight into the close-range molecular interaction.

Research paper thumbnail of A multi-dimensional screening method for the selection of two-photon enhanced fluorescent proteins

Reporters, Markers, Dyes, Nanoparticles, and Molecular Probes For Biomedical Applications Vi, 2014

ABSTRACT Two-photon excitation of fluorescent proteins (FPs) is widely used in imaging whole orga... more ABSTRACT Two-photon excitation of fluorescent proteins (FPs) is widely used in imaging whole organisms or living tissues. Many different FPs are now available but these proteins have only been optimized for their one-photon properties. We have developed a technique for screening entire libraries of E. coli colonies expressing FPs that utilizes multiple wavelengths of linear excitation as well as two-photon excitation. Single mutations in a particular protein that affect one or twophoton properties are easily identified, providing new views of structure/function relationships. An amplified femtosecond Ti:sapphire laser and a spectrally filtered lamp source are used to acquire the fluorescence signals of up to ~1000 E. coli colonies on a standard Petri dish. Automation of the analysis and acquisition of the fluorescent signals makes it feasible to rapidly screen tens of thousands of colonies. In a proof of principle experiment with the commonly used EGFP, we used two rounds of error prone PCR and selection to evolve new proteins with shifted absorption and increased two-photon cross sections at 790nm. This method of screening, coupled with careful measurements of photo bleaching dynamics and two-photon cross sections, should make it possible to optimize a wide variety of fluorescent proteins and biosensors for use in two-photon microscopes.

Research paper thumbnail of Multiphoton Photochemistry of Red Fluorescent Proteins in Solution and Live Cells

Research paper thumbnail of Describing Two-Photon Absorptivity of Fluorescent Proteins with a New Vibronic Coupling Mechanism

The Journal of Physical Chemistry B, 2012

Research paper thumbnail of Strong two-photon absorption enhancement in a unique bis-porphyrin bearing a diketopyrrolopyrrole unit

Chemical Communications, 2013

A π-extended bis-porphyrin bridged via a diketopyrrolopyrrole unit was prepared in 5 steps. This ... more A π-extended bis-porphyrin bridged via a diketopyrrolopyrrole unit was prepared in 5 steps. This fully conjugated π-system displays strongly distorted linear absorption, while its two-photon absorption cross-section reaches 2500-3000 GM at 940 nm. LC-like behaviour, easy orientation and low viscosity are, according to XRD, POM and DSC measurements, due to formation of plastic rather than a liquid crystal.

Research paper thumbnail of Two-photon directed evolution of green fluorescent proteins

Research paper thumbnail of Role of Electric Field Changes in Fluorescence Response of Red Fluorescent Genetically-Encoded Ca2+ Indicators

Research paper thumbnail of A robotic multidimensional directed evolution approach applied to fluorescent voltage reporters

Nature chemical biology, 2018

We developed a new way to engineer complex proteins toward multidimensional specifications using ... more We developed a new way to engineer complex proteins toward multidimensional specifications using a simple, yet scalable, directed evolution strategy. By robotically picking mammalian cells that were identified, under a microscope, as expressing proteins that simultaneously exhibit several specific properties, we can screen hundreds of thousands of proteins in a library in just a few hours, evaluating each along multiple performance axes. To demonstrate the power of this approach, we created a genetically encoded fluorescent voltage indicator, simultaneously optimizing its brightness and membrane localization using our microscopy-guided cell-picking strategy. We produced the high-performance opsin-based fluorescent voltage reporter Archon1 and demonstrated its utility by imaging spiking and millivolt-scale subthreshold and synaptic activity in acute mouse brain slices and in larval zebrafish in vivo. We also measured postsynaptic responses downstream of optogenetically controlled neu...

Research paper thumbnail of Publisher Correction: A robotic multidimensional directed evolution approach applied to fluorescent voltage reporters

Nature chemical biology, Jan 8, 2018

In the version of this article originally published, the bottom of Figure 4f,g was partially trun... more In the version of this article originally published, the bottom of Figure 4f,g was partially truncated in the PDF. The error has been corrected in the PDF version of this article.

Research paper thumbnail of A genetically encoded Ca2+ indicator based on circularly permutated sea anemone red fluorescent protein eqFP578

BMC biology, Jan 16, 2018

Genetically encoded calcium ion (Ca2+) indicators (GECIs) are indispensable tools for measuring C... more Genetically encoded calcium ion (Ca2+) indicators (GECIs) are indispensable tools for measuring Ca2+ dynamics and neuronal activities in vitro and in vivo. Red fluorescent protein (RFP)-based GECIs have inherent advantages relative to green fluorescent protein-based GECIs due to the longer wavelength light used for excitation. Longer wavelength light is associated with decreased phototoxicity and deeper penetration through tissue. Red GECI can also enable multicolor visualization with blue- or cyan-excitable fluorophores. Here we report the development, structure, and validation of a new RFP-based GECI, K-GECO1, based on a circularly permutated RFP derived from the sea anemone Entacmaea quadricolor. We have characterized the performance of K-GECO1 in cultured HeLa cells, dissociated neurons, stem-cell-derived cardiomyocytes, organotypic brain slices, zebrafish spinal cord in vivo, and mouse brain in vivo. K-GECO1 is the archetype of a new lineage of GECIs based on the RFP eqFP578 sc...

Research paper thumbnail of Blue-Shifted Green Fluorescent Protein Homologues Are Brighter than Enhanced Green Fluorescent Protein under Two-Photon Excitation

The journal of physical chemistry letters, Jan 15, 2017

Fluorescent proteins (FPs) are indispensable markers for two-photon imaging of live tissue, espec... more Fluorescent proteins (FPs) are indispensable markers for two-photon imaging of live tissue, especially in the brains of small model organisms. The quantity of physiologically relevant data collected, however, is limited by heat-induced damage of the tissue due to the high intensities of the excitation laser. We seek to minimize this damage by developing FPs with improved brightness. Among FPs with the same chromophore structure, the spectral properties can vary widely due to differences in the local protein environment. Using a physical model that describes the spectra of FPs containing the anionic green FP (GFP) chromophore, we predict that those that are blue-shifted in one-photon absorption will have stronger peak two-photon absorption cross sections. Following this prediction, we present 12 blue-shifted GFP homologues and demonstrate that they are up to 2.5 times brighter than the commonly used enhanced GFP (EGFP).

Research paper thumbnail of Deciphering the molecular mechanism responsible for GCaMP6m's Ca2+-dependent change in fluorescence

PloS one, 2017

The goal of this work is to determine how GCaMP6m's fluorescence is altered in response to Ca... more The goal of this work is to determine how GCaMP6m's fluorescence is altered in response to Ca2+-binding. Our detailed spectroscopic study reveals the simplest explanation for how GCaMP6m changes fluorescence in response to Ca2+ is with a four-state model, in which a Ca2+-dependent change of the chromophore protonation state, due to a shift in pKa, is the predominant factor. The pKa shift is quantitatively explained by a change in electrostatic potential around the chromophore due to the conformational changes that occur in the protein when calmodulin binds Ca2+ and interacts with the M13 peptide. The absolute pKa values for the Ca2+-free and Ca2+-saturated states of GCaMP6m are critical to its high signal-to-noise ratio. This mechanism has important implications for further improvements to GCaMP6m and potentially for other similarly designed biosensors.

Research paper thumbnail of New GFP Variants with Enhanced Two-Photon Brightness

Biophysical Journal, 2017

Research paper thumbnail of Photochemical Hole Burning in the Absorption-Spectrum of Cyanine Dye

Research paper thumbnail of Two-photon excited photodynamic therapy and blood vessel closure using conjugated porphyrin dimers

Research paper thumbnail of Near-Infrared Fluorescent Proteins Engineered from Bacterial Phytochromes in Neuroimaging

Biophysical journal, Jan 7, 2017

Several series of near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent proteins (FPs) were recently engineered from ba... more Several series of near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent proteins (FPs) were recently engineered from bacterial phytochromes but were not systematically compared in neurons. To fluoresce, NIR FPs utilize an enzymatic derivative of heme, the linear tetrapyrrole biliverdin, as a chromophore whose level in neurons is poorly studied. Here, we evaluated NIR FPs of the iRFP protein family, which were reported to be the brightest in non-neuronal mammalian cells, in primary neuronal culture, in brain slices of mouse and monkey, and in mouse brain in vivo. We applied several fluorescence imaging modes, such as wide-field and confocal one-photon and two-photon microscopy, to compare photochemical and biophysical properties of various iRFPs. The iRFP682 and iRFP670 proteins exhibited the highest brightness and photostability under one-photon and two-photon excitation modes, respectively. All studied iRFPs exhibited efficient binding of the endogenous biliverdin chromophore in cultured neurons and in ...

Research paper thumbnail of Study of excitonic states of J-aggregates of a tiacyanine dye by methods of picosecond spectroscopy and persistent hole burning

J-aggregates of tiacarbocyanine derivative are investigated in frozen solution at low temperature... more J-aggregates of tiacarbocyanine derivative are investigated in frozen solution at low temperatures by optical spectroscopy and spectral hole burning. It is found that absorption and luminescence bands have inhomogeneous widths of 220 and 130 cm-1 at 5 K respectively used in contrast to pseudoisocyanine (PIC) J-bands are separated by Stokes shift of 100 cm-1. Moreover, J-aggregate fluorescence spectrum depends drastically

Research paper thumbnail of Two-photon absorption spectroscopy of corroles

Proceedings of Spie the International Society For Optical Engineering, Feb 1, 2009

We report simultaneous two-photon absorption (2PA) spectra in a series of substituted corroles an... more We report simultaneous two-photon absorption (2PA) spectra in a series of substituted corroles and related porphyrins in 800-1400 nm laser wavelength range. Compared to the porphyrins, the 2PA spectrum of corroles contains a distinct and relatively high intensity peak, sigma(2) = 60-130 GM, close to twice the wavelength of Soret maximum (800-850 nm). The increase of 2PA peak cross section is explained in terms of decreased symmetry of the contracted macro-cycle, and is most likely related to relaxing of the parity selection rules that restrict 2PA in the Soret band for more symmetrical porphyrins. We also observe that the strength of the 2PA peak in Soret region decreases with the electron-withdrawing ability (increasing Hammett constant) of the side substituents, which can be explained by assuming that the corrole core itself possesses electron-accepting ability. The peak 2PA cross sections in the Q-region are much less than in Soret-region, and can be quantitatively described within the two-level approximation taking into account permanent dipole moments in the ground and excited states.

Research paper thumbnail of The Two-Photon Bazooka: A New Way of Optically Screening Randomly Mutagenized Libraries of Fluorescent Proteins

Biophysical Journal, 2014

Research paper thumbnail of Mechanisms of Multiphoton Bleaching of Red Fluorescent Proteins

Biophysical Journal, 2014

Research paper thumbnail of Two-Photon Voltmeter for Measuring a Molecular Electric Field

Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English), Jan 8, 2015

We present a new approach for determining the strength of the dipolar solute-induced reaction fie... more We present a new approach for determining the strength of the dipolar solute-induced reaction field, along with the ground- and excited-state electrostatic dipole moments and polarizability of a solvated chromophore, using exclusively one-photon and two-photon absorption measurements. We verify the approach on two benchmark chromophores N,N-dimethyl-6-propionyl-2-naphthylamine (prodan) and coumarin 153 (C153) in a series of toluene/dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) mixtures and find that the experimental values show good quantitative agreement with literature and our quantum-chemical calculations. Our results indicate that the reaction field varies in a surprisingly broad range, 0-10(7) V cm(-1) , and that at close proximity, on the order of the chromophore radius, the effective dielectric constant of the solute-solvent system displays a unique functional dependence on the bulk dielectric constant, offering new insight into the close-range molecular interaction.

Research paper thumbnail of A multi-dimensional screening method for the selection of two-photon enhanced fluorescent proteins

Reporters, Markers, Dyes, Nanoparticles, and Molecular Probes For Biomedical Applications Vi, 2014

ABSTRACT Two-photon excitation of fluorescent proteins (FPs) is widely used in imaging whole orga... more ABSTRACT Two-photon excitation of fluorescent proteins (FPs) is widely used in imaging whole organisms or living tissues. Many different FPs are now available but these proteins have only been optimized for their one-photon properties. We have developed a technique for screening entire libraries of E. coli colonies expressing FPs that utilizes multiple wavelengths of linear excitation as well as two-photon excitation. Single mutations in a particular protein that affect one or twophoton properties are easily identified, providing new views of structure/function relationships. An amplified femtosecond Ti:sapphire laser and a spectrally filtered lamp source are used to acquire the fluorescence signals of up to ~1000 E. coli colonies on a standard Petri dish. Automation of the analysis and acquisition of the fluorescent signals makes it feasible to rapidly screen tens of thousands of colonies. In a proof of principle experiment with the commonly used EGFP, we used two rounds of error prone PCR and selection to evolve new proteins with shifted absorption and increased two-photon cross sections at 790nm. This method of screening, coupled with careful measurements of photo bleaching dynamics and two-photon cross sections, should make it possible to optimize a wide variety of fluorescent proteins and biosensors for use in two-photon microscopes.

Research paper thumbnail of Multiphoton Photochemistry of Red Fluorescent Proteins in Solution and Live Cells

Research paper thumbnail of Describing Two-Photon Absorptivity of Fluorescent Proteins with a New Vibronic Coupling Mechanism

The Journal of Physical Chemistry B, 2012

Research paper thumbnail of Strong two-photon absorption enhancement in a unique bis-porphyrin bearing a diketopyrrolopyrrole unit

Chemical Communications, 2013

A π-extended bis-porphyrin bridged via a diketopyrrolopyrrole unit was prepared in 5 steps. This ... more A π-extended bis-porphyrin bridged via a diketopyrrolopyrrole unit was prepared in 5 steps. This fully conjugated π-system displays strongly distorted linear absorption, while its two-photon absorption cross-section reaches 2500-3000 GM at 940 nm. LC-like behaviour, easy orientation and low viscosity are, according to XRD, POM and DSC measurements, due to formation of plastic rather than a liquid crystal.

Research paper thumbnail of Two-photon directed evolution of green fluorescent proteins

Research paper thumbnail of Role of Electric Field Changes in Fluorescence Response of Red Fluorescent Genetically-Encoded Ca2+ Indicators

Research paper thumbnail of A robotic multidimensional directed evolution approach applied to fluorescent voltage reporters

Nature chemical biology, 2018

We developed a new way to engineer complex proteins toward multidimensional specifications using ... more We developed a new way to engineer complex proteins toward multidimensional specifications using a simple, yet scalable, directed evolution strategy. By robotically picking mammalian cells that were identified, under a microscope, as expressing proteins that simultaneously exhibit several specific properties, we can screen hundreds of thousands of proteins in a library in just a few hours, evaluating each along multiple performance axes. To demonstrate the power of this approach, we created a genetically encoded fluorescent voltage indicator, simultaneously optimizing its brightness and membrane localization using our microscopy-guided cell-picking strategy. We produced the high-performance opsin-based fluorescent voltage reporter Archon1 and demonstrated its utility by imaging spiking and millivolt-scale subthreshold and synaptic activity in acute mouse brain slices and in larval zebrafish in vivo. We also measured postsynaptic responses downstream of optogenetically controlled neu...

Research paper thumbnail of Publisher Correction: A robotic multidimensional directed evolution approach applied to fluorescent voltage reporters

Nature chemical biology, Jan 8, 2018

In the version of this article originally published, the bottom of Figure 4f,g was partially trun... more In the version of this article originally published, the bottom of Figure 4f,g was partially truncated in the PDF. The error has been corrected in the PDF version of this article.

Research paper thumbnail of A genetically encoded Ca2+ indicator based on circularly permutated sea anemone red fluorescent protein eqFP578

BMC biology, Jan 16, 2018

Genetically encoded calcium ion (Ca2+) indicators (GECIs) are indispensable tools for measuring C... more Genetically encoded calcium ion (Ca2+) indicators (GECIs) are indispensable tools for measuring Ca2+ dynamics and neuronal activities in vitro and in vivo. Red fluorescent protein (RFP)-based GECIs have inherent advantages relative to green fluorescent protein-based GECIs due to the longer wavelength light used for excitation. Longer wavelength light is associated with decreased phototoxicity and deeper penetration through tissue. Red GECI can also enable multicolor visualization with blue- or cyan-excitable fluorophores. Here we report the development, structure, and validation of a new RFP-based GECI, K-GECO1, based on a circularly permutated RFP derived from the sea anemone Entacmaea quadricolor. We have characterized the performance of K-GECO1 in cultured HeLa cells, dissociated neurons, stem-cell-derived cardiomyocytes, organotypic brain slices, zebrafish spinal cord in vivo, and mouse brain in vivo. K-GECO1 is the archetype of a new lineage of GECIs based on the RFP eqFP578 sc...

Research paper thumbnail of Blue-Shifted Green Fluorescent Protein Homologues Are Brighter than Enhanced Green Fluorescent Protein under Two-Photon Excitation

The journal of physical chemistry letters, Jan 15, 2017

Fluorescent proteins (FPs) are indispensable markers for two-photon imaging of live tissue, espec... more Fluorescent proteins (FPs) are indispensable markers for two-photon imaging of live tissue, especially in the brains of small model organisms. The quantity of physiologically relevant data collected, however, is limited by heat-induced damage of the tissue due to the high intensities of the excitation laser. We seek to minimize this damage by developing FPs with improved brightness. Among FPs with the same chromophore structure, the spectral properties can vary widely due to differences in the local protein environment. Using a physical model that describes the spectra of FPs containing the anionic green FP (GFP) chromophore, we predict that those that are blue-shifted in one-photon absorption will have stronger peak two-photon absorption cross sections. Following this prediction, we present 12 blue-shifted GFP homologues and demonstrate that they are up to 2.5 times brighter than the commonly used enhanced GFP (EGFP).

Research paper thumbnail of Deciphering the molecular mechanism responsible for GCaMP6m's Ca2+-dependent change in fluorescence

PloS one, 2017

The goal of this work is to determine how GCaMP6m's fluorescence is altered in response to Ca... more The goal of this work is to determine how GCaMP6m's fluorescence is altered in response to Ca2+-binding. Our detailed spectroscopic study reveals the simplest explanation for how GCaMP6m changes fluorescence in response to Ca2+ is with a four-state model, in which a Ca2+-dependent change of the chromophore protonation state, due to a shift in pKa, is the predominant factor. The pKa shift is quantitatively explained by a change in electrostatic potential around the chromophore due to the conformational changes that occur in the protein when calmodulin binds Ca2+ and interacts with the M13 peptide. The absolute pKa values for the Ca2+-free and Ca2+-saturated states of GCaMP6m are critical to its high signal-to-noise ratio. This mechanism has important implications for further improvements to GCaMP6m and potentially for other similarly designed biosensors.

Research paper thumbnail of New GFP Variants with Enhanced Two-Photon Brightness

Biophysical Journal, 2017

Research paper thumbnail of Photochemical Hole Burning in the Absorption-Spectrum of Cyanine Dye

Research paper thumbnail of Two-photon excited photodynamic therapy and blood vessel closure using conjugated porphyrin dimers

Research paper thumbnail of Near-Infrared Fluorescent Proteins Engineered from Bacterial Phytochromes in Neuroimaging

Biophysical journal, Jan 7, 2017

Several series of near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent proteins (FPs) were recently engineered from ba... more Several series of near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent proteins (FPs) were recently engineered from bacterial phytochromes but were not systematically compared in neurons. To fluoresce, NIR FPs utilize an enzymatic derivative of heme, the linear tetrapyrrole biliverdin, as a chromophore whose level in neurons is poorly studied. Here, we evaluated NIR FPs of the iRFP protein family, which were reported to be the brightest in non-neuronal mammalian cells, in primary neuronal culture, in brain slices of mouse and monkey, and in mouse brain in vivo. We applied several fluorescence imaging modes, such as wide-field and confocal one-photon and two-photon microscopy, to compare photochemical and biophysical properties of various iRFPs. The iRFP682 and iRFP670 proteins exhibited the highest brightness and photostability under one-photon and two-photon excitation modes, respectively. All studied iRFPs exhibited efficient binding of the endogenous biliverdin chromophore in cultured neurons and in ...

Research paper thumbnail of Study of excitonic states of J-aggregates of a tiacyanine dye by methods of picosecond spectroscopy and persistent hole burning

J-aggregates of tiacarbocyanine derivative are investigated in frozen solution at low temperature... more J-aggregates of tiacarbocyanine derivative are investigated in frozen solution at low temperatures by optical spectroscopy and spectral hole burning. It is found that absorption and luminescence bands have inhomogeneous widths of 220 and 130 cm-1 at 5 K respectively used in contrast to pseudoisocyanine (PIC) J-bands are separated by Stokes shift of 100 cm-1. Moreover, J-aggregate fluorescence spectrum depends drastically

Research paper thumbnail of Two-photon absorption spectroscopy of corroles

Proceedings of Spie the International Society For Optical Engineering, Feb 1, 2009

We report simultaneous two-photon absorption (2PA) spectra in a series of substituted corroles an... more We report simultaneous two-photon absorption (2PA) spectra in a series of substituted corroles and related porphyrins in 800-1400 nm laser wavelength range. Compared to the porphyrins, the 2PA spectrum of corroles contains a distinct and relatively high intensity peak, sigma(2) = 60-130 GM, close to twice the wavelength of Soret maximum (800-850 nm). The increase of 2PA peak cross section is explained in terms of decreased symmetry of the contracted macro-cycle, and is most likely related to relaxing of the parity selection rules that restrict 2PA in the Soret band for more symmetrical porphyrins. We also observe that the strength of the 2PA peak in Soret region decreases with the electron-withdrawing ability (increasing Hammett constant) of the side substituents, which can be explained by assuming that the corrole core itself possesses electron-accepting ability. The peak 2PA cross sections in the Q-region are much less than in Soret-region, and can be quantitatively described within the two-level approximation taking into account permanent dipole moments in the ground and excited states.