Development of compound optimization technology for tracking reactions within enzymes

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K04989
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 32010:Fundamental physical chemistry-related
• Research Institution: Gunma University
• Principal Investigator: Hiyama Miyabi 群馬大学, 大学院理工学府, 准教授 (90399311)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: ケージドルシフェリン / 光開裂量子収率 / 光開裂断面積 / 光褪色量子収率 / 光褪色断面積

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Photocleaving type of caged luciferin is a compound that produces a substrate for firefly bioluminescence luciferin by irradiation. In this study, we improved the synthesis method of DEACM-caged luciferin, which was originally developed in our laboratory. It was succeeded in synthesizing a larger amount and higher purity of this compound than ever before. A quantitative method for evaluating the feature of caged compounds was established by obtaining the number of molecules of D-luciferin produced from the irradiation of this compound with the absolute photon-yield measurement system. The photocleavage quantum yield of DEACM-caged luciferin were determined from the irradiation experiments for this compound. Moreover, the X-ray absorption spectra (XAS) measurements for luciferin were performed and the characteristics of XAS for the protonation/deprotonation structure of luciferin were shown by the assignment of these spectra using theoretical calculations.

Free Research Field

物理化学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究で確立した方法により、新たに開発される光解離型ケージドルシフェリンの統一的な性能評価が可能になった。また、ホタル生物発光は薬剤動態やがんの転移経路観測のための生体内の分子イメージングに用いられている。光解離型ケージドルシフェリンは、光照射のタイミングによりルシフェラーゼを含む細胞内で発光する時刻を制御することができる。本研究で開発したDEACMケージドルシフェリンは、今後、生体内分子イメージングへの利用が期待される。