Development of Bioengineered Cyanobacteriochromes for in vivo Fluorescence Tagging

Mills College, Oakland CA

Investigators

Abstract

0967965 Spiller Cyanobacteriochromes are a cyanobacterial family of biliprotein photoreceptors. This bioengineering proposal promises a small, bright red reporter (about 160 amino acids). Compared to other red-fluorescent markers, biliprotein reporters will exhibit substantially improved resistance to photobleaching and low intracellular toxicity. They plan to optimize the DNA sequence of a mutant cyanobacteriochrome for mammalian expression, and then to fuse it to mammalian cytoskeleton proteins for transfection into living cells. The intellectual merit of the proposed research is that engineered bright red fluorescent proteins are tools for in vivo cellular imaging. The goal is to image a red fluorescent-tagged cytoskeleton during infection so that understanding the infection process will suggest therapeutic protocols. There are potentially many other uses for a bright red, small, non-toxic fluorescent tag. Among the broader impacts resulting from the activity is the training of undergraduate women in bioengineering. Mills College's small college atmosphere is an ideal environment for engaging young women in the excitement of scientific research. Twenty-eight young women and one man have participated in biophotonics research at Mills College supported by a sub award from NSF (CBST- UC Davis). All of these students have entered graduate schools or medical schools.