Thesis: Ph. D. in Biological Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Chemistry, 2018. / Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references (pages 231-249). / Fluorogenic probes, small-molecule sensors that unmask brilliant fluorescence upon exposure to specific stimuli, are essential tools for chemical biology. Probes that detect enzymatic activity can be used to illuminate the complex dynamics of biological processes at a level of spatiotemporal detail and sensitivity unmatched by other techniques. This dissertation describes the development of new fluorophore chemistries to expand our current fluorogenic probe toolkit and the subsequent application of these probes to study dynamic cell transport processes. Chapter 1. Enzyme-Activated Fluorogenic Probes for Live-Cell and In Vivo Imaging. Chapter 1 reviews recent advances in enzyme-activated fluorogenic probes for biological imaging, organized by enzyme classification. This review surveys recent masking strategies, different modes of enzymatic activation, and the breadth of current and future probe applications. Key challenges, such as probe selectivity and spectroscopic requirements, are described in this chapter along with therapeutic and diagnostic opportunities that can be accessed by surmounting these challenges. Chapter 2. Electronic and Steric Optimization of Fluorogenic Probes for Biomolecular Imaging. In many fluorogenic probes, the intrinsic fluorescence of a small-molecule fluorophore is masked by ester masking groups until entry into a cell, where endogenous esterases catalyze the hydrolysis of esters, generating fluorescence. The susceptibility of masking groups to spontaneous hydrolysis is a major limitation of these probes. Previous attempts to address this problem have incorporated auto-immolative linkers at the cost of atom economy and synthetic adversity. In this chapter, I report on a linker-free strategy that employs adventitious electronic and steric interactions in easy-to-synthesize probes. I find that halogen-carbonyl n-->[pi]* interactions and acyl group size are optimized in 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein diisobutyrate. This probe is relatively stable to spontaneous hydrolysis but is a highly reactive substrate for esterases both in vitro and in cellulo, yielding a bright, photostable fluorogenic probe with utility in biomolecular imaging. Chapter 3. Cellular Uptake of Large Monofunctionalized Dextrans. Dextrans are a versatile class of polysaccharides with applications that span medicine, cell biology, food science, and consumer goods. In Chapter 3, I apply the electronically stabilized probe described in Chapter 2 to study the cellular uptake of a new type of large monofunctionalized dextran that exhibits unusual properties: efficient cytosolic and nuclear uptake. This dextran permeates various human cell types without the use of transfection agents, electroporation, or membrane perturbation. Cellular uptake occurs primarily through active transport via receptor-mediated processes. These monofunctionalized dextrans could serve as intracellular delivery platforms for drugs or other cargos. Chapter 4. Paired Nitroreductase-Probe System to Quantify the Cytosolic Delivery of Biomolecules. Cytosolic delivery of large biomolecules is a significant barrier to therapeutic applications of CRISPR, RNAi, and biologics such as proteins with anticancer properties. In Chapter 4, I describe a new paired enzyme-probe system to quantify cytosolic delivery of biomolecules-a valuable resource for elucidating mechanistic details and improving delivery of therapeutics. I designed and optimized a nitroreductase fusion protein that embeds in the cytosolic face of outer mitochondrial membranes, providing several key improvements over unanchored reporter enzymes. In parallel, I prepared and assessed a panel of nitroreductase-activated probes for favorable spectroscopic and enzymatic activation properties. Together, the nitroreductase fusion protein and fluorogenic probes provide a rapid, generalizable tool that is well-poised to quantify cytosolic delivery of biomolecules. Chapter 5. Future Directions. This chapter outlines several future directions for expanding the scope of fluorogenic probes and developing new biological applications. Additionally, Chapter 5 is followed by an appendix describing a tunable rhodol fluorophore scaffold for improved spectroscopic properties and versatility. Overall, the work described in this thesis illustrates the power of enzyme-activated fluorogenic probes to provide fresh insight into dynamic biological processes, with direct implications for improved therapeutic delivery. / by Wen Chyan. / Ph. D. in Biological Chemistry
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:MIT/oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/118216 |
| Date | January 2018 |
| Creators | Chyan, Wen, Ph. D. Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| Contributors | Ronald T. Raines., Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Chemistry., Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Chemistry. |
| Publisher | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| Source Sets | M.I.T. Theses and Dissertation |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 249 pages, application/pdf |
| Rights | MIT theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed, downloaded, or printed from this source but further reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission., http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582 |
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