Abstract
Ca2+ carries information pivotal to cell life and death via its interactions with specific binding sites in a protein. We previously developed a novel photoreactive reagent, azido ruthenium (AzRu), which strongly inhibits Ca2+-dependent activities. Here, we synthesized new fluorescent ruthenium-based reagents containing FITC or EITC, FITC-Ru and EITC-Ru. These reagents were purified, characterized and found to specifically interact with and markedly inhibit Ca2+-dependent activities but not the activity of Ca2+-independent reactions. In contrast to many reagents that serve as probes for Ca2+, FITC-Ru and EITC-Ru are the first fluorescent divalent cation analogs to be synthesized and characterized that specifically bind to Ca2+-binding proteins and inhibit their activity. Such reagents will assist in characterizing Ca2+-binding proteins, thereby facilitating better understanding of the function of Ca2+ as a key bio-regulator.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 158-164 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications |
Volume | 426 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 14 Sep 2012 |
Keywords
- Ca transport
- Ca transport inhibitor
- Ca-binding proteins
- Fluorescent reagent
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Biophysics
- Biochemistry
- Molecular Biology
- Cell Biology