Volume 127, Issue 44 pp. 13219-13223
Zuschrift

A Zinc(II) Photocage Based on a Decarboxylation Metal Ion Release Mechanism for Investigating Homeostasis and Biological Signaling

Dr. Prem N. Basa

Dr. Prem N. Basa

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA 01609-2280 (USA)

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Sagar Antala

Sagar Antala

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA 01609-2280 (USA)

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Prof. Dr. Robert E. Dempski

Prof. Dr. Robert E. Dempski

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA 01609-2280 (USA)

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Prof. Dr. Shawn C. Burdette

Corresponding Author

Prof. Dr. Shawn C. Burdette

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA 01609-2280 (USA)

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA 01609-2280 (USA)Search for more papers by this author
First published: 08 September 2015
Citations: 11

Abstract

Metal ion signaling in biology has been studied extensively with ortho-nitrobenzyl photocages; however, the low quantum yields and other optical properties are not ideal for these applications. We describe the synthesis and characterization of NTAdeCage, the first member in a new class of Zn2+ photocages that utilizes a light-driven decarboxylation reaction in the metal ion release mechanism. NTAdeCage binds Zn2+ with sub-pM affinity using a modified nitrilotriacetate chelator and exhibits an almost 6 order of magnitude decrease in metal binding affinity upon uncaging. In contrast to other metal ion photocages, NTAdeCage and the corresponding Zn2+ complex undergo efficient photolysis with quantum yields approaching 30 %. The ability of NTAdeCage to mediate the uptake of 65Zn2+ by Xenopus laevis oocytes expressing hZIP4 demonstrates the viability of this photocaging strategy to execute biological assays.

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