Computational strategy for tuning spectral properties of red fluorescent proteins

Computational methods of quantum chemistry are used to characterize structures and vertical excitation energies of the S0-S1 optical transitions in the chromophore binding pockets of the red fluorescent proteins DsRed and of its artificial mutant mCherry. As previously shown, optimizing the equilibrium geometry configurations with B3LYP density functional theory, followed by ZINDO calculations of the electronic excitations, yields positions of the optical bands in good agreement with experimental data. These large scale quantum calculations elucidate the role of the hydrogen bonded network as well as point mutations in the absorption spectra of the DsRed and mCherry proteins. The effect of an external electric field applied to the fluorescent protein chromophores is examined and shows that such fields may result in large shifts in spectral bands. These strategies can be applied for rational design of the fluorescent proteins by site-directed mutagenesis.

Research Highlights► Quantum chemical methods were used to characterize structures and absorption spectra of the red fluorescent proteins. ► The role of the hydrogen bond network and point mutations in the chromophore binding pockets was investigated. ► The effect of an external electric field applied to the fluorescent protein chromophores was examined.