Exploring Green Fluorescent Protein Brownian Motion: Temperature and Concentration Dependencies Through Luminescence Thermometry

• Published in: Advanced Physics Research Vol. 3; no. 11
• Main Authors: Guo, Yongwei, Maturi, Fernando E., Brites, Carlos D. S., Carlos, Luís D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Edinburgh John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01.11.2024; Wiley-VCH
• Subjects: ballistic transport; Brownian motion; brownian velocity; Enzyme kinetics; Fluorescence; green fluorescent protein; luminescence thermometry; Nanoparticles; Physiology; Proteins; Spectrum analysis; Star & galaxy formation; Temperature; Temperature dependence; Velocity; Viscosity
• ISSN: 2751-1200; 2751-1200
• DOI: 10.1002/apxr.202400085

Luminescent nanothermometry emerges as a powerful tool for studying protein dynamics. This technique was employed to perform the first measurement of the temperature dependence of protein Brownian velocity, showcasing the illustrative example of enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) across physiologically relevant temperatures (30−50 °C) and concentrations (40, 60, and 80 × 10−3 kg m−3). EGFP exhibited a concentration‐dependent decrease in Brownian velocity, from (1.47 ± 0.09) × 10−3 m s−1 to (0.35 ± 0.01) × 10−3 m s−1, at 30 °C, mimicking crowded cellular environments. Notably, the protein Brownian velocity increased linearly with temperature. These results demonstrate the suitability of concentrated suspensions for modeling intracellular crowding and validate luminescent nanothermometry for protein Brownian motion studies. Furthermore, the observed linear relationship between the logarithm of the protein Brownian velocity and concentration indicates that EGFP motion is not primarily driven by diffusion, but more of a ballistic transport. This study explores Brownian motion in enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) using luminescence nanothermometry. How protein concentration and temperature impact EGFP dynamics is demonstrated providing insights into protein behavior in crowded environments. The research emphasizes the need to measure protein Brownian velocity at physiological temperatures for accurate biological studies.