Labeling of Proteins with Fluorescent Probes. Photophysical Characterization of Dansylated Bovine Serum Albumin

VALERIA LEVI, FRANCISCO LUIS GONZÁLEZ FLECHA

BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY EDUCATION

Año: 2003 vol. 31 p. 333 - 336

1470-8175

Fluorescence spectroscopy is a widely used technique in biophysical studies. One of the strategiesfrequently used consists of labeling biomolecules with fluorescent probes, which have distinctive photophysicalproperties. This methodology allows the study of a wide variety of structural features of thebiomolecule. We describe a simple laboratory activity for undergraduate Biophysical Chemistry courses.The experimental work includes two activities: labeling bovine serum albumin with dansyl chloride andanalyzing the resulting absorption and fluorescence spectra. The discussion of these activities helpsstudents to understand the basis of fluorescence spectroscopy with emphasis in the application tobiological systems.