POSSIBLE APPLICATION OF METAL SENSITIVE RED FLUORESCENT PROTEINS IN ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING

The metal sensitivity and selectivity of two fluorescent proteins was investigated. The studied proteins are mutant forms of the red fluorescent protein (DsRed); according to our results, both proteins showed sensitivity to the presence of copper[II] and nickel ions. The fluorescence intensity of the proteins has decreased significantly in the presence of copper ions in the micromolar range. Metal binding by these proteins is a reversible process, as addition of a chelating agent liberates the bound ions. Considering these advantageous properties, the studied proteins can be used as copper ion biosensors.