A new fluorogenic substrate for granzyme B based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer

Abstract

The synthesis and characterization of a new fluorogenic substrate for granzyme B (GzmB) is reported. The substrate design was based on the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) principle using 5-(2′-aminoethyl)aminonaphthalene sulfonic acid (Edans) and 4-[[4′-(N,N-dimethylamino)phenyl]diazenyl]benzoic acid (Dabcyl) as a donor–acceptor pair, linked to a specific sequence for GzmB (AAD), with an additional amino acid as the anchoring point (K). The tetrapeptide was synthesized by microwave-assisted solid-phase peptide synthesis (MW-SPPS) and coupled to Dabcyl and Edans at its N- and C-termini, respectively. The obtained probe was purified by semi-preparative HPLC and characterized by NMR, UV/Vis absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy and mass spectrometry.