Two-Photon Fluorescence Anisotropy Imaging to Elucidate the Dynamics and the Stability of Immobilized Proteins

Time/spatial-resolved fluorescence determines anisotropy values of supported-fluorescent proteins through different immobilization chemistries, evidencing some of the molecular mechanisms that drive the stabilization of proteins at the interfaces with solid surfaces. Fluorescence anisotropy imaging provides a normalized protein mobility parameter that serves as a guide to study the effect of different immobilization parameters (length and flexibility of the spacer arm and multivalency of the protein-support interaction) on the final stability of the supported proteins. Proteins in a more constrained environment correspond to the most thermostable ones, as was shown by thermal inactivation studies. This work contributes to explain the experimental evidence found with conventional methods based on observable measurements; thus this advanced characterization technique provides reliable molecular information about the immobilized proteins with sub-micrometer spatial resolution. Such information has been very useful for fabricating highly stable heterogeneous biocatalysts with high interest in industrial developments.