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Creating coveted bioluminescence colors for simultaneous multi-color bioimaging
Mitsuru Hattori1, Tetsuichi Wazawa1, Mariko Orioka2
1Department of Biomolecular Science and Engineering, SANKEN, Osaka University, 8-1 Mihogaoka, Ibaraki, Osaka 567-0047, Japan.
Science Advances
|January 22, 2025
Summary
Researchers developed a new bioluminescence method to visualize up to 20 colors simultaneously. This technique expands color variation for observing multiple biological targets and phenomena with a single camera acquisition.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Molecular Biology
- Optical Imaging
Background:
- Bioluminescence offers light-free optical marking for observing biological processes.
- Simultaneous detection requires distinct colors from multiple bioluminescent targets.
- Current methods have limitations in achieving sufficient color diversity for multiplexed imaging.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel method for expanding color variation in bioluminescence.
- To enable simultaneous visualization of a greater number of biological targets.
- To enhance multiplexed imaging capabilities using bioluminescence resonance energy transfer.
Main Methods:
- Tuning dual-acceptor bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRT) to modulate emission spectra.
- Engineering bioluminescent proteins with varied spectral properties.
- Utilizing single-shot acquisition with a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) camera for multicolor detection.
Main Results:
- Successfully expanded the color palette of bioluminescent reporters.
- Achieved visualization of up to 20 distinct colors in a single experiment.
- Demonstrated the capability for simultaneous observation of multiple biological targets and phenomena.
Conclusions:
- The developed dual-acceptor BRT method significantly enhances bioluminescence color diversity.
- This technique allows for simple, simultaneous, and multicolor imaging of biological systems.
- Offers a powerful tool for advancing multiplexed biological research and diagnostics.
