A potential photoaffinity probe for labelling the active site of aequorin: a photolabile coelenterazine analogue with a trifluoromethyldiazirine group

Abstract

In order to clarify the active site of aequorin, we have successfully synthesized a photolabile analogue of coelenterazine with a trifluoromethyldiazirine group as a photoaffinity probe. Our studies on the chemi- and bio-luminescence of this novel analogue indicate that its behaviour is almost identical with that of natural coelenterazine in terms of luminescence characteristics. Therefore, the analogue with the photolabile diazirine should be a useful photoaffinity label for probing the detailed structure of aequorin.