title: Separation of highly fluorescent proteins by SDS-PAGE in Acroporidae corals.
abstract: This study characterized the spectral properties of Acropora tenuis, A. nasuta, A. secale, and A. aspera, all of which showed strong colorful fluorescence under ultraviolet light-A (black light). The emission maxima of fluorescence from the intact corals were 517, 482, 484, and 514 nm in A. tenuis, A. nasuta, A. secale, and A. aspera, respectively. Using a soluble fraction of cell-free extract of the corals, we applied a method of sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) to separate each fluorescent protein component contained in the corals. Green fluorescent bands were detected in all Acropora examined, although their apparent molecular mass and relative content were different. A. aspera had two orange bands in addition to the green one. The major excitation and emission peaks of the orange fluorescence bands were almost identical (476 and 478 nm), however, they were discernible by their spectral profiles and molecular masses. Some biochemical properties of the highly fluorescent proteins of Acropora are described and implications of the results are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Science, University of the Ryukyus, Nishihara, 903-0213, Okinawa, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Papina
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sakihama
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bena
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: van Woesik
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamasaki
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001671:Biochemistry / Q000379:methods; D003063:Cnidaria / Q000378:metabolism*; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel / Q000379:methods*; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins