title: Long-distance FRET analysis: a Monte Carlo simulation study.
abstract: A new method for extending the utilizable range of Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) is proposed and tested by the Monte Carlo technique. The obtained results indicate that the efficiency of FRET can be significantly enhanced at a given distance if the energy transfer takes place toward multiple acceptors that are closely located on a macromolecule instead of a single acceptor molecule as it is currently used in FRET analysis. On the other hand, reasonable FRET efficiency can be obtained at significantly longer distances than in the case of a single acceptor. Randomly distributed and parallel orientated acceptor transition moments with respect to the transition moment of the donor molecule have been analyzed as two extreme cases. As expected, a parallel orientation of donor and acceptor transition moments results in a more efficient excitation energy transfer. This finding could be used to directly reveal the assembly/deassembly of large protein complexes in a cell by fluorescence microscopy.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Spectroscopy Division, Institute of Experimental Physics, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 57, 80-952 Gdańsk, Poland. fizpb@ug.edu.pl
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bojarski
authors.forename: Leszek
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kulak
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Walczewska-Szewc
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Synak
authors.forename: Vincenzo Manuel
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Marzullo
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Luini
authors.forename: Sabato
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: D'Auria
mesh_terms: D031541:Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000737:chemistry; D009010:Monte Carlo Method
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes