Fluorescent proteins generate a genetic color polymorphism and counteract oxidative stress in intertidal sea anemones

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2317017121
• Publication Date: 2024-03-08T18:54:00Z
• Authors: D. Nathaniel Clarke; Noah H. Rose; Evelien De Meulen...; Benyamin Rosental; John S. Pearse; Vicki Buchsbaum P...; Dimitri D. Deheyn
• Keywords: antioxidant; Spectrometry; Anthopleura; Green Fluorescent Proteins; Biological Sciences; GFP; Fluorescence; Antioxidants; polymorphism; Luminescent Proteins; Oxidative Stress; Sea Anemones; Spectrometry, Fluorescence; Genetics; Animals; Biochemistry and Cell Biology; Generic health relevance; biofluorescence

Fluorescent proteins (FPs) are ubiquitous tools in research, yet their endogenous functions nature poorly understood. In this work, we describe a combination of for FPs clade intertidal sea anemones whose control genetic color polymorphism together with the ability to combat oxidative stress. Focusing on underlying genetics fluorescent green “Neon” morph, show that allelic differences single FP gene generate its strong and vibrant color, by increasing both molecular brightness expression level. Natural variation sequences also produces antioxidant capacity. We demonstrate these antioxidants can protect live cells against Finally, based structural modeling responsible amino acids, propose model function is driven surface charge. Together, our findings shed light multifaceted co-occur within provide framework studying evolution fluorescence as it balances spectral physiological nature.