Plant PeptoQ

Plant_PeptoQ_uptake from Asfaw et al. 2019
Model for the uptake of Plant PeptoQ (from Asfaw et al. 2019, Nature Scientific Reports).
Plant_PeptoQ Springer_Nature
Textblock-Bild vertikal 2712The chemical structures of CoQ10 1, the CoQ10 analogue 6-(10-bromodecyl) ubiquinone 2 and the rhodamine-labelled and unlabelled plant PeptoQ 3 and 4.

Use of Plant PeptoQ

Plant PeptoQ is a Trojan Peptoid that has been developed in a cooperation between our group and the lab of Ute Schepers. It can be taken up into walled cells and labels specifically mitochondria by virtue of an attached rhodamine moiety. In addition, it is linked with a cargo derived from Coenzyme Q, a membrane compound that can scavenge superoxide in the inner mitochondrial membrane.

 

Molecular Properties

  • activation by the 561-nm line of an Ar-Kr laser, emission at 617 nm
  • uptake within 60 min at 1-2 µM
  • working concentration 1-2 µM
  • soluble in water

Information

  • uptake by endocytosis, reaching mitochondria through an ER intermediate pool
  • membrane passage probably at the ER-mitochondria contact site
  • not interfering with the plasma membrane located integrity sensor, therefore not causing any cytotoxicity
  • activating retrograde signalling leading to elevated expression of the mitochondrial Mn-SOD
  • mitigating salinity stress and mitochondrial redox imbalance under salt stress

References