Real-Time Monitoring of Selenium in Living Cells by Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer-Based Genetically Encoded Ratiometric Nanosensors

Selenium is a component of selenoproteins, which plays a crucial role in cellular redox homeostasis, thyroid metabolism, and DNA synthesis. Selenium has pleiotropic effects like antioxidant and antiinflammatory activities; however, excess intake of selenium can imbalance such processes. The effects of selenium on human health are numerous and complex, demanding additional research to monitor the flux rate of selenium. Here, we have created a noninvasive and highly efficient genetically encoded fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based nanosensor, SelFS (Selenium FRET-Sensor), for real-time monitoring of selenium at the cellular and subcellular levels. The construct of the nanosensor contains a selenium-binding protein (SeBP) as the selenium-detecting element inserted between the green fluorescent protein variants enhanced cyan fluorescent protein and Venus. In the presence of selenium, SelFS brings a conformational change, which is seen in the form of FRET. In vitro studies showed that SelFS is highly specific and selective for selenium and stable at an altered pH range from 5.0 to 8.0. SelFS is a flexible and dynamic tool for the detection of selenium in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes in a noninvasive way, with a binding constant (Kd) of 0.198 x 10-6 M as compared to its mutants. The developed nanosensor can provide us a reporter tool for a wide range of industrial and environmental applications, which will help us to understand its functions in biological systems.