Mechanically modulating the photophysical properties of fluorescent protein biocomposites for ratio- and intensiometric sensors.

Mechanically sensitive biocomposites comprised of fluorescent proteins report stress through distinct pathways. Whereas a composite containing an enhanced yellow fluorescent protein (eYFP) exhibited hypsochromic shifts in its fluorescence emission maxima following compression, a composite containing a modified green fluorescent protein (GFPuv) exhibited fluorescence quenching under the action of mechanical force. These ratio- and intensiometric sensors demonstrate that insights garnered from disparate fields (that is, polymer mechanochemistry and biophysics) can be harnessed to guide the rational design of new classes of biomechanophore-containing materials.