Analysis Of Fluorescence Data Research Articles

Fluorescence quenching and molecular docking study on the binding of four hydroxyanthraquinones to FTO

ABSTRACTIn this work, the binding of four hydroxyanthraquinones (HAQs) to fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) protein has been studied using fluorescence, UV-vis absorption and circular dichroism spectroscopy as well as molecular docking analysis. Analysis of fluorescence data showed that the binding of HAQs to FTO occurred via a static quenching mechanism. Thermodynamic analysis and molecular docking results suggested that hydrophobic force played a major role in stabilising the HAQ-FTO complex. Circular dichroism spectra indicated that the secondary structure of FTO was changed by the addition of HAQs. Results also showed that emodin had the strongest quenching and binding ability among four HAQs.

Multiplexed analysis combining distinctly-sized CdTe-MPA quantum dots and chemometrics for multiple mutually interfering analyte determination

Semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) have demonstrated a great potential as fluorescent probes for heavy metals monitoring. However, their great reactivity, whose tunability could be difficult to attain, could impair selectivity yielding analytical results with poor accuracy. In this work, the combination in the same analysis of multiple QDs, each with a particular ability to interact with the analyte, assured a multi-point detection that was not only exploited for a more precise analyte discrimination but also for the simultaneous discrimination of multiple mutually interfering species, in the same sample. Three different MPA-CdTe QDs (2.5, 3.0 and 3.8nm) with a good size distribution, confirmed by the FWHM values of 48.6, 55.4 and 80.8nm, respectively, were used. Principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares regression (PLS) were used for fluorescence data analysis. Mixtures of two MPA-CdTe QDs, emitting at different wavelength namely 549/566, 549/634 and 566/634nm were assayed. The 549/634nm emitting QDs mixture provided the best results for the discrimination of distinct ions on binary and ternary mixtures. The obtained RMSECV and R2CV values for the binary mixture were good, namely, from 0.01 to 0.08mgL−1 and from 0.74 to 0.89, respectively. Regarding the ternary mixture the RMSECV and R2CV values were good for Hg(II) (0.06 and 0.73mgL−1, respectively) and Pb(II) (0.08 and 0.87mg L−1, respectively) and acceptable for Cu(II) (0.02 and 0.51mgL−1, respectively). In conclusion, the obtained results showed that the developed approach is capable of resolve binary and ternary mixtures of Pb (II), Hg (II) and Cu (II), providing accurate information about lead (II) and mercury (II) concentration and signaling the occurrence of Cu (II).

FluoRender: joint freehand segmentation and visualization for many-channel fluorescence data analysis

BackgroundImage segmentation and registration techniques have enabled biologists to place large amounts of volume data from fluorescence microscopy, morphed three-dimensionally, onto a common spatial frame. Existing tools built on volume visualization pipelines for single channel or red-green-blue (RGB) channels have become inadequate for the new challenges of fluorescence microscopy. For a three-dimensional atlas of the insect nervous system, hundreds of volume channels are rendered simultaneously, whereas fluorescence intensity values from each channel need to be preserved for versatile adjustment and analysis. Although several existing tools have incorporated support of multichannel data using various strategies, the lack of a flexible design has made true many-channel visualization and analysis unavailable. The most common practice for many-channel volume data presentation is still converting and rendering pseudosurfaces, which are inaccurate for both qualitative and quantitative evaluations.ResultsHere, we present an alternative design strategy that accommodates the visualization and analysis of about 100 volume channels, each of which can be interactively adjusted, selected, and segmented using freehand tools. Our multichannel visualization includes a multilevel streaming pipeline plus a triple-buffer compositing technique. Our method also preserves original fluorescence intensity values on graphics hardware, a crucial feature that allows graphics-processing-unit (GPU)-based processing for interactive data analysis, such as freehand segmentation. We have implemented the design strategies as a thorough restructuring of our original tool, FluoRender.ConclusionThe redesign of FluoRender not only maintains the existing multichannel capabilities for a greatly extended number of volume channels, but also enables new analysis functions for many-channel data from emerging biomedical-imaging techniques.

Influence of quercetin on the interaction of gliclazide with human serum albumin - spectroscopic and docking approaches.

Protein-binding interactions are displacement reactions which have been implicated as the causative mechanisms in many drug-drug interactions. Thus, the aim of presented study was to analyse human serum albumin-binding displacement interaction between two ligands, hypoglycaemic drug gliclazide and widely distributed plant flavonoid quercetin. Fluorescence analysis was used in order to investigate the effect of substances on intrinsic fluorescence of human serum albumin (HSA) and to define binding and quenching properties of ligand-albumin complexes in binary and ternary systems, respectively. Both ligands showed the ability to bind to HSA, although to a different extent. The displacement effect of one ligand from HSA by the other one has been described on the basis of the quenching curves and binding constants comparison for the binary and ternary systems. According to the fluorescence data analysis, gliclazide presents a substance with a lower binding capacity towards HSA compared with quercetin. Results also showed that the presence of quercetin hindered the interaction between HSA and gliclazide, as the binding constant for gliclazide in the ternary system was remarkably lower compared with the binary system. This finding indicates a possibility for an increase in the non-bound fraction of gliclazide which can lead to its more significant hypoglycaemic effect. Additionally, secondary and tertiary structure conformational alterations of HSA upon binding of both ligands were investigated using synchronous fluorescence, circular dichroism and FT-IR. Experimental data were complemented with molecular docking studies. Obtained results provide beneficial information about possible interference upon simultaneous co-administration of the food/dietary supplement and drug.

Cloning, expression and characterization of an aspartate aminotransferase gene from Lactobacillus brevis CGMCC 1306

ABSTRACTAn aspartate aminotransferase (AATase) gene from Lactobacillus brevis CGMCC 1306 was cloned, which contains a 1182-bp open reading frame coding for 393 amino acids (41.43 kDa). When expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3), the recombinant AATase was purified and subsequently characterized. The recombinant AATase can catalyse the conversion of L-Asp to L-Glu, and the kcat/Km was determined to be 25.5 (mmol/L)−1 s−1 for L-Asp and 207.8 m(mol/L)−1 s−1 for α-ketoglutarate. With optimum temperature as 25 ˚C, the AATase may be a novel and special psychrophilic enzyme which exhibited a good thermal stability below 55 ˚C. The conserved active site residue of AATase was identified as Lys237 by phylogenetic analysis. Secondary structure of the enzyme includes α-helix (39.2%), β-sheet (5.5%), β-turn (8.8%), and random coil (36.5%) by circular dichroism spectral analysis. Phase diagram for the fluorescence data analysis showed that guanidinium chloride-induced unfolding of AATase involved at least one intermediate.

Chloroplastic iron-sulfur scaffold protein NFU3 is essential to overall plant fitness

ABSTRACTA previous study showed that Nitrogen-Fixing-subunit-U-type protein NFU3 may act an iron-sulfur scaffold protein in the assembly and transfer of 4Fe-4S and 3Fe-4S clusters in the chloroplast. Examples of 4Fe-4S and 3Fe-4S-requiring proteins and complexes include Photosystem I (PSI), NAD(P)H dehydrogenase, and ferredoxin-dependent glutamine oxoglutarate aminotransferases. In this paper, the authors provided additional evidence for the role of NFU3 in 4Fe-4S and 3Fe-4S cluster assembly and transfer, as well as its role in overall plant fitness. Confocal microscopic analysis of the fluorescently-tagged NFU3 protein confirmed the chloroplast localization of the NFU3 protein. Detailed analysis of chlorophyll fluorescence data revealed that a substantial increase in minimal fluorescence is the primary contributor to the decrease in PSII maximum photochemical efficiency observed in the nfu3 mutants. The substantial increase in minimal fluorescence in the nfu3 mutants is probably the result of an impaired PSI function, blockage of electron flow from PSII to PSI, and over-accumulation of reduced plastoquinone at the acceptor side of PSII. Analyses of seed morphology and germination showed that NFU3 is essential to seed development and germination, in addition to plant growth, development, and flowering. In summary, NFU3 has wide-ranging effects on many biologic processes and is therefore important to overall plant fitness. NFU3 may exert these effects by modulating the availability of 4Fe-4S and 3Fe-4S clusters to 4Fe-4S and 3Fe-4S-requiring proteins and complexes involved in various biologic processes.

Binding of anti-cardiovascular drug to serum albumin: an insight in the light of spectroscopic and computational approaches

Isoprenaline hydrochloride is a potential cardiovascular drug helps in the smooth functioning of the heart muscles. So, we have performed the binding study of ISO with BSA. This study was investigated by UV absorption, fluorescence, synchronous fluorescence, circular dichroism, etc. The analysis of intrinsic fluorescence data showed the low binding affinity of ISO. The binding constant Kb was 2.8 × 103 M-1 and binding stoichiometry (n) was approximately one and the Gibb’s free energy change at 310 K was determined to be -8.69 kcal mol−1. Negative Gibb’s free energy change shows the spontaneity of the BSA and ISO interaction. We have found ISO-induced alternation in the UV absorption, synchronous fluorescence and CD spectra in the absence and presence of the quencher indicates the complex formation. In synchronous fluorescence, red shift was obtained because of the complex formation of BSA and ISO. The distance (r) between the BSA (donor) and ISO (acceptor) was 2.89 nm, determined by FRET. DLS measurements interpreted complex formation due to the reduction in hydrodynamic radii of the protein in the presence of the drug. The binding site of ISO was found to be nearer to Trp 134 with the help of molecular docking and the ΔG° was found to be –10.2 kcal mol−1. The esterase activity result suggests that ISO acts as competitive inhibitor. Thus, this study would help to determine the binding capacity of the drug to the protein which may indicate the efficiency of diffusion of ISO into the blood for the treatment of heart diseases.

Improved estimates of phytoplankton community composition based on in situ spectral fluorescence: use of ordination and field-derived norm spectra for the bbe FluoroProbe

The use of spectral fluorometers for assessing phytoplankton concentrations and taxonomic composition in aquatic environments is increasingly common. However, the accuracy of such assessments suffers because the necessary norm spectra (spectral fingerprints) are derived using selected taxa and laboratory conditions that may not adequately represent the taxa and environmental conditions in the study area. Ordination analysis of raw fluorescence data has been proposed as a better means of interpreting spectral fluorescence data. We applied nonmetric multidimensional scaling and cluster analysis to raw in situ fluorescence data from Sturgeon Bay, a small, mesotrophic embayment of Georgian Bay (Lake Huron) to obtain system-specific norm spectra for the bbe FluoroProbe. The revised spectra gave improved estimates of phytoplankton taxonomy (root mean square error of 10% versus 14%) and of dissolved organic carbon and chlorophyll a concentrations. While promising, this method should be further explored in other systems with different and (or) weaker gradients in phytoplankton biomass and taxonomic composition.

Synthesis, 11B- and 19F NMR spectroscopy, and optical and electrochemical properties of novel 9-aryl-3-(aryl/heteroaryl)-1,1-difluoro-7-(trifluoromethyl)-1H-[1,3,5,2]oxadiazaborinino[3,4-a][1,8]naphthyridin-11-ium-1-uide complexes

A new series of nine examples of 9-aryl-3-(aryl/heteroaryl)-1,1-difluoro-7-(trifluoromethyl)-1H-[1,3,5,2]oxadiazaborinino[3,4-a][1,8]naphthyridin-11-ium-1-uides, which contained 1,8-naphthyridine-based boron complexes with variable ligand structures, were synthesized at yields of 50–65% from the reaction of unpublished 2-benzoylamino-7-aryl(heteroaryl)-5-trifluoromethyl-1,8-naphthyridines—in which aryl(heteroaryl)=phenyl, 4-MeC6H4, 4-FC6H4, 4-BrC6H4, 4-OMeC6H4, 4-NO2C6H4, and 2-thienyl—with BF3·Et2O and fully characterized by 1H-, 13C-, 19F-, and 11B NMR spectroscopy and X-ray diffractometry. The optical and electrochemical properties of the new complexes were investigated, and the results for quantum yield calculations, Stokes shift, UV–vis, fluorescence, and redox potential data analysis indicated an important relationship with the aryl(heteroaryl) substituents attached to the 3- and 9-position of the naphthyridine boron complexes.

Thermodynamics of the interaction of curcumin and demothxycurcumin with bovine serum albumin

Curcumin and its derivatives have a wide range of pharmacological effects such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, resisting atherosclerosis, anti-tumor, etc. Binding of curcumin with biological macromolecules can improve the solubility and stability without reducing its biological activity. Herein, we investigated the thermodynamics of interactions of bovine serum albumin (BSA) with curcumin and its derivative demothxycurcumin by fluorescence and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy, as well as molecular modeling method under conditions near to physiological. The analysis of fluorescence spectra showed that curcumin and demothxycurcumin could strongly quenching the fluorescence of BSA and the quenching process is a static process. The thermodynamic parameters were calculated by analysis of fluorescence data with Stern-Volmer and Van’t Hoff equation. The calculated enthalpy change ( Δ H ) and entropy change ( Δ S ) implied that hydrophobic interaction plays a main role in the binding process. Curcumin was more prone to bind with BSA than demothxycurcumin according to the calculated Gibbs free energy change ( Δ G ). Data obtained by site marker competitive experiments and molecular modeling method indicated that the binding of curcumin and demothxycurcumin to BSA primarily take place in site І. Curcumin and demothxycurcumin mainly interact with nonpolar and aromatic residues of BSA. The distance between curcumin and TRP 213 is less than 5 A, indicating that the microenvironment around the fluorophore of BSA might be affected. The results of CD spectra demonstrated that the secondary conformation of BSA has been changed after interaction with curcumin and demothxycurcumin. This research will provide valuable information for understanding the action mechanism of curcumin in the body and developing novel drugs based on the structure of curcumin.

Spectroscopy and Molecular Modeling Study on Binding of Nickel Phthalocyanine to Human Serum Albumin

The interaction of nickel tetra sulfunated phthalocyanine( NiTSPc) with human serum albumin (HSA), in 20 mM phosphate buffer pH 7.4 was investigated using advanced techniques including fluorescence, synchronous fluorescence, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy and molecular docking. The fluorescence quenching measurements showed a single binding site on HSA for NiTSPc with the binding constant (K<sub>b</sub>) value equals to 1.26×106 at 25°C. The results showed that quenching mechanism of HSA by NiTSPc was of dynamic type. The results from FTIR and CD spectroscopies demonstrated that NiTSPc binds to amino acid residues of the main polypeptide chain in protein destroying the hydrogen bonding network. The corresponding thermodynamic parameters were then calculated by analysis of fluorescence data using van't Hoff plot. These data indicated that driving force for interaction was mainly hydrophobic in nature and the process was entropy driven. The information obtained from CD, FT-IR and synchronous fluorescence spectroscopies revealed that both microenvironment and conformation of HSA was changed. Molecular docking study confirmed the binding mode obtained by experimental data.

Thermodynamics of the interaction of copper(ІІ) glycine-salicylic aldehyde schiff base-phenanthroline mixed complex with bovine serum albumin

Metal complexes are widely used in anti-tumor therapy research due to their excellent biological activities. Binding affinities of metal complexes and plasma protein determine the absorption, transport and metabolic processes and other pharmacokinetic parameters of metal complexes in the body. Copper metal complexes have been found to be a potential anti-cancer drug, but research about its pharmacology and pharmacokinetics is rare. Herein, the thermodynamics of the interaction of copper(ІІ) glycine-salicylic aldehyde schiff base-phenanthroline complex (CuGP) with bovine serum albumin (BSA) was investigated using fluorescence, UV absorbance and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy, in addition to molecular modeling under physiological conditions. Fluorescence and UV absorbance spectrum analysis show that the quenching between the CuGP and BSA is a kind of mixed quenching mechanism, that is, the quenching is derived from both excited-state reactions and ground-state complex formation. Thermodynamic parameters of the interaction were calculated by analysis of fluorescence data. Binding of CuGP with BSA is a spontaneous process and the activation energy of quenching process is 8.61 kJ/mol. Electrostatic force played a predominant role in the binding process. The circular dichroism spectroscopy demonstrated that the secondary structure of BSA changed after its interaction with CuGP, causing the α-helix content to decrease with an increase in an unordered structure. Site marker competitive experiments and molecule modeling demonstrated that the binding of CuGP to BSA primarily took place in site І. The distances of CuGP with TRP213, TYR156, TYR340 and TYR451 are less than 5 A and the microenvironment surrounding the fluorophore of BSA might be affected. This work will provide meaningful information to understand the distribution and metabolic situation of copper complexes in the body.

Characterization of flavonoid-protein interactions using fluorescence spectroscopy: Binding of pelargonidin to dairy proteins

In this study, the interaction between the flavonoid pelargonidin and dairy proteins: β-lactoglobulin (β-LG), whey protein (WPI), and caseinate (CAS) was investigated. Fluorescence experiments demonstrated that pelargonidin quenched milk proteins fluorescence strongly. However, the protein secondary structure was not significantly affected by pelargonidin, as judged from far-UV circular dichroism. Analysis of fluorescence data indicated that pelargonidin-induced quenching does not arise from a dynamical mechanism, but instead is due to protein−ligand binding. Therefore, quenching data were analyzed using the model of independent binding sites. Both β-LG and CAS, but not WPI, showed hyperbolic binding isotherms indicating that these proteins firmly bound pelargonidin at both pH 7.0 and 3.0 (binding constants ca. 1.0×105 at 25.0°C). To investigate the underlying thermodynamics, binding constants were determined at 25.0, 35.0, and 45.0°C. These results pointed to binding processes that depend on the structural conformation of the milk proteins.

South-Eastern Bay of Biscay eddy-induced anomalies and their effect on chlorophyll distribution

The analysis of deep-water glider hydrographic and fluorescence data, together with satellite measurements provides a new insight into eddy-induced anomalies within the South-Eastern Bay of Biscay, during summer. Two cyclonic eddies and a SWODDY have been observed in different glider transects and by means of different sources of satellite data. Vertical profiles reveal complex structures (characteristic of the second baroclinic mode): upward/downward displacement of the seasonal/permanent thermocline in the case of X13 and the opposite thermocline displacements in the case of the cyclones. This is a typical behaviour of mode-water and “cyclonic thinny” eddies. A qualitative analysis of the vertical velocities in the anticyclone indicates that though geostrophy dominates the main water column, depressing the isopycnals, near the sea-surface the eddy-wind interaction affects the vertical currents, favouring Ekman pumping and upwelling. The analysis of the Θ-S properties corroborates that inside cyclones and between the 26 and 27 isopycnals, net downwelling occurs. These two types of intra-thermocline lenses appear to deeply impact the Chl-a fluorescence profiles, since the maximum Chl-a fluorescence is located just below the seasonal thermocline. The mean Chl-a fluorescence was higher in the anticyclone than within the cyclones and the mean for the entire study period; the highest values were observed in the centre of the anticyclone. These results are in agreement with previous findings concerning the SWODDY F90 and surrounding cyclones, located in the South-Western Bay of Biscay. Significant differences in the Θ-S properties of the two cyclonic mesoscale structures have been observed: higher temperatures and lower salinity in the easternmost cyclone. Finally, time variation of the salinity content of the shallowest water masses of the anticyclone (salinity decreasing over time), probably indicates advective mixing processes occurred during the mission.

Microfluidics for High-Throughput Quantitative Studies of Early Development

Developmental biology has traditionally relied on qualitative analyses; recently, however, as in other fields of biology, researchers have become increasingly interested in acquiring quantitative knowledge about embryogenesis. Advances in fluorescence microscopy are enabling high-content imaging in live specimens. At the same time, microfluidics and automation technologies are increasing experimental throughput for studies of multicellular models of development. Furthermore, computer vision methods for processing and analyzing bioimage data are now leading the way toward quantitative biology. Here, we review advances in the areas of fluorescence microscopy, microfluidics, and data analysis that are instrumental to performing high-content, high-throughput studies in biology and specifically in development. We discuss a case study of how these techniques have allowed quantitative analysis and modeling of pattern formation in the Drosophila embryo.

Portable x-ray fluorescence in sourcing prehistoric whelk shell artifacts

Portable x-ray fluorescence spectrometry was used to chemically source Busycon shell items from three eastern Tennessee Mississippian period sites. Discriminant function analysis of portable x-ray fluorescence data from control shells from the Atlantic and Gulf coasts indicated variation in strontium levels in Busycon provides a statistically significant predictor of shells’ origins, correctly classifying 86.5% of controls to their coasts of origin. Application of the discriminant function to shell items from Mississippian sites in northeastern and southeastern Tennessee indicated significant differences by region in proportions of artifacts classified as deriving from Atlantic or Gulf coast shell. More than 60% of items from southeastern Tennessee exhibited strontium levels similar to Gulf coast control shells; less than 50% of northeastern Tennessee items were classified as deriving from the Gulf. Variation in ratios of Gulf- to Atlantic-sourced shell artifacts by region is consistent with past predictions that late prehistoric inhabitants of southeastern and northeastern Tennessee participated in different long-distance exchange networks.

Simultaneous determination of estrogens (ethinylestradiol and norgestimate) concentrations in human and bovine serum albumin by use of fluorescence spectroscopy and multivariate regression analysis

The endocrine disruption property of estrogens necessitates the immediate need for effective monitoring and development of analytical protocols for their analyses in biological and human specimens. This study explores the first combined utility of a steady-state fluorescence spectroscopy and multivariate partial-least-square (PLS) regression analysis for the simultaneous determination of two estrogens (17α-ethinylestradiol (EE) and norgestimate (NOR)) concentrations in bovine serum albumin (BSA) and human serum albumin (HSA) samples. The influence of EE and NOR concentrations and temperature on the emission spectra of EE-HSA EE-BSA, NOR-HSA, and NOR-BSA complexes was also investigated. The binding of EE with HSA and BSA resulted in increase in emission characteristics of HSA and BSA and a significant blue spectra shift. In contrast, the interaction of NOR with HSA and BSA quenched the emission characteristics of HSA and BSA. The observed emission spectral shifts preclude the effective use of traditional univariate regression analysis of fluorescent data for the determination of EE and NOR concentrations in HSA and BSA samples. Multivariate partial-least-squares (PLS) regression analysis was utilized to correlate the changes in emission spectra with EE and NOR concentrations in HSA and BSA samples. The figures-of-merit of the developed PLS regression models were excellent, with limits of detection as low as 1.6×10−8M for EE and 2.4×10−7M for NOR and good linearity (R2>0.994985). The PLS models correctly predicted EE and NOR concentrations in independent validation HSA and BSA samples with a root-mean-square-percent-relative-error (RMS%RE) of less than 6.0% at physiological condition. On the contrary, the use of univariate regression resulted in poor predictions of EE and NOR in HSA and BSA samples, with RMS%RE larger than 40% at physiological conditions. High accuracy, low sensitivity, simplicity, low-cost with no prior analyte extraction or separation required makes this method promising, compelling, and attractive alternative for the rapid determination of estrogen concentrations in biomedical and biological specimens, pharmaceuticals, or environmental samples.

Efficient signal processing for time-resolved fluorescence detection of nitrogen-vacancy spins in diamond

Room-temperature fluorescence detection of the nitrogen-vacancy center electronic spin typically has low signal to noise, requiring long experiments to reveal an averaged signal. Here, we present a simple approach to analysis of time-resolved fluorescence data that permits an improvement in measurement precision through signal processing alone. Applying our technique to experimental data reveals an improvement in signal to noise equivalent to a 14% increase in photon collection efficiency. We further explore the dependence of the signal to noise ratio on excitation power, and analyze our results using a rate equation model. Our results provide a rubric for optimizing fluorescence spin detection, which has direct implications for improving precision of nitrogen-vacancy-based sensors.

Probing the Conformational Landscape of DNA Polymerases Using Diffusion-Based Single-Molecule FRET.

Monitoring conformational changes in DNA polymerases using single-molecule Förster resonance energy transfer (smFRET) has provided new tools for studying fidelity-related mechanisms that promote the rejection of incorrect nucleotides before DNA synthesis. In addition to the previously known open and closed conformations of DNA polymerases, our smFRET assays utilizing doubly labeled variants of Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I were pivotal in identifying and characterizing a partially closed conformation as a primary checkpoint for nucleotide selection. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of the methods we used for the conformational analysis of wild-type DNA polymerase and some of its low-fidelity derivatives; these methods include strategies for protein labeling and our procedures for solution-based single-molecule fluorescence data acquisition and data analysis. We also discuss alternative single-molecule fluorescence strategies for analyzing the conformations of DNA polymerases in vitro and in vivo.

Joint Tensor Factorization and Outlying Slab Suppression With Applications

We consider factoring low-rank tensors in the presence of outlying slabs. This problem is important in practice, because data collected in many real-world applications, such as speech, fluorescence, and some social network data, fit this paradigm. Prior work tackles this problem by iteratively selecting a fixed number of slabs and fitting, a procedure which may not converge. We formulate this problem from a group-sparsity promoting point of view, and propose an alternating optimization framework to handle the corresponding $\ell_p$ ($0<p\leq 1$) minimization-based low-rank tensor factorization problem. The proposed algorithm features a similar per-iteration complexity as the plain trilinear alternating least squares (TALS) algorithm. Convergence of the proposed algorithm is also easy to analyze under the framework of alternating optimization and its variants. In addition, regularization and constraints can be easily incorporated to make use of \emph{a priori} information on the latent loading factors. Simulations and real data experiments on blind speech separation, fluorescence data analysis, and social network mining are used to showcase the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.