Cell biology. Color-changing protein times gene activity.
For years, researchers trying to capture the bustling activity of genes in living cells have mostly had to make do with snapshots, which clearly fell short of the mark. But now their frustration may be over. On page 1585, a team describes a new fluorescent protein that turns bright green when it is first made, then changes to red over several hours--providing the ability to witness how genes alter their activities over time.
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D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics; D003116:Color; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000378:metabolism; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling / Q000379:methods*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D009154:Mutation; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D051857:Otx Transcription Factors; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics; D014982:Xenopus laevis / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics; D000097573:Red Fluorescent Protein
D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D051857:Otx Transcription Factors; D015534:Trans-Activators; D000097573:Red Fluorescent Protein