title: Bright far-red fluorescent protein for whole-body imaging.
abstract: For deep imaging of animal tissues, the optical window favorable for light penetration is in near-infrared wavelengths, which requires proteins with emission spectra in the far-red wavelengths. Here we report a far-red fluorescent protein, named Katushka, which is seven- to tenfold brighter compared to the spectrally close HcRed or mPlum, and is characterized by fast maturation as well as a high pH-stability and photostability. These unique characteristics make Katushka the protein of choice for visualization in living tissues. We demonstrate superiority of Katushka for whole-body imaging by direct comparison with other red and far-red fluorescent proteins. We also describe a monomeric version of Katushka, named mKate, which is characterized by high brightness and photostability, and should be an excellent fluorescent label for protein tagging in the far-red part of the spectrum.
authors.affiliation: Shemiakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Miklukho-Maklaya 16/10, 117997 Moscow, Russia.
authors.forename: Dmitry
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Shcherbo
authors.forename: Ekaterina M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Merzlyak
authors.forename: Tatiana V
authors.initials: TV
authors.lastname: Chepurnykh
authors.forename: Arkady F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Fradkov
authors.forename: Galina V
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Ermakova
authors.forename: Elena A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Solovieva
authors.forename: Konstantin A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Lukyanov
authors.forename: Ekaterina A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Bogdanova
authors.forename: Andrey G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Zaraisky
authors.forename: Sergey
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lukyanov
authors.forename: Dmitriy M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Chudakov
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D031541:Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D019076:Transgenes; D014982:Xenopus laevis; D000097573:Red Fluorescent Protein
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D000097573:Red Fluorescent Protein