title: Imaging proteins inside cells with fluorescent tags.
abstract: Watching biological molecules provides clues to their function and regulation. Some of the most powerful methods of labeling proteins for imaging use genetically encoded fluorescent fusion tags. There are four standard genetic methods of covalently tagging a protein with a fluorescent probe for cellular imaging. These use (i) autofluorescent proteins, (ii) self-labeling enzymes, (iii) enzymes that catalyze the attachment of a probe to a target sequence, and (iv) biarsenical dyes that target tetracysteine motifs. Each of these techniques has advantages and disadvantages. In this review, we cover new developments in these methods and discuss practical considerations for their use in imaging proteins inside living cells.
authors.affiliation: University of Maryland, College Park, Department of Entomology and Program in Cell and Molecular Biology, College Park, MD 20742, USA.
authors.forename: Georgeta
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Crivat
authors.forename: Justin W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Taraska
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004798:Enzymes / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D005453:Fluorescence; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D006801:Humans; D008024:Ligands; D057054:Molecular Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D011506:Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D004798:Enzymes; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D008024:Ligands; D011506:Proteins; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins