title: Techniques for following the movement of single RNAs in living cells.
abstract: The ability to investigate gene expression has evolved from static approaches that analyze a population of cells to dynamic approaches that analyze individual living cells. During the last decade, a number of different fluorescent methods have been developed for monitoring the dynamics of single RNAs in living cells. Spatial-temporal analyses of single RNAs in living cells have provided novel insight into nuclear transport, RNA localization, and decay. Technical advances with these approaches allow for single molecule detection, providing an unprecedented view of RNA movement. In this article, we discuss the methods for observing single RNAs in living cells, highlighting the advantages and limitations of each method.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Carl R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Urbinati
authors.forename: Roy M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Long
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001693:Biological Transport, Active; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D012313:RNA