title: Activating photoactivatable proteins with laser light to visualize membrane systems and membrane traffic in living cells.
abstract: Eukaryotic cells are composed of an intricate system of internal membranes that are organized into different compartments--including the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), the nuclear envelope, the Golgi complex (GC), lysosomes, endosomes, caveolae, mitochondria, and peroxisomes--that perform specialized tasks within the cell. The localization and dynamics of intracellular compartments are now being studied in living cells because of the availability of green fluorescent protein (GFP)-fusion proteins and recent advances in fluorescent microscope imaging systems, such as the confocal laser-scanning microscope (CLSM). This protocol describes the steps for activating one of the first photoactivatable proteins, PA-GFP.
authors: Erik Lee
authors: EL
authors: Snapp
authors: Patrick
authors: P
authors: Lajoie
mesh_terms: D005057:Eukaryotic Cells; D015870:Gene Expression; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007425:Intracellular Membranes / Q000378:metabolism*; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal / Q000379:methods*; D015388:Organelles / Q000378:metabolism*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods*; D059008:Time-Lapse Imaging / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins