A fluorescent reporter of caspase activity for live imaging.

ABSTRACT: There is a growing interest in the mechanisms that control the apoptosis cascade during development and adult life. To investigate the regulatory events that trigger apoptosis in whole tissues, we have devised a genetically encoded caspase sensor that can be detected in live and fixed tissue by standard confocal microscopy. The sensor comprises two fluorophores, mRFP, monomeric red fluorescent protein (mRFP) and enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP), that are linked by an efficient and specific caspase-sensitive site. Upon caspase activation, the sensor is cleaved and eGFP translocates to the nucleus, leaving mRFP at membranes. This is detected before other markers of apoptosis, including anti-cleaved caspase 3 immunoreactivity. Moreover, the sensor does not perturb normal developmenta

SUBMITTER: Bardet PL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2544551 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature