Fluorescent protein barrel fluctuations and oxygen diffusion pathways in mCherry.

ABSTRACT: Fluorescent proteins (FPs) are valuable tools as biochemical markers for studying cellular processes. Red fluorescent proteins (RFPs) are highly desirable for in vivo applications because they absorb and emit light in the red region of the spectrum where cellular autofluorescence is low. The naturally occurring fluorescent proteins with emission peaks in this region of the spectrum occur in dimeric or tetrameric forms. The development of mutant monomeric variants of RFPs has resulted in several novel FPs known as mFruits. Though oxygen is required for maturation of the chromophore, it is known that photobleaching of FPs is oxygen sensitive, and oxygen-free conditions result in improved photostabilities. Therefore, understanding oxygen diffusion pathways in FPs is important for both photost

SUBMITTER: Chapagain PP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3248888 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature