Genetic code expansion enables live-cell and super-resolution imaging of site-specifically labeled cellular proteins.

ABSTRACT: Methods to site-specifically and densely label proteins in cellular ultrastructures with small, bright, and photostable fluorophores would substantially advance super-resolution imaging. Recent advances in genetic code expansion and bioorthogonal chemistry have enabled the site-specific labeling of proteins. However, the efficient incorporation of unnatural amino acids into proteins and the specific, fluorescent labeling of the intracellular ultrastructures they form for subdiffraction imaging has not been accomplished. Two challenges have limited progress in this area: (i) the low efficiency of unnatural amino acid incorporation that limits labeling density and therefore spatial resolution and (ii) the uncharacterized specificity of intracellular labeling that will define signal-to-noise,

SUBMITTER: Uttamapinant C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4506205 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature