Proteomics in living cells

The study of protein dynamics in vivo is central to understanding the chemical machinery that makes up the process of life: in determining how, when, where and under what conditions proteins are created, form complexes, are modified and disintegrate. Until recently, facile methods to study these processes in intact living cells did not exist. This review describes promising experimental strategies that have been devised to visualize the dynamic nature of proteins and protein complex formation occurring in living cells. The approaches described are based largely on genetically encoded fusions to proteins of interest combined with labelling strategies. The feasibility of employing such strategies in genome-wide biochemical pathway mapping efforts is discussed.