A guide to choosing fluorescent proteins
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Updated: Aug 14, 2026

Effect of Fluorescent Proteins on Fusion Partners Using Polyglutamine Toxicity Assays in Yeast
Published on: November 28, 2018
Nathan C Shaner1, Paul A Steinbach, Roger Y Tsien
1Department of Pharmacology, University of California at San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
Abstract:
The recent explosion in the diversity of available fluorescent proteins (FPs) promises a wide variety of new tools for biological imaging. With no unified standard for assessing these tools, however, a researcher is faced with difficult questions. Which FPs are best for general use? Which are the brightest? What additional factors determine which are best for a given experiment? Although in many cases, a trial-and-error approach may still be necessary in determining the answers to these questions, a unified characterization of the best available FPs provides a useful guide in narrowing down the options.
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