Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 27, 2026

Automated Two-dimensional Spatiotemporal Analysis of Mobile Single-molecule FRET Probes
Published on: November 23, 2021
Advances in the chemistry of small molecule fluorescent probes
Laura M Wysocki1, Luke D Lavis
1Janelia Farm Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 19700 Helix Dr., Ashburn, VA 20147, USA.
Abstract:
Small molecule fluorophores are essential tools for chemical biology. A benefit of synthetic dyes is the ability to employ chemical approaches to control the properties and direct the position of the fluorophore. Applying modern synthetic organic chemistry strategies enables efficient tailoring of the chemical structure to obtain probes for specific biological experiments. Chemistry can also be used to activate fluorophores; new fluorogenic enzyme substrates and photoactivatable compounds with improved properties have been prepared that facilitate advanced imaging experiments with low background fluorescence. Finally, chemical reactions in live cells can be used to direct the spatial distribution of the fluorophore, allowing labeling of defined cellular regions with synthetic dyes.
Related Concept Videos
Labeling DNA Probes
Radioisotopes, fluorophores, or small molecule binding partners like biotin or digoxigenin, are the most widely used reporter tags for labeling DNA probes. These labels can be attached to the probe DNA molecule via...
Protein Dynamics in Living Cells
Fluorescent recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) is a fluorescent-protein-based detection technique used to quantify protein movement rates within the cell. This method exposes a small portion of the cell to an intense laser beam. The laser beam causes permanent photobleaching of the fluorophore-tagged proteins in the exposed region. As the bleached...
Photoluminescence: Applications
Variables Affecting Phosphorescence and Fluorescence
Super-resolution Fluorescence Microscopy

