Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

The Movement of Organelles and Vesicles01:43

The Movement of Organelles and Vesicles

6.6K
In eukaryotic cells,  cytoskeletal filaments such as actin, microtubules, and intermediate filaments form a mesh-like cytoskeletal network. These filaments serve as tracks for transporting cellular cargo. Specialized motor proteins use the chemical energy stored in adenosine triphosphate (ATP) for this transport. During interphase, microtubules are polarized, with the plus-end towards the cell periphery and the minus-end towards the cell center. Two microtubule-associated motor proteins,...
6.6K
¹H NMR Signal Multiplicity: Splitting Patterns01:13

¹H NMR Signal Multiplicity: Splitting Patterns

6.9K
When protons A and X are coupled, their nuclear spin energy levels are slightly modified. This is because the energy required to excite proton A to a spin state parallel to proton X is slightly different from the energy required for it to become anti-parallel to spin X. Consequently, there are two possible excitation frequencies for A (A1 and A2), depending on the spin state of X, and vice versa. The mutual nature of coupling implies that the difference between frequencies A1 and A2, indicated...
6.9K
Conserved Binding Sites01:49

Conserved Binding Sites

5.2K
Many proteins’ biological role depends on their interactions with their ligands, small molecules that bind to specific locations on the protein known as ligand-binding sites. Ligand-binding sites are often conserved among homologous proteins as these sites are critical for protein function.
Binding sites are often located in large pockets, and if their location on a protein’s surface is unknown, it can be predicted using various approaches. The energetic method computationally...
5.2K
Ligand Binding Sites02:40

Ligand Binding Sites

15.2K
Proteins are dynamic macromolecules that carry out a wide variety of essential processes; however, the activities of most proteins depend on their interactions with other molecules or ions, known as ligands.
Protein-ligand interactions are quite specific; even though numerous potential ligands surround a cellular protein at any given time, only a particular ligand can bind to that protein. Moreover, a ligand binds only to a dedicated area on the surface of the protein, known as the...
15.2K
Ligand Binding Sites02:40

Ligand Binding Sites

8.9K
8.9K
Contact Angle01:13

Contact Angle

23.7K
When a solid is dipped inside a liquid, the liquid surface becomes curved near the contact. For some solid–liquid interfaces, the liquid is pulled up along the solid, while for others, the liquid surface is convex or depressed near the solid surface. This phenomenon can be explained using the concept of cohesive and adhesive forces.
The adhesive force is the molecular force between molecules of different materials, that is, between the molecules of the solid and the liquid. The cohesive...
23.7K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Glucose starvation signaling via nucleus-vacuole junction remodeling controls ergosterol synthesis.

The Journal of cell biology·2026
Same author

How membranes shape up for lipid transfer.

eLife·2026
Same author

Mitochondrially tethered Mmm1 can function as a sole lipid transporter at ER-mitochondria contacts.

The Journal of cell biology·2026
Same author

Proteostasis at the mitochondrial outer membrane: Quality control of mitochondrial protein transport.

Protein science : a publication of the Protein Society·2026
Same author

Japanese sports dietitians' evidence-based practice implementation is associated with academic degree and English reading ability: A cross-sectional survey.

Nutrition and health·2026
Same author

Identifying targeting signals and distinct localization-based roles of yeast aldehyde dehydrogenase Hfd1.

The FEBS journal·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 11, 2026

Visualization and Quantification of Endogenous Intra-Organelle Protein Interactions at ER-Mitochondria Contact Sites by Proximity Ligation Assays
08:27

Visualization and Quantification of Endogenous Intra-Organelle Protein Interactions at ER-Mitochondria Contact Sites by Proximity Ligation Assays

Published on: October 20, 2023

2.4K

Visualizing multiple inter-organelle contact sites using the organelle-targeted split-GFP system.

Yuriko Kakimoto1, Shinya Tashiro1, Rieko Kojima1

  • 1Faculty of Science, Yamagata University, 1-4-12 Kojirakawa-machi, Yamagata, Yamagata, 990-8560, Japan.

Scientific Reports
|April 20, 2018
PubMed
Summary

The split-green fluorescent protein (GFP) system visualizes organelle contact sites in living cells. This method helps study how organelles like the ER and mitochondria interact, offering new insights into cellular function.

More Related Videos

Visualizing and Analyzing Intracellular Transport of Organelles and Other Cargos in Astrocytes
07:19

Visualizing and Analyzing Intracellular Transport of Organelles and Other Cargos in Astrocytes

Published on: August 28, 2019

8.4K
Visualizing Cytoskeleton-Dependent Trafficking of Lipid-Containing Organelles in Drosophila Embryos
08:55

Visualizing Cytoskeleton-Dependent Trafficking of Lipid-Containing Organelles in Drosophila Embryos

Published on: December 13, 2021

2.6K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Feb 11, 2026

Visualization and Quantification of Endogenous Intra-Organelle Protein Interactions at ER-Mitochondria Contact Sites by Proximity Ligation Assays
08:27

Visualization and Quantification of Endogenous Intra-Organelle Protein Interactions at ER-Mitochondria Contact Sites by Proximity Ligation Assays

Published on: October 20, 2023

2.4K
Visualizing and Analyzing Intracellular Transport of Organelles and Other Cargos in Astrocytes
07:19

Visualizing and Analyzing Intracellular Transport of Organelles and Other Cargos in Astrocytes

Published on: August 28, 2019

8.4K
Visualizing Cytoskeleton-Dependent Trafficking of Lipid-Containing Organelles in Drosophila Embryos
08:55

Visualizing Cytoskeleton-Dependent Trafficking of Lipid-Containing Organelles in Drosophila Embryos

Published on: December 13, 2021

2.6K

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Biophysics

Background:

  • Eukaryotic organelle function depends on physical contacts between organelles.
  • Understanding organelle tethering factors is limited by the inability to analyze these interactions in living cells.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the split-green fluorescent protein (GFP) system for visualizing organelle contact sites in vivo.
  • To assess the advantages and disadvantages of the split-GFP system for studying inter-organelle interactions.

Main Methods:

  • Targeting split-GFP fragments to various organelles (ER, mitochondria, peroxisomes, vacuole, lipid droplets) in yeast cells.
  • Observing GFP signals to identify and analyze organelle contact sites.
  • Co-localizing split-GFP signals with known tethering structures like ERMES.
  • Applying the split-GFP system to mammalian cells (HeLa).

Main Results:

  • Punctate GFP signals indicated simultaneous contact sites between multiple organelles in yeast.
  • Split-GFP signals in ER-mitochondria overlap regions co-localized with the ERMES complex, validating the system.
  • The split-GFP system successfully detected ER-mitochondria contact sites in HeLa cells.

Conclusions:

  • The split-GFP system is a viable tool for observing and analyzing inter-organelle contact sites in living yeast and mammalian cells.
  • This system provides a new method to study organelle interactions and tethering factors in real-time.