Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 25, 2025
16:16
Genetically-encoded Molecular Probes to Study G Protein-coupled Receptors
Published on: September 13, 2013
15.5K
Selected peptide-based fluorescent probes for biological applications
1Department of Chemistry, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA.
Beilstein Journal of Organic Chemistry
|December 18, 2020
Summary
Chemists are developing synthetic peptide-based fluorescent probes for studying molecular interactions. These probes offer advantages over protein sensors, enabling selective biological applications and direct biomolecule detection.
Area of Science:
- Chemical biology
- Biophysical chemistry
Background:
- Understanding molecular interactions is crucial for studying biological systems.
- Peptide-based fluorescence techniques are emerging as powerful tools in chemical biology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review key peptide-based approaches for biological applications.
- To highlight the advantages of synthetic peptide probes over protein sensors.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing peptide receptors labeled with environmentally sensitive/FRET fluorophores.
- Developing synthetically accessible and site-specifically modifiable peptide probes.
Main Results:
- Peptide-based probes allow for direct detection and monitoring of biomolecules.
- These probes are advantageous due to their synthetic accessibility, stability, and ease of modification.
Conclusions:
- Synthetic peptide-based fluorescent probes are versatile tools for biological research.
- These probes facilitate the study of molecular interactions in various environments, including live cells.
Related Concept Videos
03:31Labeling DNA Probes
8.9K
DNA probes are fragments of DNA labeled with a reporter tag to enable their detection or purification. The resulting labeled DNA probes can then hybridize to target nucleic acid sequences through complementary base-pairing, and may be used to recover or identify these regions.
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...
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...
8.9K
02:11Reporter Genes
12.5K
Reporter genes are a type of protein-coding gene that are often tagged to a gene of interest. Once inside a target cell, reporter genes usually produce visually identifiable characteristics like fluorescence and luminescence when expressed along with the gene of interest. Thus, reporter genes “report” the presence or absence of genes of interest in an organism, determine the gene expression pattern, or track the physical location of a DNA segment or protein in the cell.
12.5K
01:24Tagging and Fusion Proteins
7.9K
Proteins are involved in several cellular processes and biochemical reactions. Analyzing a specific protein of interest requires it to be isolated from the other proteins in the cell. This is achieved by overexpressing the specific gene in a suitable host to produce large quantities of the target protein. A tag or label is recombined with the gene to produce a fusion protein containing the target protein and the tag. The tags on these fusion proteins can then be used for easy detection and...
7.9K
01:19Protein Dynamics in Living Cells
2.5K
Different fluorescence-based techniques are used to study the protein dynamics in living cells. These techniques include FRAP, FRET, and PET.
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...
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...
2.5K