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Updated: Nov 18, 2025

Analysis of mRNA Nuclear Export Kinetics in Mammalian Cells by Microinjection
Published on: December 4, 2010
Quantifying tagged mRNA export flux via nuclear pore complexes in single live cells
Yueyue Jing1, Yilin Lv2, Jingya Ye3
1Department of Optical Science and Engineering, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Ultra-Precision Optical Manufacturing, Key Laboratory of Micro and Nano Photonic Structures (Ministry of Education), Green Photoelectron Platform, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Abstract:
The mRNA export flux through nuclear pore complexes (NPC) changes under DNA manipulation and hence affects protein translation. However, monitoring the flux of a specific mRNA in single live cell is beyond reach of traditional techniques. We developed a fluorescence-based detection method for measuring the export flux of mRNA through NPC in single live cell using a snapshot image, which had been tested on exogenous genes' expression in HeLa cells, with transfection or infection, and endogenous genes' expression in yeast cells, during incubation and carbon catabolite repression. With its speediness, explicitness and noninvasiveness, we believe that it would be valuable in direct monitoring of gene behavior, and the understanding of gene regulation at a single cell level.
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