Rationally designed fluorogenic protease reporter visualizes spatiotemporal dynamics of apoptosis in vivo
Abstract
By harnessing the unique interactions between infrared fluorescent protein and its chromophore, we have designed an infrared fluorogenic protease reporter (iProtease). A fluorogenic protease reporter is ideal for imaging protease activity in vivo, whereas a FRET-based reporter is limited by poor signal and requirement of image processing. The iProtease scaffold may be used as a core module to design reporters of various proteases with specific activity. This technology will aide important applications, including monitoring protease activity in vivo, dissecting signaling pathways that regulate protease activity, and high-throughput screening of protease inhibitors for drug development and biological study. Our work shows that phytochrome-derived infrared fluorescent protein is a promising scaffold in engineering fluorogenic reporters for visualizing spatiotemporal dynamics of cell signaling in vivo.
- Publication:
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Proceedings of the National Academy of Science
- Pub Date:
- March 2015
- DOI:
- 10.1073/pnas.1502857112
- Bibcode:
- 2015PNAS..112.3338T