Expression Analysis In vivo: Cell Systems

Roeland W Dirks, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
Hans J Tanke, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands

Published online: July 2007

DOI: 10.1002/9780470015902.a0005679.pub2

Gene expression involves ribonucleic acid (RNA) synthesis and processing, RNA transport and protein synthesis and localization, which are dynamic processes in time and space. With the advent of nucleic-acid probe and green fluorescent protein technologies, and developments in real-time microscopy, it is possible now to study these processes at real time in single cells, meaning that information concerning transcription, protein localization and protein–protein interactions can be obtained from genes whose functions might be known or unknown.

Keywords: expression; real-time microscopy; green fluorescent protein; fluorescence resonance energy transfer; fluorescence lifetime imaging

Figure 1. Schematic view of functional antibodies. The variable domains (VHH) of the heavy-chain antibodies are the smallest functional antigen-binding domains. VHH can be expressed in cells as intracellular antibodies, which are also called intrabodies. When fused to a fluorescent protein (FP), their binding to intracellular targets can be visualized in living cells.
Figure 2. Fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) microscopy of living U2OS cells expressing Sp100-cyan fluorescent protein (CFP) and heterochromatin protein-1 (HP1) yellow fluorescent protein (YFP). Images were obtained using: (a) a donor (CFP) filter combination, (b) an acceptor (YFP) filter combination and (c) an FRET filter combination; then (d) after processing these images using an FRET imaging programme, a corrected FRET image is obtained. The relative amount of FRET is indicated by a colour scale. Blue shows FRET at a background level, while yellow and red indicate nuclear compartments where Sp100-CFP and HP1-YFP interact.
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    ePath Life with 6000 genes. This link points to the original paper describing the genome of Saccharomyces cerevisiaehttp://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/274/5287/546
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Related Sub-Topics:

Techniques in Cell Biology | Techniques and Tools in Clinical Genetics | Gene Expression Profiling of Genetic Disease | RNA Structure and Function | Techniques and Tools in Molecular Biology | Computational Molecular Biology
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Article Title: Expression Analysis In vivo: Cell Systems
 
How to Cite close
Dirks, Roeland W, and Tanke, Hans J(Jul 2007) Expression Analysis In vivo: Cell Systems. In: eLS. John Wiley & Sons Ltd, Chichester. http://www.els.net [doi: 10.1002/9780470015902.a0005679.pub2]