Piston David W, Rizzo Mark A
Department of Molecular Physiology & Biophysics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, USA.
Methods Cell Biol. 2008;85:415-30. doi: 10.1016/S0091-679X(08)85018-2.
The widespread success in using genetically encoded fluorescent proteins (FPs) to track protein motion in living cells has led to extensive interest in measuring Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) between two FPs of different colors. FRET occurs over distances less than 10-nm and can thus be used to detect protein-protein interactions and changes in protein conformation. However, FP-FRET measurements are complicated by the spectral properties of FPs. Consequently, extensive correction or photo-destructive approaches have been used to detect the presence of FRET. Since these methods limit the temporal and spatial resolution of FRET measurements, they are not well suited for many live-cell imaging applications. Here, we describe an alternative approach to detect FP-FRET by measuring fluorescence anisotropies (AFRET). Since FPs are large in size, excitation of FPs with polarized light results in highly polarized emission. In this case, FRET to a second FP that lies outside the photoselection plane will depolarize the fluorescence. This method provides high contrast and unambiguous indication of FRET using a simple image collection strategy that can be easily adapted to any modality including widefield and laser scanning approaches. In this chapter, we will discuss the theory behind AFRET imaging, calculation of FP anisotropies using fluorescent microscopes, and configuration of microscopes for AFRET experiments.
利用基因编码荧光蛋白(FPs)追踪活细胞中蛋白质运动的广泛成功,引发了人们对测量不同颜色的两个FPs之间的Förster共振能量转移(FRET)的广泛兴趣。FRET发生在小于10纳米的距离上,因此可用于检测蛋白质-蛋白质相互作用和蛋白质构象变化。然而,FP-FRET测量因FPs的光谱特性而变得复杂。因此,人们采用了广泛的校正或光破坏方法来检测FRET的存在。由于这些方法限制了FRET测量的时间和空间分辨率,它们不太适合许多活细胞成像应用。在这里,我们描述了一种通过测量荧光各向异性(AFRET)来检测FP-FRET的替代方法。由于FPs尺寸较大,用偏振光激发FPs会导致高度偏振发射。在这种情况下,向位于光选择平面之外的第二个FP的FRET会使荧光去偏振。该方法使用简单的图像采集策略提供了FRET的高对比度和明确指示,该策略可轻松适用于任何模式,包括宽场和激光扫描方法。在本章中,我们将讨论AFRET成像背后的理论、使用荧光显微镜计算FP各向异性以及用于AFRET实验的显微镜配置。