An Expanded Palette of Genetically Encoded Ca2+ Indicators

Y Zhao, S Araki, J Wu, T Teramoto, YF Chang… - Science, 2011 - science.org
Y Zhao, S Araki, J Wu, T Teramoto, YF Chang, M Nakano, AS Abdelfattah, M Fujiwara…
Science, 2011science.org
Engineered fluorescent protein (FP) chimeras that modulate their fluorescence in response
to changes in calcium ion (Ca2+) concentration are powerful tools for visualizing
intracellular signaling activity. However, despite a decade of availability, the palette of single
FP-based Ca2+ indicators has remained limited to a single green hue. We have expanded
this palette by developing blue, improved green, and red intensiometric indicators, as well
as an emission ratiometric indicator with an 11,000% ratio change. This series enables …
Engineered fluorescent protein (FP) chimeras that modulate their fluorescence in response to changes in calcium ion (Ca2+) concentration are powerful tools for visualizing intracellular signaling activity. However, despite a decade of availability, the palette of single FP-based Ca2+ indicators has remained limited to a single green hue. We have expanded this palette by developing blue, improved green, and red intensiometric indicators, as well as an emission ratiometric indicator with an 11,000% ratio change. This series enables improved single-color Ca2+ imaging in neurons and transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans. In HeLa cells, Ca2+ was imaged in three subcellular compartments, and, in conjunction with a cyan FP–yellow FP–based indicator, Ca2+ and adenosine 5′-triphosphate were simultaneously imaged. This palette of indicators paints the way to a colorful new era of Ca2+ imaging.
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