Red Fluorescent Protein
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Red fluorescent protein (RFP) is a
protein Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residue (biochemistry), residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including Enzyme catalysis, catalysing metab ...
which acts as a
fluorophore A fluorophore (or fluorochrome, similarly to a chromophore) is a fluorescent chemical compound that can re-emit light upon light excitation. Fluorophores typically contain several combined aromatic groups, or planar or cyclic molecules with se ...
, fluorescing red-orange when excited. The original variant occurs naturally in the
coral Corals are colonial marine invertebrates within the subphylum Anthozoa of the phylum Cnidaria. They typically form compact Colony (biology), colonies of many identical individual polyp (zoology), polyps. Coral species include the important Coral ...
genus '' Discosoma'', and is named DsRed. Several new variants have been developed using
directed mutagenesis Adaptive mutation, also called directed mutation or directed mutagenesis is a controversial evolutionary theory. It posits that mutations, or genetic changes, are much less random and more purposeful than traditional evolution, implying that orga ...
which fluoresce orange, red, and
far-red Far-red light is a range of light at the extreme red end of the visible spectrum, just before infrared light. Usually regarded as the region between 700 and 750 nm wavelength, it is dimly visible to human eyes. It is largely reflected or transmit ...
.


Characteristics and Properties

Like GFP and other fluorescent proteins, RFP is a barrel-shaped protein made primarily out of
β-sheet The beta sheet (β-sheet, also β-pleated sheet) is a common structural motif, motif of the regular protein secondary structure. Beta sheets consist of beta strands (β-strands) connected laterally by at least two or three backbone chain, backbon ...
motifs; this type of protein fold is commonly known as a
β-barrel In protein structures, a beta barrel (β barrel) is a beta sheet (β sheet) composed of Protein tandem repeats, tandem repeats that twists and coils to form a closed toroidal structure in which the first strand is bonded to the last strand (hydrog ...
. The mass of RFP is approximately 25.9 kDa. Its excitation maximum is 558 nm, and its emission maximum is 583 nm.


Applications

RFP is frequently used in molecular biology research as a fluorescent marker, for a variety of purposes. DsRed has been shown to be more suitable for
optical imaging Medical optical imaging is the use of light as an investigational imaging technique for medical applications, pioneered by American Physical Chemist Britton Chance. Examples include optical microscopy, spectroscopy, endoscopy, scanning laser o ...
approaches than
EGFP The green fluorescent protein (GFP) is a protein that exhibits green fluorescence when exposed to light in the blue to ultraviolet range. The label ''GFP'' traditionally refers to the protein first isolated from the jellyfish ''Aequorea victo ...
. Issues with fluorescent proteins include the length of time between protein synthesis and expression of fluorescence. DsRed has a maturation time of around 24 hours, which renders it unsuited for experiments that take place over a shorter time frame. Additionally, DsRed exists in a tetrameric form, which can affect the function of proteins to which it is attached. Genetic engineering has improved the utility of RFP by increasing the speed of fluorescence development and creating
monomeric A monomer ( ; ''mono-'', "one" + '' -mer'', "part") is a molecule that can react together with other monomer molecules to form a larger polymer chain or two- or three-dimensional network in a process called polymerization. Classification Chemis ...
variants. Improved variants of RFP include the mFruits variants (
mCherry mCherry is a member of the mFruits family of monomeric red fluorescent proteins (mRFPs). As an RFP, mCherry was derived from DsRed of '' Discosoma'' sea anemones, unlike green fluorescent proteins (GFPs) which are often derived from ''Aequorea v ...
, mOrange, mRaspberry), mKO, TagRFP, mKate, mRuby, FusionRed, '' mScarlet'' and DsRed-Express.


Other Fluorescent Proteins

The first fluorescent protein to be discovered,
green fluorescent protein The green fluorescent protein (GFP) is a protein that exhibits green fluorescence when exposed to light in the blue to ultraviolet range. The label ''GFP'' traditionally refers to the protein first isolated from the jellyfish ''Aequorea victo ...
(GFP), has been adapted to identify and develop fluorescent markers in other colors. Variants such as
yellow fluorescent protein Yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) is a genetic mutant of green fluorescent protein (GFP) originally derived from the jellyfish ''Aequorea victoria''. Its excitation peak is 513 nm and its emission peak is 527 nm. Like the parent GFP, YFP ...
(YFP) and
cyan fluorescent protein The green fluorescent protein (GFP) is a protein that exhibits green fluorescence when exposed to light in the blue to ultraviolet range. The label ''GFP'' traditionally refers to the protein first isolated from the jellyfish ''Aequorea victo ...
(CFP) were discovered in
Anthozoa Anthozoa is one of the three subphyla of Cnidaria, along with Medusozoa and Endocnidozoa. It includes Sessility (motility), sessile marine invertebrates and invertebrates of brackish water, such as sea anemones, Scleractinia, stony corals, soft c ...
.


See Also

*
Cyan fluorescent protein The green fluorescent protein (GFP) is a protein that exhibits green fluorescence when exposed to light in the blue to ultraviolet range. The label ''GFP'' traditionally refers to the protein first isolated from the jellyfish ''Aequorea victo ...
(CFP) *
Green fluorescent protein The green fluorescent protein (GFP) is a protein that exhibits green fluorescence when exposed to light in the blue to ultraviolet range. The label ''GFP'' traditionally refers to the protein first isolated from the jellyfish ''Aequorea victo ...
(GFP) *
Yellow fluorescent protein Yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) is a genetic mutant of green fluorescent protein (GFP) originally derived from the jellyfish ''Aequorea victoria''. Its excitation peak is 513 nm and its emission peak is 527 nm. Like the parent GFP, YFP ...
(YFP)


References

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External links


DsRed
on FPBase Fluorescent proteins