活体蛋白荧光标记技术已经被广泛应用于蛋白质功能的可视化研究中。荧光蛋白常被用来研究蛋白质在生物体内的表达和定位,但由于它本身体积比较大,往往会影响目标蛋白的生物活性。特异性的小分子荧光探针以其体积小、膜透性好、背景噪音低以及制备方便的优点成为蛋白质研究的一个有力工具。本文将简要介绍近几年来各类特异性小分子蛋白荧光探针的研究进展。
Site-specific fluorescent labeling of proteins in vivo remains one of the most powerful techniques for imaging complex processes in live cells. Although fluorescent proteins in a variety of colors are useful tools for tracking expression and localization of fusion proteins in cells, these relative large tag can perturb protein folding, trafficking and function. Site-specific small-molecule fluorescent probe with advantages of small size, membrane permeability, low background and simple preparation will be an ideal tool in various studies of protein functions. This article summarizes the advances in selective labeling of proteins by using small-molecule fluorescent probes in recent years.