Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) has existed for more than one hundred and sixty million years in one species of jellyfish, Aequorea victoria. The protein is found in the photoorgans of Aequorea, see picture below right. GFP is not responsible for the glow often seen in pictures of jellyfish - that "fluorescence" is actually due to the reflection of the flash used to photograph the jellies. The green fluorescent protein (GFP) is protein composed of 238 amino acids (26.9kDa), which exhibits bright green fluorescence when exposed to blue light.In cell and molecular biology, the GFP gene is frequently used as a reporter of expression. In 1994 GFP was cloned. Now GFP is found in laboratories all over the world where it is used in every conceivable plant and animal. Flatworms, algae, E. coli and pigs have all been made to fluoresce with GFP. The importance of GFP was recognized in 2008 when the Nobel Committee awarded Osamu Shimomura, Marty Chalfie and Roger Tsien the Chemistry Nobel Prize for the discovery and development of the green fluorescent protein, GFP." below is the organism Aequorea victoria. get the video of green fluroscent protein on youtube. click here  |
 Aequorea victoria contains a protein called aequorin releases blue light upon binding with calcium. This blue light is then totally absorbed by the GFP, which in turn gives off the green light. Why is it so popular? Well, I like to think of GFP as the microscope of the twenty-first century. Using GFP we can see when proteins are made, and where they can go. This is done by joining the GFP gene to the gene of protein of interest so that when the protein is made it will have GFP hanging off it. Since GFP fluoresces, one can shine light at the cell and wait for the distinctive green fluorescence associated with GFP to appear. FRET - Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer Cell division in the frog embryo The Discovery Of The Atom Cancer Killing Viruses BIOTERRORISM AGAINST MEXICO BY USA 04-24-09 Bioinformatics MSc - Cranfield University and much more... Chat with your friends with the exclusive :: yahoomail click here<<< googlemail click here<<< facebook click here<<< |
