When
Presenter: Dr. Jennifer Prescher, Department of Chemistry, Molecular Biology & Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, Irvine
Hosted: Dr. Michael Taylor
Abstract: Bioluminescence is widely used to track cells and gene expression patterns in vivo. This technique relies on light production from luciferase enzymes and luciferin small molecules. While ubiquitous, bioluminescence has been largely limited to visualizing one or two biological features at a time, owing to a lack of easily resolved luciferase-luciferin pairs. Simultaneous monitoring of multiple cell types or gene expression patterns requires new bioluminescent tools. Toward this end, we are generating custom luciferin analogs that can be processed by unique mutant luciferase enzymes. We have developed several new probes that can be used for multi-component imaging in cells, tissues, and even whole organisms. We have also generated computer algorithms to rapidly unmix luciferase signals, enabling facile detection of multiple luciferases in vitro and in vivo. These engineered probes are now being used to image cells and decipher their communications in vivo, in addition to monitoring gene expression profiles. Examples of the imaging probes and their applications in living systems will be discussed.