Analysis of general and specific protein synthesis provides important information, relevant to cellular physiology and\r\nfunction. However, existing methodologies, involving metabolic labelling by incorporation of radioactive amino acids into\r\nnascent polypeptides, cannot be applied to monitor protein synthesis in specific cells or tissues, in live specimens. We have\r\ndeveloped a novel approach for monitoring protein synthesis in specific cells or tissues, in vivo. Fluorescent reporter\r\nproteins such as GFP are expressed in specific cells and tissues of interest or throughout animals using appropriate\r\npromoters. Protein synthesis rates are assessed by following fluorescence recovery after partial photobleaching of the\r\nfluorophore at targeted sites. We evaluate the method by examining protein synthesis rates in diverse cell types of live, wild\r\ntype or mRNA translation-defective Caenorhabditis elegans animals. Because it is non-invasive, our approach allows\r\nmonitoring of protein synthesis in single cells or tissues with intrinsically different protein synthesis rates. Furthermore, it\r\ncan be readily implemented in other organisms or cell culture systems.
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