The Crayolas of Biology

Researchers at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute have unveiled a rainbow of new fluorescent protein markers that researchers can use to tag cells and observe a range of cellular processes.

Developers of the markers, a team led by Roger Tsien and predoctoral fellow Nathan C. Shaner, have given them Crayola-like names to go with the brilliant colors, including honeydew, tomato, tangerine, strawberry and plum.

"One of the reasons we name the proteins after fruits is to remind people that there is no 'best fruit' in the grocery store," said Tsien.

Protein markers are extremely useful to researchers, and the availability of the new colors will enable scientists to track the effects of multiple genetic alterations in a single cell. By splicing the genes for the fluorescent proteins into specific genes in the cell, researchers can detect when those genes are switched on to produce proteins. They can then use the telltale fluorescent colors to separate the cells visually for further investigation.

-- LiveScience Staff

Credit: Roger Tsien