This paper from ChemComm describes the design and characterization of a fluorescent probe that is activated by intracellular alkaline phosphatase activity. It enables the real-time imaging of endogenous alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity in living cells, and the fast and quantitative analysis of enzyme activity at the single-cell level.
By measuring the fluorescent intensity this could be a used in SEAP (Secretion alkaline phosphatase) reporter gene assay. Also, if these probes are proven to be chemically non-hazardous it might be safer to use compared to the SEAP assay kits that are commercially out.
ReplyDeleteThe simplicity of some of those fluorescent switch-on probes is just amazing. I don't know what they started with originally (probably proteases or glycosidases), but recently it has been nicely expanded to new analytes (like this example) or the hydrogenperoxide sensors that we will discuss in class.
ReplyDeleteWhat else could be easily detected in live cells using the same approach?