Fluorescent Proteins as a Visible Molecular Signal for Rapid Quantification of Bioprocesses:Potential and Challenges

Abstract

Abstract: Green fluorescent protein (GFP) and its variants/homolog proteins are generally called as GFP-like fluorescent proteins (FPs), which are widely used as visible molecular tools for monitoring a wide range of biological processes due to their capability of simple, accurate and real time quantification. The FPs-based molecular and visible quantification tools are giving more impact on bioprocess engineering, enabling the biomolecule-level dynamic information to be linked with the process-level events. In this review, different applications of FPs in biological engineering with emphasis on rapid molecular bioprocess quantification, such as quantification of the transcription efficiency, the protein production, the protein folding efficiency, the cell concentration, the intracellular microenvironments and so on, would be first introduced. The challenges of using FPs with respect to actual bioprocess applications for the precise quantification including the interaction of FPs and the fused partner proteins, the maturation of FPs, the inner filter effect and sensing technology were then discussed. Finally, the future development for the FPs used in molecular bioprocess quantification would be proposed.

Key words: green fluorescent protein, fluorescent proteins, bioprocess engineering, quantification, marker

摘要： Green fluorescent protein (GFP) and its variants/homolog proteins are generally called as GFP-like fluorescent proteins (FPs), which are widely used as visible molecular tools for monitoring a wide range of biological processes due to their capability of simple, accurate and real time quantification. The FPs-based molecular and visible quantification tools are giving more impact on bioprocess engineering, enabling the biomolecule-level dynamic information to be linked with the process-level events. In this review, different applications of FPs in biological engineering with emphasis on rapid molecular bioprocess quantification, such as quantification of the transcription efficiency, the protein production, the protein folding efficiency, the cell concentration, the intracellular microenvironments and so on, would be first introduced. The challenges of using FPs with respect to actual bioprocess applications for the precise quantification including the interaction of FPs and the fused partner proteins, the maturation of FPs, the inner filter effect and sensing technology were then discussed. Finally, the future development for the FPs used in molecular bioprocess quantification would be proposed.

关键词: green fluorescent protein, fluorescent proteins, bioprocess engineering, quantification, marker

ZHANG Chong, XING Xinhui. Fluorescent Proteins as a Visible Molecular Signal for Rapid Quantification of Bioprocesses:Potential and Challenges[J]. , 2010, 18(5): 863-869.

张翀, 邢新会. Fluorescent Proteins as a Visible Molecular Signal for Rapid Quantification of Bioprocesses:Potential and Challenges[J]. , 2010, 18(5): 863-869.

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