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B. Albert Griffin

Bio: B. Albert Griffin is an academic researcher from University of California, San Diego. The author has contributed to research in topics: Ligand (biochemistry) & SNAP-tag. The author has an hindex of 2, co-authored 2 publications receiving 1534 citations.

Papers
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Journal ArticleDOI
10 Jul 1998-Science
TL;DR: This system provides a recipe for slightly modifying a target protein so that it can be singled out from the many other proteins inside live cells and fluorescently stained by small nonfluorescent dye molecules added from outside the cells.
Abstract: Recombinant proteins containing four cysteines at the i , i + 1, i + 4, and i + 5 positions of an α helix were fluorescently labeled in living cells by extracellular administration of 4′,5′-bis(1,3,2-dithioarsolan-2-yl)fluorescein. This designed small ligand is membrane-permeant and nonfluorescent until it binds with high affinity and specificity to the tetracysteine domain. Such in situ labeling adds much less mass than does green fluorescent protein and offers greater versatility in attachment sites as well as potential spectroscopic and chemical properties. This system provides a recipe for slightly modifying a target protein so that it can be singled out from the many other proteins inside live cells and fluorescently stained by small nonfluorescent dye molecules added from outside the cells.

1,582 citations

Book ChapterDOI
TL;DR: The biarsenical-tetracysteine tagging system was the first of (and inspiration for) the now numerous methods for site-specifically labeling proteins in living cells with small molecules such as fluorophores.
Abstract: The biarsenical-tetracysteine tagging system was the first of (and inspiration for) the now numerous methods for site-specifically labeling proteins in living cells with small molecules such as fluorophores. This historical recollection describes its conception and the trial-and-error chemical development required to become a versatile technique.

5 citations


Cited by
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Journal ArticleDOI
14 Apr 2006-Science
TL;DR: The focus is on protein detection in live versus fixed cells: determination of protein expression, localization, activity state, and the possibility for combination of fluorescent light microscopy with electron microscopy.
Abstract: Advances in molecular biology, organic chemistry, and materials science have recently created several new classes of fluorescent probes for imaging in cell biology. Here we review the characteristic benefits and limitations of fluorescent probes to study proteins. The focus is on protein detection in live versus fixed cells: determination of protein expression, localization, activity state, and the possibility for combination of fluorescent light microscopy with electron microscopy. Small organic fluorescent dyes, nanocrystals ("quantum dots"), autofluorescent proteins, small genetic encoded tags that can be complexed with fluorochromes, and combinations of these probes are highlighted.

2,632 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The bioorthogonal chemical reactions developed to date are described and how they can be used to study biomolecules.
Abstract: The study of biomolecules in their native environments is a challenging task because of the vast complexity of cellular systems. Technologies developed in the last few years for the selective modification of biological species in living systems have yielded new insights into cellular processes. Key to these new techniques are bioorthogonal chemical reactions, whose components must react rapidly and selectively with each other under physiological conditions in the presence of the plethora of functionality necessary to sustain life. Herein we describe the bioorthogonal chemical reactions developed to date and how they can be used to study biomolecules.

2,537 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
17 Mar 2000-Science
TL;DR: A chemical transformation that permits the selective formation of covalent adducts among richly functionalized biopolymers within a cellular context is presented and should permit its execution within a cell's interior, offering new possibilities for probing intracellular interactions.
Abstract: Selective chemical reactions enacted within a cellular environment can be powerful tools for elucidating biological processes or engineering novel interactions. A chemical transformation that permits the selective formation of covalent adducts among richly functionalized biopolymers within a cellular context is presented. A ligation modeled after the Staudinger reaction forms an amide bond by coupling of an azide and a specifically engineered triarylphosphine. Both reactive partners are abiotic and chemically orthogonal to native cellular components. Azides installed within cell surface glycoconjugates by metabolism of a synthetic azidosugar were reacted with a biotinylated triarylphosphine to produce stable cell-surface adducts. The tremendous selectivity of the transformation should permit its execution within a cell's interior, offering new possibilities for probing intracellular interactions.

2,132 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Advances include the continued development of 'passive' markers for the measurement of biomolecule expression and localization in live cells, and 'active' indicators for monitoring more complex cellular processes such as small-molecule-messenger dynamics, enzyme activation and protein–protein interactions.
Abstract: Fluorescent probes are one of the cornerstones of real-time imaging of live cells and a powerful tool for cell biologists. They provide high sensitivity and great versatility while minimally perturbing the cell under investigation. Genetically-encoded reporter constructs that are derived from fluorescent proteins are leading a revolution in the real-time visualization and tracking of various cellular events. Recent advances include the continued development of 'passive' markers for the measurement of biomolecule expression and localization in live cells, and 'active' indicators for monitoring more complex cellular processes such as small-molecule-messenger dynamics, enzyme activation and protein-protein interactions.

1,895 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A general method for the covalent labeling of fusion proteins in vivo that complements existing methods for noncovalentlabeling of proteins and that may open up new ways of studying proteins in living cells is described.
Abstract: Characterizing the movement, interactions, and chemical microenvironment of a protein inside the living cell is crucial to a detailed understanding of its function. Most strategies aimed at realizing this objective are based on genetically fusing the protein of interest to a reporter protein that monitors changes in the environment of the coupled protein. Examples include fusions with fluorescent proteins, the yeast two-hybrid system, and split ubiquitin. However, these techniques have various limitations, and considerable effort is being devoted to specific labeling of proteins in vivo with small synthetic molecules capable of probing and modulating their function. These approaches are currently based on the noncovalent binding of a small molecule to a protein, the formation of stable complexes between biarsenical compounds and peptides containing cysteines, or the use of biotin acceptor domains. Here we describe a general method for the covalent labeling of fusion proteins in vivo that complements existing methods for noncovalent labeling of proteins and that may open up new ways of studying proteins in living cells.

1,702 citations