fluorescenttagged

Fluorescent tagging refers to the attachment of a fluorescent label to a molecule to visualize its location and movement using fluorescence microscopy and related techniques. It is widely used in biology, biotechnology, and materials science to study proteins, nucleic acids, and cells.

Tags can be genetically encoded, such as fluorescent proteins (GFP, YFP, mCherry) fused to the protein of interest, allowing expression in living cells. Alternatively, chemical tagging uses self-labeling tags (SNAP-tag, HaloTag, CLIP-tag) or reactive dyes conjugated to antibodies, aptamers, or nucleic acids.

Applications include determining subcellular localization, monitoring dynamics in real time, co-localization and interaction studies, and reporting on gene expression. Fluorescence-based methods also support flow cytometry, fluorescence-activated cell sorting, and advanced imaging techniques such as confocal and super-resolution microscopy.

Advantages include high sensitivity, specificity, and real-time observation in living cells. Limitations include potential disruption of protein function or localization by the tag, photobleaching, spectral overlap, and overexpression artifacts. Tag choice depends on spectral properties, brightness, maturation time, and cellular context, and proper controls are essential.