Harnessing miniature optics to visualise dynamic gene expression in real-time in living animals

利用微型光学器件实时可视化活体动物中的动态基因表达

• 批准号: G0802588/1
• 负责人: Sabrina Semprini
• 金额: $ 6.42万
• 依托单位: University of Edinburgh
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2009
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2009 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=G0802588%2F1
• 关键词: Harnessing; miniature; optics; visualise; dynamic

Gene expression is a molecular process that ?switches genes on and off? in our cells, thereby regulating the production of proteins for the correct functioning of our organism. ?Reporter? proteins such us luciferase and GFP (the Nobel Prize was awarded this year for its discovery), produce light as a consequence of which their expression can be readily detected in a manner that is accurate and physiologically compatible. Currently we can see light emission from live, anaesthetised animals with non-invasive tools and are thus able to quantify expression. These methods have limitations including the requirement for anaesthesia (which can alter gene expression) and relatively poor resolution. The basic components required to establish a substantially improved system to deliver high-resolution use in the conscious animal already exist (fibre optics, micro-lenses, miniature detection systems). Through a joint effort between biologists and optical physicists we propose to take the first step to realising that goal and we propose to use transgenic rats that express luciferase and eGFP as tools for developing this technology.

基因表达是一个开启和关闭基因的分子过程。在我们的细胞中，从而调节蛋白质的生产，使我们的生物体正常运作。？记者？例如荧光素酶和绿色荧光蛋白(今年因其发现而获得诺贝尔奖)等蛋白质产生光，因此它们的表达可以很容易地以一种准确和生理上兼容的方式被检测到。目前，我们可以用非侵入性的工具看到活的、麻醉的动物发出的光，从而能够量化表达。这些方法都有局限性，包括需要麻醉(可以改变基因表达)和相对较差的分辨率。建立一个大幅度改进的系统以在有意识的动物中提供高分辨率使用所需的基本组件已经存在(光纤、微透镜、微型探测系统)。通过生物学家和光学物理学家的共同努力，我们建议迈出实现这一目标的第一步，我们建议使用表达荧光素酶和绿色荧光蛋白的转基因大鼠作为开发这项技术的工具。