Add BrightSurf on Google Email

Science News for December 22, 2004


Immune system contributes to evolution of a new fluorescent protein

Researchers used somatic hypermutation to evolve a red fluorescent protein with improved stability and color emission properties. The new protein, mPlum, was created by allowing B cells to mutate the gene at a rate of roughly a million times that of the genome. This process enabled the production of multiple mutations in a single cycle.

SourceHoward Hughes Medical Institute·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateDec 22, 2004

Cells don festive holiday colors

Scientists have developed a range of new fluorescent proteins with unique colors, allowing them to track the effects of multiple genetic alterations in a single cell. These monomeric proteins retain fluorescent properties while being less toxic than their multimeric counterparts, enabling precise cellular analysis.

SourceHoward Hughes Medical Institute·JournalNature Biotechnology·DateDec 22, 2004

Needling chromosomes yields insights into cell division

A team of researchers from Duke University has successfully used micromanipulation to study the separation of sister chromatids in cell division. Their experiments revealed that chromatids are initially attached but then separate at their centers, with linkages playing a crucial role in their separation.

SourceDuke University·JournalCurrent Biology·DateDec 22, 2004