Analysis of Protein Function in Living Cells
David Stenoien, Principal Investigator
Immunofluorescence localization of chromosomal passenger proteins. Kinetochores are immunoreactive for the P190 antibody (green) at the onset of mitosis in prophase (A) and remain labeled through metaphase (B). As the cells progress through mitosis and the chromosomes (labeled with DAPI in blue) separate, P190 labels the midzone during anaphase (C) and the midbody at the completion of cell division (D). No P190 immunoreactivity is observed in interphase nuclei. Click for a larger version.
As great progress is being made in the field of proteomics to identify the protein components in cell regulatory networks, understanding how these proteins are spatially and temporally regulated at the cellular level remains a significant task. Minimally invasive assays are required that can address how proteins function in their natural environment where compartmentalization and metabolite concentrations are strictly maintained. To address these issues, we are developing imaging-based technologies to perform functional proteomics and applying these technologies to study proteins that regulate the mammalian cell cycle.
