Date: Jan 13, 2026
Category: Science & Technology
Roßmann and colleagues introduce a groundbreaking, one-step protocol for synthesizing a diverse range of impermeable fluorescent HaloTag substrates. This innovative approach allows researchers to efficiently label cell surface proteins with high specificity and minimal background, even at low ligand concentrations and with short incubation periods.
By employing these newly developed HaloTag ligands, the team successfully visualized neuromodulatory receptors and other cell surface proteins in live-cell environments. The impermeable nature of these probes ensures exclusive labeling of extracellular targets, making them ideal for in situ applications and super-resolution imaging techniques such as STED and PALM.
The protocol's simplicity and versatility represent a significant advancement for cell biology, neuroscience, and molecular imaging. It paves the way for more precise studies of protein dynamics, receptor trafficking, and cell signaling in real time, without the interference of intracellular background labeling.
This work builds on previous efforts, such as Bosch et al.'s evaluation of fluorophores for SNAP-tagged proteins, by offering a robust solution tailored for HaloTag technology. The new ligands are compatible with multicolor imaging and single-molecule tracking, expanding the toolkit available for cutting-edge live-cell microscopy.
For detailed experimental procedures, ligand structures, and imaging results, refer to the supplementary materials and the original publication.
Read the source »Share on:
Scientists are using wind tunnels to simulate the conditions a probe would face while descending into the atmosphere of Uranus or Neptune. This research is crucial for the high-priority missions...
A groundbreaking algorithm has uncovered a multitude of gene-editing enzymes in environmental DNA, including some linked to DNA-cutting and others shrouded in mystery.
This week's science highlights encompass a groundbreaking physics experiment converting light into matter, NASA's Juno mission nearing a close rendezvous with Jupiter's moon Io, and a compilation of...
The Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) team has unveiled the sharpest image of the M87 black hole, offering unprecedented insight into one of the universe's most enigmatic phenomena. This breakthrough...
NASA's latest mission will focus on studying microscopic plant life and particles from space to collect vital data on climate change, air quality, and ocean health, contributing to a better...
The Joint European Torus (JET) in the UK achieved a new world record for energy output before being decommissioned. This milestone brings us closer to the dream of clean, limitless energy through...