Glowing research helpers

The green fluorescent protein and its successors bring light and color into the world of cells: They are indispensable tools in microscopy – and new applications are imminent.

by JULIETTE IRMER

The green fluorescent protein, called GFP for short, has had an amazing career: for millions of years, it had already made the luminous organs of the pretty jellyfish Aequorea victoria shine before it was isolated from the cnidarian in 1961 and three decades later it downright revolutionized cell biological research .

The discovery of the green fluorescent protein was recognized with the 2008 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. In the justification…

Glowing research helpers
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