Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET)

Introduction

Nowadays, fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) is increasingly used in biomedical research. FRET relies on the distance-dependent transfer of energy from donor molecules to acceptor molecules, so it is widely used to study molecular interactions. The donor molecule is the dye or chromophore that initially absorbs energy, and the acceptor is the chromophore that subsequently transfers energy. This resonance interaction is not converted into heat energy, nor is there any molecular collision. For FRET to occur, the following conditions must be met: 1. The donor and acceptor fluorophores must be close to each other; 2. The emission spectrum of the donor fluorophore must overlap with the absorption spectrum of the acceptor fluorophore; 3. The energy transfer from the donor fluorophore to the acceptor fluorophore occurs via intermolecular dipole-dipole coupling.

FRET can detect the proximity between two molecules within a few nanometers, so when the distance-related interaction is close enough, FRET can provide information about the interaction between labeled molecules, such as the binding of ligand and receptor. FRET is sensitive, simple operation, and easily automated, so it is also very suitable for high-throughput screening. But FRET relies heavily on the use of high-quality labeling reagents.

Figure 1. Schematic representations of cell surface FRET detection technologies (Fernández-Dueñas, V.; et al.;2012)

Services

Our advanced FRET technology platform and well-trained technicians can provide guarantee for customers' projects. We provide a wide range of fluorescently labeled antibodies, proteins, and dyes, covering the spectrum from ultraviolet to far-infrared to meet all your experimental needs. Our best quality FRET microscope imaging services include world-class equipment, flexible and diverse choices of fluorophore pairs, and professional image analysis tools. And our one-stop service covers every step of the project, including fluorophore fusion protein construction, cell preparation, fluorescence imaging, image processing and data analysis, etc.

Customers can choose different technology platforms according to project requirements, or contact us directly for consultation, and our expert team will provide you with customized experimental procedures.

Figure 2. FRET imaging microscopy experiment (Truong, K.; Ikura. M. 2001)

Highlights

• Real-time data collection
• Can capture instantaneous interactions
• Study protein state in vivo
• High accuracy and high sensitivity
• Suitable for different tissues and cell types
• Minimal photo-bleaching and less photo-damage

Applications

• Study on the interactions between intracellular molecules
• Study on the interactions between cell membrane receptors
• Study on localization modification of membrane protein
• Apoptosis research
• Detect changes in enzyme activity

Creative Proteomics is an international biotechnology company dedicated to research in molecular interactions and other related fields. The excellent fluorescence resonance energy transfer technology platform we have built can provide customers with high-quality, one-stop research services, and help customers study various interactions more effectively.