Scientists see proteins inside human cells

Scientists at the University of Warwick have developed a new method for visualizing proteins that are inside human cells using ferritin, a large protein shell used to store iron [19659002] The researchers created FerriTag, an inducible genetically encoded paper. a label that allows the cell to make the label itself and avoid the damage done by placing the label on the outside of the cell. This allows the team to see the protein inside the cell with electron microscopy.

Researchers initially sought to locate a protein found in clathrin-coated pits – 100 wide entry points used by viruses to invade and infect cells.

Using the new FerriTag, the team was able to see exactly where the protein is found in the pit and on the inner surface of the cell surface.

"Proteins do almost all the work in the cells that scientists want Stephen Royle, Ph.D., badociate professor and badociate senior cancer researcher in the UK at Warwick Medical School, said." We can learn a lot about how proteins work by simply observing them under the microscope. But we must know their precise location. "

While light microscopy can be used to see how proteins move, the resolution is often too low to see the precise location of the protein.However, the use of electron microscopy gives researchers a higher resolution.

To enable proteins to be visualized by both microscopes and to correlate them, the research team developed a method of marking both types of material. and several labels are available, however, they are often not accurate and do not always work on individual proteins

To overcome some of the limitations, the researchers created the new label, which was fused with a fluorescent protein [19659002"Whenferritinisfusedtoaproteinweendupwithaslurry"RoylesaidWehavemodifiedFerritinsothatitcanbeattachedtotheproteinofinterestbyusingadrugThismeantwecouldputtheFerriTagontheproteinwewanttoimageinsecondsTheinterestingthingaboutFerriTagisthatitisgeneticallyencodedThismeansthatwegetthecelltomakethelabelitselfandthatwedonothavetoputitontheoutsidewhichwoulddamagethecell"

The study was published in Nature Communications .]