Molecular Biosensors and Molecular Imaging in Cells

Authors

Wang Dianbing, National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
Cui Zongqiang, State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China
Zhang Xian-En, National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China

Keywords

molecular biosensor; cell imaging; molecular beacon (MB); fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET); bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET); bimolecular fluorescence complementation

Document Type

Article

Abstract

Molecular sensors are the biosensors made of macrobiomolecules. They are significant tools for real-time imaging of the molecular events in living cells and in vivo. Molecular beacons (MB), fluorescence/bioluminescence resonance energy transfer sensors (FRET/BRET) and molecular fluorescence complementation systems (BiFC, TriFC, etc.) are major types of molecular biosensors for live cell imaging applications. In this paper, the principles and characteristics of the molecular biosensors are described. The biosensors show their unique role in study of biomolecular interactions, localization, movement, and kinetics in living cells. The restrains, challenges, and future prospects of the molecular biosensors are also discussed. Because "Seeing is believing", the molecule biosensors enable us to see the biological process with super high spatio-temporal resolution, and thus to answer the fundamental biological questions.

First page

1303

Last Page

1312

Language

Chinese

Publisher

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences

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Recommended Citation

Dianbing, Wang; Zongqiang, Cui; and Xian-En, Zhang (2017) "Molecular Biosensors and Molecular Imaging in Cells," Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version): Vol. 32 : Iss. 12 , Article 4.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.16418/j.issn.1000-3045.2017.12.004
Available at: https://bulletinofcas.researchcommons.org/journal/vol32/iss12/4