confocal FRET with CFP and YFP

From: Grace Jones (gjones@pop.uky.edu)
Date: Fri Jul 14 2000 - 19:13:56 EST


Can anyone help about using confocal imaging in connection with FRET with
CFP and TFP fluorophores?

Briefly, we've got a confocal microscope with Leica software.  I'm
transfecting or cotransfecting cells with constructs encoding  nuclear
receptors fused with either CFP or YFP.  I harvest the transfected cells,
and excite them with 458 nm (CFP excitation) and want to detect FRET by
either a reduction in CFP emission or by an increase in YFP emission.  When
I excite them at 458, I can scan the emission images of the individual
cells and then use the LEICA software to quantify how intense is the
emission of interest.  With the software, I can scan the emission across
465 to 600, to capture the effect of FRET on either the CFP emission max or
the YFP emission max.

Now, how can I use this set up to tell, on a cell by cell analysis basis,
whether FRET is occurring?  I've tried a number of approaches, and want to
run my ideas by someone with experience in this area.  Can anyone help?

Thanks

Dr. Grace Jones
School of Biological Sciences
University of Kentucky
Lexington, KY 40506



This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Sat Mar 10 2001 - 19:31:26 EST