Rapid Mass Movement of Chloroplasts during Segment Formation of the Calcifying Siphonalean Green Alga, Halimeda macroloba

is abundant on coral reefs and is important in the production of calcium carbonate sediments. The process by which new green segments are formed over-night is revealed here for the first time. indicated that the movement process is dependent on both microtubules and microfilaments.This unusual process involves the mass movement of chloroplasts at a high rate into new segments during the night and rapid calcification on the following day and may be an adaptation to minimise the impact of herbivorous activity

Screening reef corals for novel GFP-type fluorescent proteins by confocal imaging

The discovery of multicolored fluorescent proteins (FPs), in reef corals, that are close relatives of the green fluorescent protein (GFP) has led to what is now viewed as the second GFP revolution. Numerous GFP-type proteins, termed "reef FPs," have been cloned from reef organisms and many possess new colors, novel molecular characteristics, protein chemistry and many display unusual photophysical properties. Although some FPs have certain disadvantageous properties, such as the tendency to oligomerize or have slow maturation rates, reef FPs have been developed into versatile probes for cell biology and imaging applications. Screening of natural sources for novel GFP-type proteins continues to be valuable due to the need to expand the range of spectral colors, brightness, monomeric or dimeric states, faster maturation states, and photoactivity. Confocal imaging, coupled with microspectral detection, provides a rapid technique for in vivo characterization of FPs with desirable spectral and photoactive properties

Laser scanning confocal imaging of forensic samples and their 3D visualization

This chapter describes the application of confocal imaging in fluorescence and reflection modes and the analysis of the three-dimensional (3D) data sets of samples relevant to forensic medical investigations. In the last three decades, confocal microscopy has become a widely used technique in the fields of biological and medical sciences. Gradually, its use is becoming more widespread in forensic sciences as it offers numerous advantages over conventional wide-field microscopy. One of the key advantages is the generation of sharply focused 3D data stacks of imaged material, without out-of-focus blur. The technique generates digital optical sections from sample swface down to a depth of 100-300 µm from which a multitude ofstructural, sculptural and optical parameters in 3D and 4D can be obtained and analysed. This chapter discusses several examples of confocal imaging for medical forensic applications, including the 3D analysis of finger prints, hair, skin abrasions and grass pollen exine morphology to provide new diagnostic and prognostic information. The chapter also covers practical applications of a powerful 3D visualization and analyses software

Fluorescence control in natural green fluorescent protein (GFP)-based photonic structures of reef corals

The green fluorescent protein (GFP) and a variety of GFP-like homologues that colour tissues of many reef organisms have revolutionized biological and biomedical research by providing the means to fluorescently tag and visualize the activity of genes and proteins in living cells. This chapter describes how we can further capitalize on what nature has produced by using the GFP group of photoactive proteins, which evolved to perform a variety of biological functions, to develop a range of biomimetic advanced biophotonic applications. The evolutionary pressures that led to the origin of GFP-like fluorescent proteins in marine organisms can be explored in designing novel biomedical sensors, solar cells, biomolecule-based materials and optoelectronic devices. As GFP-like proteins are genetically encodable, this science is posed on the brink of a new technological revolution- to create the means for interfacing biology with electronics, so that devices not only generate energy, but also diagnose diseases and detect pathogens in vivo

Genetically encoded fluorescent probes : some properties and applications in the life sciences

The green fluorescent protein (GFP) was first isolated from the bell margin tissue of the bioluminescent jellyfish, Aequorea victoria. Some key advantages for using fluorescent protein (FP) technology are highlighted in Table 3.1. FP technology is some 13 years old but continues to evolve through both engineering of existing proteins and the discovery of new members of the family. In this chapter we highlight some of their key properties and the conceptual approaches and their application. Of course, FP technology is not without its limitations and we also bring into focus some of the problems associated with the technology. Given the broad scope of this book, we hope it will be informative for those with limited awareness of research in the life sciences

Spectral Phasor approach for fingerprinting of photo-activatable fluorescent proteins Dronpa, Kaede and KikGR.

The phasor global analysis algorithm is common for fluorescence lifetime applications, but has only been recently proposed for spectral analysis. Here the phasor representation and fingerprinting is exploited in its second harmonic to determine the number and spectra of photo-activated states as well as their conversion dynamics. We follow the sequence of photo-activation of proteins over time by rapidly collecting multiple spectral images. The phasor representation of the cumulative images provides easy identification of the spectral signatures of each photo-activatable protein

Spectral Phasor approach for fingerprinting of photo-activatable fluorescent proteins Dronpa, Kaede and KikGR.

The phasor global analysis algorithm is common for fluorescence lifetime applications, but has only been recently proposed for spectral analysis. Here the phasor representation and fingerprinting is exploited in its second harmonic to determine the number and spectra of photo-activated states as well as their conversion dynamics. We follow the sequence of photo-activation of proteins over time by rapidly collecting multiple spectral images. The phasor representation of the cumulative images provides easy identification of the spectral signatures of each photo-activatable protein

Spectral phasor approach for fingerprinting of photo-activatable fluorescent proteins Dronpa, Kaede and KikGR

The phasor global analysis algorithm is common for fluorescence lifetime applications, but has only been recently proposed for spectral analysis. Here the phasor representation and fingerprinting is exploited in its second harmonic to determine the number and spectra of photo-activated states as well as their conversion dynamics. We follow the sequence of photo-activation of proteins over time by rapidly collecting multiple spectral images. The phasor representation of the cumulative images provides easy identification of the spectral signatures of each photo-activatable protein