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Light Sources Spectral Imaging Wavelength Selection Microscope Basics Optical Sectioning Fluorescent Proteins Spinning Disk Superresolution
Zeiss Spinning Disk Microscopy Digital Video Gallery

Monkey Kidney Cells with mEmerald-Plastin and mCherry-Rab7a

The Rab7a protein is included in the Rab family of Ras-related GTP-binding proteins. This family is located in specific intracellular compartments and is essential in regulating vesicular transport. Rab7 has been localized to late endosomes and plays a major role in the late endocytic pathway. Research has uncovered the protein's fundamental role in the cellular vacuolation generated by the cytotoxin VacA of Helicobacter pylori. Several mutations of Rab7a are associated with Hereditary Sensory Neuropathy type 1C, also referred to as Charcot-Marie-Tooth syndrome type 2B.

The EGFP variant mEmerald was utilized to visualize plastin in the digital video sequence in this section, while late endosomes were tagged with mCherry fused to Rab7a. mCherry was one of the original six monomeric fluorescent proteins exhibiting emission maxima ranging from 540 nm to 610 nm that resulted from work involving the directed evolution of mRFP1. This group of fluorescent proteins, and additional fluorescent proteins derived similarly at a later time, are often referred to as the "mFruits" due to their names, which refer to fruits with hues similar to those of their respective emission profiles.