In Situ Protein Labeling in Complex Environments

Abstract

Protein labeling with a synthetic probe is a powerful method not only for elucidating protein function in live cells but also for providing new tools to explore complicated biological processes that are associated with medical diagnosis. A wide variety of strategies for protein labeling in crude environments have been developed in the last decade, most of which exploit molecular recognition and high-affinity binding between a receptor protein and a chemical probe to achieve target specificity. More recently, protein labeling techniques on the basis of the concept of supramolecular chemistry have emerged and become an attractive approach for sensing of target proteins inside living cells. In this article, we focus on selective protein labeling methods that rely on specific molecular recognition in complex living systems, and describe these applications toward in situ imaging, engineering, and analysis of proteins in their native habitats.