Visualizing and Manipulating Biological Processes by Using HaloTag and SNAP‐Tag Technologies

Visualizing and manipulating the behavior of proteins is crucial to understanding the physiology of the cell. Methods of biorthogonal protein labeling are important tools to attain this goal. In this review, we discuss advances in probe technology specific for self‐labeling protein tags, focusing ma...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Chembiochem : a European journal of chemical biology 2020-07, Vol.21 (14), p.1935-1946
Main Authors: Hoelzel, Conner A., Zhang, Xin
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
bio-orthogonal chemistry
Biological activity
chemical biology
Fluorescence
Fluorescence microscopy
HaloTag
Labeling
molecular probes
Perturbation
Proteins
SNAP-tag
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Summary:Visualizing and manipulating the behavior of proteins is crucial to understanding the physiology of the cell. Methods of biorthogonal protein labeling are important tools to attain this goal. In this review, we discuss advances in probe technology specific for self‐labeling protein tags, focusing mainly on the application of HaloTag and SNAP‐tag systems. We describe the latest developments in small‐molecule probes that enable fluorogenic (no wash) imaging and super‐resolution fluorescence microscopy. In addition, we cover several methodologies that enable the perturbation or manipulation of protein behavior and function towards the control of biological pathways. Thus, current technical advances in the HaloTag and SNAP‐tag systems means that they are becoming powerful tools to enable the visualization and manipulation of biological processes, providing invaluable scientific insights that are difficult to obtain by traditional methodologies. As the multiplex of self‐labeling protein tag systems continues to be developed and expanded, the utility of these protein tags will allow researchers to address previously inaccessible questions at the forefront of biology. Self‐service: We review recent developments in chemical probes for self‐labeling protein tags, focusing on the HaloTag and SNAP‐tag systems. Content includes the recently developed small‐molecule probes for fluorescence microscopy and several methodologies that perturb or manipulate biological processes in live cells. Future developments in self‐labeling protein tags should enable methods to address previously inaccessible biological questions.
ISSN:1439-4227
1439-7633
DOI:10.1002/cbic.202000037