Human Cervix Adenocarcinoma Cells with mEmerald-PMP
Human cervix adenocarcinoma cells (the HeLa line) have been used to screen for Escherichia coli strains with invasive potential, and are useful for transfections. The cells are susceptible to Adenovirus type 3, Encephalomyocarditis virus, Poliovirus 1, Poliovirus 2, and Poliovirus 3, but are negative for reverse transcriptase, indicating the lack of integral retrovirus genomes.
The activity of peroxisomes in cultured HeLa CCL2 cells was visualized in this digital video sequence with mEmerald fused to a peroxisomal membrane protein (PMP) targeting signal. Peroxisomes are oxidative organelles that resemble lysosomes in appearance, but differ in function and are not formed in the Golgi apparatus. Peroxisomes are self-replicating and in vertebrates are especially large and profuse in hepatocytes and tubular regions of nephrons.
EGFP is an enhanced derivative of the green fluorescent protein isolated from Aequorea jellyfish, and mEmerald is a variant of EGFP. mEmerald is about 16 percent brighter than EGFP and is also more photostable. Peak excitation and emission of mEmerald occur at 487 and 509 nanometers, respectively.