Study Tools: Glowing and colourful proteins

Proteins play crucial roles in living organisms, yet their small size makes them challenging to study. Fortunately, some proteins exhibit fluorescence or produce colorful compounds, making them easily observable. These properties are naturally present in many organisms and have been instrumental in microbiology research for years. Reporter proteins, endowed with fluorescence or luminescence, can be fused with other proteins of interest. This fusion helps illuminate the intricacies of microorganisms and molecular biology, facilitating the development of biosensors for detecting pollutants or diagnosing diseases.