Fluorescent protein tracers; a trial of new fluorochromes and the development of an alternative to fluorescein.

Abstract

With the object of simplifying the fluorescent protein tracer technique, the following fluorochromes were examined as possible alternatives to fluorescein: aminoeosin, aminorhodamine B, 3-phenyl-7-isocyanatocumarin (Geigy), 5-β-carboxyethylaminoacridine, R 4388 (Geigy), fluolite C (I.C.I.), lissamine flavine FFS (I.C.I.), lissamine rhodamine GS (I.C.I.), and lissamine rhodamine B 200 (I.C.I.) (RB 200). With the exception of RB 200, none was suitable as a protein label largely because of unsatisfactory fluorescence intensity or colour.