Fluorescent proteins are essential tools in biological research, helping to visualize various cell types and structures. They play a key role in studies ranging from stem cell research to investigations into cancer-related proteins. A research team from the University of Amsterdam, led by Dorus Gadella, has developed a new, bright red fluorescent protein called mScarlet3. Its predecessor, mScarlet, gained rapid popularity in the scientific community and is now widely used in cell biology research across the globe.

The challenge

In the 1990s, scientists used a fluorescent protein as a coloured marker in a cell for the first time. That protein was green and came from a fluorescent jellyfish. In the 2000s, a red fluorescent protein was discovered in corals. But turning this protein into a usable and bright red light for cell research proved to be a lot more challenging.

Breakthrough: red fluorescent protein

In 2016, a team led by University of Amsterdam biologist Dorus Gadella achieved a breakthrough by developing a new, bright red fluorescent protein that marked a significant leap forward. With mScarlet3 they optimized the protein for maximum red brightness within cells. This much-improved version enhances the toolbox available to scientists in the lab, making it more comprehensive than ever before. As a result, there is great interest among the scientific community world-wide to use this bright red fluorescent protein in for their own research. Meanwhile, 949 mScarlet 3 plasmid DNA samples were shipped to 33 countries around the world in 1.5 years for diverse academic research projects.