Patent ID: 7060869
Filing Date: 2006-06-13
Classification: A01K,C07K,G01N

Abstract:
1. A transgenic mouse whose genome comprises a nucleic acid sequence which encodes a fluorescent indicator protein comprising: 1) a binding protein moiety having an analyte-binding domain which binds an analyte and causes the indicator to change conformation upon exposure to the analyte; 2) a donor fluorescent protein moiety covalently coupled to the binding protein moiety; and 3) an acceptor fluorescent protein moiety covalently coupled to the binding protein moiety, wherein a conformational change is induced in the binding protein moiety upon analyte binding, which in turn induces conformational changes in the position or orientation of the donor fluorescent protein and acceptor fluorescent protein moieties with respect to one another, thereby altering the relative amounts of fluorescence from the two fluorescent protein moieties when the donor is excited by irradiation, wherein expression of the nucleic acid sequence which encodes the fluorescent indicator protein results in the mouse having cells that contain the fluorescent indicator, thereby allowing for qualitative or quantitative determination of an analyte in vivo upon irradiation of the cells.