Question: How did you first come up with the idea of the 'molecular probe'?

Laura Newton answered on 17 Jun 2015:

Hey Mim!

I think I answered this in the chat but I don’t want to leave you hanging!

Molecular probes are molecules that can bind to another molecule in such a way that something happens that you can measure. There are lots of examples of them being made to sense different things, like glucose or DNA. There are a huge range of different structures that these probes can take.

I’m trying to detect the molecule heme. So I needed to make a probe – a molecule that will bind to heme. I had started thinking about using peptides because they are easily modified and I know that they will bind to heme. Then I had a random flash of inspiration that maybe it would be a good idea to try and copy the protein from our bodies that is the best at binding heme. So now I’ve made a bit of that protein and I’m testing how good it is at binding heme.

Then I need to find a molecule that I can attach to the peptide that is fluorescent and has the right properties so that when it’s close to heme it will change colour. There are certain molecules called chromophores that can transfer their energy to others and make them light up. So the more heme there is bound to my probe molecules the more the colour will change which I can measure.

There’s no way to measure the amount of heme in cells at the moment so if it all works it will be quite exciting!

Best wishes,
Laura