SiR‐XActin: A Fluorescent Probe for Imaging Actin Dynamics in Live Cells
Imaging actin-dependent processes in live cells is important for understanding numerous biological processes. However, currently used natural-product-based fluorescent probes for actin filaments affect the dynamics of actin polymerization and can induce undesired cellular phenotypes. Here, we introduce SiR-XActin, a simplified jasplakinolide-based, far-red fluorescent probe that enables bright and photostable staining in various cell types without requiring genetic modifications. Due to its relatively weak binding affinity, the probe exhibits minimal cytotoxicity and labels actin filaments without significantly altering actin dynamics. Furthermore, SiR-XActin is suitable for time-resolved, live-cell super-resolution STED microscopy. Exchanging the SiR fluorophore in SiR-XActin for other fluorophores yields probes in different colors. All these properties make SiR-XActin and its analogs powerful tools for studying actin dynamics using live-cell fluorescence microscopy.
Authors
- Rayane Dibsy (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3475-7389)
- Kai Johnsson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8002-1981)
- Hans‐Dieter Arndt (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0792-1422)
- Veselin Nasufović (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6812-637X)
- Birgit Koch (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4683-3115)
- Victoria Levario‐Diaz (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5338-9812)
- Arnaud Échard (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7402-1398)
- Julian Kompa (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4479-5429)
- Eric A. Vitriol (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3398-1450)
- Elisabetta Ada Cavalcanti‐Adam (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0243-1552)
- Halli L. Lindamood (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9848-8969)
- Katharina Weber
- Merle Blümke
- Marlene Maager
- Ekaterina Nomerotskaia
Institutions
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
- Institut Pasteur (FR)
- Schiller International University (FR)
- Université Paris Cité (FR)
- Augusta University (US)
- Max Planck Institute for Medical Research (DE)
- École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (CH)
- University of Bayreuth (DE)
- Friedrich Schiller University Jena (DE)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Angewandte Chemie International Edition
- Published
- 2025-10-16
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202509285
- Primary Topic
- Advanced Fluorescence Microscopy Techniques
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00