Green fluorescent protein (GFP): applications in cell-based assays for drug discovery.

Green fluorescent protein (GFP) is a powerful tool for cell-based assays owing to the intrinsic fluorescence of this protein that allows real-time analysis of molecular events in living cells. A number of GFP variants have been developed with optimal properties for both high-throughput screening and high-content screening. The author discusses advances in basic GFP technology, including the discovery of fluorescent proteins from divergent bioluminescent species, as well as the development of various GFP biosensors suited to the drug discovery process.