So long as the GFP remains folded and the fluorophore is buried it should fluoresce. I have had a GFP construct that remained fluorescent in 9M Urea. It was even fluorescent after lyophilizing.
I don't know, but I would guess that ethanol fixation would denature GFP, thus quenching it.
From my experience, ethanol fixation causes a loss of GFP-fluorescence by a factor of 10 (depending on the fixation conditions) - as determined by flow cytometry. Paraformaldehyde fixation (10 min at room temp.) does not reduce the fluorescence significantly. By the way: some of these aspects are covered in my PLoS ONE publication: Some Secrets of Fluorescent Proteins: Distinct Bleaching in Various Mounting Fluids and Photoactivation of Cyan Fluorescent Proteins at YFP-Excitation: http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0018586
I usually fix GFP/EGFP transfected cells (Human/Mouse) with 4% ice cold PFA for 10min on ice and if you dont have second antibody for double staining wash with cold PBS twice and mount with DAPI. I suggest not to fix the cells with any alcohol as it will deplete GFP signal .
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