Novel fluorescent and colored proteins, and polynucleotides that encode these proteins

Abstract

The subject invention provides new fluorescent and/or colored proteins, and polynucleotide sequences that encode these proteins. The subject invention further provides materials and methods useful for expressing these detectable proteins in biological systems.

1 . A protein comprising an amino sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ. ID NOs:24-44, fragments of these sequences, and variants of these sequences and fragments; wherein the amino acid sequence of a variant is at least 90% identical to at least one of said SEQ ID NOs:24-44 or a fragment of one of said sequences; and wherein said fragments and said variants have emission and excitation maxima there are within ±10 nm of the emission and excitation maxima for at least one of SEQ ID NOs:24-44.  
     
     
         2 . The protein, according to  claim 1 , wherein said protein has an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ. ID NOs:24-44.  
     
     
         3 . A polynucleotide sequence that encodes a protein comprising an amino sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ. ID NOs:24-44, fragments of these sequences, and variants of these sequences and fragments; wherein the amino acid sequence of a variant is at least 90% identical to at least one of said SEQ ID NOs:24-44, or a fragment of one of said sequences; and wherein said fragments and said variants have emission and excitation maxima there are within ±10 nm of the emission and excitation maxima for at least one of SEQ ID NOs:24-44.  
     
     
         4 . The polynucleotide sequence, according to  claim 3 , wherein said polynucleotide has a sequence is selected from the group consisting of SEQ. ID NOs:3-23.  
     
     
         5 . Use of a protein, wherein said protein comprises an amino sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ. ID NOs:24-44, fragments of these sequences, and variants of these sequences and fragments; wherein the amino acid sequence of a variant is at least 90% identical to at least one of said SEQ ID NOs:24-44, or a fragment of one of said sequences; and wherein said fragments and said variants have emission and excitation maxima there are within ±10 nm of the emission and excitation maxima for at least one of SEQ ID NOs:24-44, for monitoring gene expression; as a tag for tracing the location of proteins; as a reporter molecule in a protein-based biosensor; or as a pigment for modifying the color, or fluorescence, or both, of living tissue.  
     
     
         6 . The use, according to  claim 5 , wherein a polynucleotide that encodes said protein is fused with a polynucleotide that encodes a protein of interest.  
     
     
         7 . A cell transformed to express a heterologous polynucleotide wherein said heterologous polynucleotide encodes a protein comprising an amino sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ. ID NOs:24-44, fragments of these sequences, and variants of these sequences and fragments; wherein the amino acid sequence of a variant is at least 90% identical to at least one of said SEQ ID NOs:24-44 or a fragment of one of said sequences; and wherein said fragments and said variants have emission and excitation maxima there are within ±10 nm of the emission and excitation maxima for at least one of SEQ ID NOs:24-44.  
     
     
         8 . The cell, according to  claim 7 , wherein said cell is a plant cell.  
     
     
         9 . The cell, according to  claim 7 , wherein said cell is a fish cell.  
     
     
         10 . A polynucleotide encoding multiple markers wherein at least one of said markers is selected from the group consisting of a protein comprising an amino sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ. ID NOs:24-44, fragments of these sequences, and variants of these sequences and fragments; wherein the amino acid sequence of a variant is at least 90% identical to at least one of said SEQ ID NOs:24-44 or a fragment of one of said sequences; and wherein said fragments and said variants have emission and excitation maxima there are within ±10 nm of the emission and excitation maxima for at least one of SEQ ID NOs:24-44.  
     
     
         11 . The polynucleotide, according to  claim 10 , wherein one of said markers is GUS.