Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a novel fluorescent protein derived from favia favus. The present invention provides a fluorescent protein derived from favia favus having the following properties: (1) an excitation maximum wavelength is 507 nm; (2) a fluorescence maximum wavelength is 517 nm; (3) a molar absorption coefficient at 482 nm is 80,000; (4) a quantum yield is 0.68; and (5) pH sensitivity of the fluorescence maximum is stable at pH 5 to pH 11.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method for analyzing the protein interaction, wherein the information about time can be obtained and the movement of protein can be monitored. The present invention provides a method for analyzing interaction between a first test protein and a second test protein which comprises the steps of: splitting a fluorescent protein capable of emitting different color of fluorescence according to passage of time into an N-terminal fragment and a C-terminal fragment; allowing the first test protein to interact with the second test protein by making coexist a fusion protein of the N-terminal fragment with the first test protein and another fusion protein of the C-terminal fragment with the second test protein; and detecting the change in the fluorescent light due to the interaction.

Abstract: There is provided a fluorescence spectroscopic apparatus includes an exciting optical unit configured to irradiate the same sample area with a plurality of excitation lights of different wavelength bands, an optical unit configured to repeatedly guide fluorescences emitted by the sample in response to the respective excitation lights, to a detection unit, and a calculation unit configured to perform analysis on the basis of a comparison of output signals corresponding to the fluorescences from the detection unit, wherein the exciting optical unit includes an excitation light varying unit configured to intermittently vary the intensity of at least one excitation light.

Abstract: An illumination apparatus for a microscope and an image processing apparatus using the illumination apparatus include a light source, a semi-transmissive mirror splitting a light beam from the light source into two beams of the first and second irradiation light, two excitation filters selecting the wavelengths of the first and second irradiation light, a semi-transmissive mirror synthesizing individual beams of the first and second irradiation light whose wavelengths are selected, into a single beam, a dichroic mirror directing a light beam synthesized by the semi-transmissive mirror toward a specimen and transmitting light from the specimen, an objective lens, cameras imaging fluorescent light from the specimen after being separated into fluorescent light excited by the first and second wavelengths, and an image processing section processing fluorescent images formed by imaging elements.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a fluorescent indicator that is based on homo FRET (fluorescence resonance energy transfer) using fluorescent molecules with a small stokes' shift, thereby developing a visualization system for intermolecular interaction. The present invention provides a fluorescent indicator formed by fusing fluorescent molecular components having substantially identical fluorescent properties to the N- and C-terminal sides of a target sequence, to which an analytical substance binds or reacts, so as to change the three-dimensional structure of the indicator.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a novel chromoprotein derived from Cnidopus japonicus. The present invention provides a chromoprotein derived from Cnidopus japonicus having the following properties: (1) the absorption maximum wavelength is 610 nm, and fluorescence is not emitted; (2) the molar absorption coefficient is 66,700 at 610 nm; and (3) the pH sensitivity of light-absorbing property is stable at between pH 4 and pH 10.

Abstract: An illumination apparatus for a microscope and an image processing apparatus using the illumination apparatus include a light source, a semi-transmissive mirror splitting a light beam from the light source into two beams of the first and second irradiation light, two excitation filters selecting the wavelengths of the first and second irradiation light, a semi-transmissive mirror synthesizing individual beams of the first and second irradiation light whose wavelengths are selected, into a single beam, a dichroic mirror directing a light beam synthesized by the semi-transmissive mirror toward a specimen and transmitting light from the specimen, an objective lens, cameras imaging fluorescent light from the specimen after being separated into fluorescent light excited by the first and second wavelengths, and an image processing section processing fluorescent images formed by imaging elements.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel chromoprotein and a novel fluorescent protein. The present invention provides chromoproteins derived from Anthopleura inornata, which have certain property, and fluorescent proteins from Trachyphyllia geoffroyi and Scolymia vitiensis, which have certain fluorescent property.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a novel chromoprotein derived from Cnidopus japonicus. The present invention provides a chromoprotein derived from Cnidopus japonicus having the following properties: (1) the absorption maximum wavelength is 559 nm and the fluorescence maximum wavelength is of 578 nm; (2) the molar absorption coefficient is 61,150 at 559 nm; (3) the quantum yield is less than 0.01; and (4) the pH sensitivity of light-absorbing properties is stable at between pH 4 and pH 10.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a fluorescent protein derived from organisms other than Aequorea victoria and having a novel primary structure. According to the present invention, there is provided a fluorescent protein derived from Halcurias sp. L, which has the following properties: (1) the excitation maximum wavelength is 494 nm, and the fluorescence maximum wavelength is 506 nm; (2) the molar absorption coefficient at 494 nm is 94600 M?1cm?1; (3) the quantum yield is 0.65; and (4) the pH sensitivity of the fluorescent property is low in the range between pH 4 and pH 11.

Abstract: Fluorescent indicators including a binding protein moiety, a donor fluorescent protein moiety, and an acceptor fluorescent protein moiety are described. The binding protein moiety has an analyte-binding region which binds an analyte and causes the indicator to change conformation upon exposure to the analyte. The donor moiety and the acceptor moiety change position relative to each other when the analyte binds to the analyte-binding region. The donor moiety and the acceptor moiety exhibit fluorescence resonance energy transfer when the donor moiety is excited and the distance between the donor moiety and the acceptor moiety is small. The indicators can be used to measure analyte concentrations in samples, such as calcium ion concentrations in cells.

Abstract: Fluorescent indicators including a binding protein moiety, a donor fluorescent protein moiety, and an acceptor fluorescent protein moiety are described. The binding protein moiety has an analyte-binding region which binds an analyte and causes the indicator to change conformation upon exposure to the analyte. The donor moiety and the acceptor moiety change position relative to each other when the analyte binds to the analyte-binding region. The donor moiety and the acceptor moiety exhibit fluorescence resonance energy transfer when the donor moiety is excited and the distance between the donor moiety and the acceptor moiety is small. The indicators can be used to measure analyte concentrations in samples, such as calcium ion concentrations in cells.

Abstract: An illumination apparatus for a microscope includes a light source portion that projects a light beam, two splitting elements that split the light beam into three, wavelength selection elements that independently select transmission wavelengths of the three light beams, shutters that independently shield or guide the three light beams, a first combining element that combines optical paths of two light beams, a second combining element that combines an optical path of the remaining light beam with a combined optical path, a pinhole that is located on an optical path between the first and second combining elements and has an aperture that selectively transmits only part of a light beam, and a projection optical system that applies a light beam from the second combining element to a sample and, when applying a light beam from the pinhole to the sample, projects the aperture of the pinhole onto the sample.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel fluorescent protein having sensitivity to a calcium ion, in particular a fluorescent protein which can be used as an indicator for quantifying calcium ion concentration.

Abstract: An illumination system for microscopy includes a light source, a first spectral element dispersing light from the light source, a reflecting member selectively reflecting light dispersed by the first spectral element, a second spectral element combining light reflected by the reflecting member, a dichroic mirror, an objective lens, and an image sensor. The first spectral element is placed at the front focal point of a first lens, the reflecting member is placed at a position where the back focal point of the first lens coincides with the front focal point of a second lens, and the second spectral element is placed at the back focal point of the second lens.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a novel fluorescent protein derived from organisms other than Aequorea victoria. According to the present invention, there is provided a fluorescent protein derived from Galaxea fascicularis, which has the following properties: (1) the molecular weight is approximately 27,000; (2) a tetramer is formed in an equilibration state; (3) the excitation maximum wavelength is 492 nm, and the fluorescence maximum wavelength is 505 nm; (4) the molar absorption coefficient is 74,100; (5) the quantum yield is 0.625; and (6) the pH sensitivity of the fluorescent property is low in the range between pH 5 and pH 12.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a novel fluorescent protein derived from organisms other than Aequorea Victoria. According to the present invention, there is provided a fluorescent protein derived from Fungia sp., which has the following properties: (1) the excitation maximum wavelength is 455 nm, and the fluorescence maximum wavelength is 488 nm; (2) the molar absorption coefficient at 455 nm is 38700 or 27700; (3) the quantum yield is 0.85 or 0.81; and (4) the pH sensitivity of the fluorescent property is stable at pH 5 to 9; and a fluorescent protein derived from Fungia sp., which has the following properties: (1) the excitation maximum wavelength is 548 nm, and the fluorescence maximum wavelength is 561 nm; (2) the molar absorption coefficient at 548 nm is 75900 or 51000; (3) the quantum yield is 0.44 or 0.50; and (4) the pH sensitivity of the fluorescent property is pKa<5.0.

Abstract: A confocal optical scanner of Nipkow disk type for measuring a sample, in which each component of two or more color pigments, has a high reflection mirror for separating an excited light to be radiated onto the sample and a fluorescence emitted from the sample, wherein a reflectance of the high reflection mirror is from 80% to 100% in a measured wavelength region including at least an excited light wavelength region and a fluorescence wavelength region. Thereby, the confocal optical scanner capable of measuring a polychromatic fluorescent image at the same time is realized with the enhanced light receiving efficiency of fluorescence, using one high reflection mirror without using a plurality of dichroic mirrors by exchange.

Abstract: An analyzer for measuring an FRET (fluorescence resonance energy transfer) efficiency of a specimen containing a donor and an acceptor. The analyzer has an illuminator, an optical system, a detector and a calculator. The illuminator emits light for donor excitation and acceptor bleaching. The detector detects fluorescence from the specimen. The calculator calculates the FRET efficiency using the output of the detector. The detector independently detects the fluorescence in wavelength regions. One of the regions has a larger overlap with the fluorescence spectrum of the acceptor than with that of the donor.

Abstract: An illumination apparatus for a microscope and an image processing apparatus using the illumination apparatus include a light source, a semi-transmissive mirror splitting a light beam from the light source into two beams of the first and second irradiation light, two excitation filters selecting the wavelengths of the first and second irradiation light, a semi-transmissive mirror synthesizing individual beams of the first and second irradiation light whose wavelengths are selected, into a single beam, a dichroic mirror directing a light beam synthesized by the semi-transmissive mirror toward a specimen and transmitting light from the specimen, an objective lens, cameras imaging fluorescent light from the specimen after being separated into fluorescent light excited by the first and second wavelengths, and an image processing section processing fluorescent images formed by imaging elements.