Free Republic

Researchers have developed a new way to see where the molecules are active Researchers have illuminated a once-hidden developmental process. A fluorescent signal pinpoints the activity of a protein in fruit flies, allowing researchers to see exactly when and where this protein does its job. “The idea of watching life at the molecular level within a cell in an intact organism is really fascinating,” says study coauthor Akira Chiba. The protein, called Cdc42, is present everywhere in the developing fruit fly and controls the production of genes, among other things. But Cdc42 is only active at certain times in certain...