Flow cytometry based-FRET: basics, novel developments and future perspectives

Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) is a widespread technology used to analyze and quantify protein interactions in multiple settings. While FRET is traditionally measured by microscopy, flow cytometry based-FRET is becoming popular within the last decade and more commonly used. Flow cytometry based-FRET offers the possibility to assess FRET in a short time-frame in a high number of cells thereby allowing stringent and statistically robust quantification of FRET in multiple samples. Furthermore, established, simple and easy to implement gating strategies facilitate the adaptation of flow cytometry based-FRET measurements to most common flow cytometers. We here summarize the basics of flow cytometry based-FRET, highlight recent novel developments in this field and emphasize on exciting future perspectives.

Automated summary

Flow cytometry based-FRET is a widely used technology for analyzing protein interactions. It allows for quick evaluation of FRET in a large number of cells and provides statistically robust quantification. Recent developments in this field offer promising future perspectives.