Fluorescence anisotropy and resonance energy transfer: powerful tools for measuring real time protein dynamics in a physiological environment

Fluorescence spectroscopy/microscopy is a versatile method for examining protein dynamics in vitro and in vivo that can be combined with other techniques to simultaneously examine complementary pharmacological parameters. The following review will highlight the advantages and challenges of using fluorescence spectroscopic methods for examining protein dynamics with a special emphasis on fluorescence resonance energy transfer and fluorescence anisotropy. Both of these methods are amenable to measurements on an ensemble of molecules as well as at the single molecule level, in live cells and in high throughput screening assays, providing a powerful set of tools to aid in the design and testing of new drugs under a variety of experimental conditions.