Fluorescence Recovery after Photobleaching of Yellow Fluorescent Protein Tagged p62 in Aggresome-like Induced Structures

Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) is a microscopy technique that can be used to quantify protein mobility in live cells. In a typical FRAP experiment, steady-state fluorescence is observed by repeated imaging with low-intensity laser light. Subsequently, the fluorescent molecules are rapidly and irreversibly impaired via brief exposure to high-intensity laser light. Information about protein mobility is obtained by monitoring the recovery of fluorescence. We used FRAP to determine the mobility of p62 in aggresome-like induced structures (ALIS) in murine macrophages after stimulation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Because many existing FRAP protocols are either incomplete or complex, our goal was to provide a comprehensive, practical, and straightforward step-by-step protocol for FRAP experiments with live cells. Here, we describe RAW264.7 macrophage transfection with yellow fluorescent protein-p62 (YFP-p62), induction of ALIS by exposing the cells to LPS, and a step-by-step method for collecting prebleach and postbleach FRAP images and data analysis. Finally, we discuss important factors to consider when conducting a FRAP experiment.