Imaging S-Adenosyl Methionine Dynamics in Living Cells Using an RNA-Based Fluorescent Sensor

Abstract

S-Adenosyl methionine (SAM) is a critical metabolite involved in numerous cellular processes, including DNA methylation and gene expression regulation. Understanding the spatiotemporal dynamics of SAM within living cells is essential for deciphering its roles in maintaining cell homeostasis and in disease development. Here, we describe a protocol based on a recently reported SAM sensor exploiting a fluorogenic RNA and an RNA three-way junction for visualizing SAM dynamics in cultured mammalian cells.

Keywords: Fluorescence imaging; Fluorogenic aptamer; Live cell imaging; RNA aptamer; RNA-based fluorescent sensor.