Formyl-MLF-[Cys(AF488)] - Fluorescent Peptides

Formyl-MLF-[Cys(AF488)] is composed of the chemotactic peptide: N-formyl-methionine-leucine-phenylalanine. N-formyl-methionine is the N-terminal amino acid present on bacteria and allows the bacteria to interact with phagocytic cells such as macrophages and monocyte-derived dendritic cells through surface formyl-MLF receptors. As a result Formyl-MLF labelled with the fluorescent dye, Alexa Fluor 488 can be used as a marker of bacterial infections. It has also been demonstrated that the use of multiple formyl-MLF moieties can target polymeric drug delivery molecules to phagocytic cells. In addition to Alexa Fluor 488's application in marking bacterial infections, its properties of being photo-bleaching resistant and having a high quantum yield allow it to carry out its most common use in the visualisation and location of dendritic structures and synapses.