The Twinkle Factory launches the near-infrared dimerizer for CATCHFIRE, match715. Emitting at 715 nm, this fluorescent self-reporting molecular glue completes the CATCHFIRE range at the darker red end.
Into chemically induced proximity tools to control protein dimerization? Into zebrafish or chicken embryo tissues? In need of multiplexed imaging with high contrast and depth using less toxic light? The team of Arnaud Gautier of Sorbonne University and Franck Perez of Institut Curie has upgraded CATCHFIRE into its near-infrared version nirCATCHFIRE for you!
In 2023, was released CATCHFIRE, the fluorogenic chemically induced dimerization technology. In other words, the first-ever self-reporting protein dimerizer! It enables to artificially control the proximity of two proteins in cells, while visualizing their interactions. First, the two proteins of interest are genetically fused to two small protein domains, FIREmate and FIREtag. Second, a cognate fluorogenic molecular glue of the “match” family, e.g., match550, induces their interaction. When the two domains interact, the fluorescence of match550 measured at 550 nm increases 100-fold. This hence enables to see the newly induced interaction by fluorescence microscopy. Furthermore, the ternary interaction is reversible, making CATCHFIRE the first-ever self-reporting reversible dimerizer system!
In Nat. Commun. 2025, is released the near-infrared nirCATCHFIRE! The same, but emitting at 715 nm when associated with the newly released match715!
match715 for nirCATCHFIRE – © 2025 Springer Nature
The authors applied nirCATCHFIRE to control the positioning of lysosomes. nir-FIREmate was fused to the C-terminus of the motor domain of kinesin-like KIF17, while FIREtag was fused to lysosomal-associated membrane protein (LAMP)1 at the surface of lysosomes. Co-expression of the two proteins in live cells allowed to control lysosome positioning. The addition of HPAR-3,5DOM l(a.k.a. match715) led to the displacement of lysosomes from the perinuclear region to the cell periphery, demonstrating the successful fluorogen-induced recruitment of the molecular motor.
The Twinkle Factory now provides the fluorogenic molecular glue match715 (a.k.a. HPAR-3,5DOM) for nirCATCHFIRE, i.e., nir-FIREmate and FIREtag. match715 expands the existing range of molecular glues, match540, match550, & match600, & matchDark, working with the legacy CATCHFIRE, i.e., with FIREmate and FIREtag.
The Twinkle Factory does not supply cells expressing proteins fused to nir-FIREmate nor FIREtag. Now, plasmids containing nir-FIREmate genes will soon be available from Addgene. Plasmids containing FIREmate and FIREtag already are.
Read more about CATCHFIRE and fluorogenic molecular glues
Nat. Commun. 2025 – A tunable and versatile chemogenetic near infrared fluorescent reporter (the article introducing nirCATCHFIRE)
Unequal mitochondrial segregation promotes asymmetric fates during neurogenesis (the first application preprint)
Nat. Methods 2023 – A fluorogenic chemically induced dimerization technology for controlling, imaging and sensing protein proximity. (the princeps article introducing CATCHFIRE)
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