Methods to Detect Nitric Oxide in Plants: Are DAFs Really Measuring NO?

Nitric oxide, a gaseous radical molecule, appears involved in many reactions in all living organisms. Fluorescent dyes like DAF-2 and related compounds are still widely used to monitor NO production inside or outside cells, although doubts about their specificity have recently been raised. We present evidence that DAF dyes do not only react with nitric oxide but also with peroxidase enzyme and hydrogen peroxide. Both are secreted in the case of elicitation of tobacco suspension cells with cryptogein, with a fluorescence increase mimicking NO release from cells. However, HPLC separation shows that fluorescence outside cells does not at all originate from DAF-2T, the product of DAF-2 and NO, but from other yet unidentified compounds. Inside cells, other DAF molecules are formed but only a minor part is DAF-2T. The chemical nature of the novel DAF derivatives still needs to be determined.

Fluorescent probes for real-time measurement of nitric oxide in living cells

Nitric oxide (NO) is an important signaling molecule in biology. Both NO excess and insufficiency have been implicated in numerous physiological and pathological conditions. In order to study the diverse biological roles of NO in cells and tissues, many techniques have been developed for assaying NO. Recently, new generations of fluorescent probes have become indispensible tools for the study of NO biology because of their sensitivity, selectivity, spatiotemporal resolution, and experimental feasibility. Rational application of these probes in the study requires the understanding of the molecular mechanism that the probes are involved in. In this review, we will present an arsenal of fluorescent probes used to detect NO in living cells and animal tissues. We will also discuss the molecular mechanisms, actualities and prospects of fluorescent probes in detecting NO in cell biology.