Dendra2 is an improved version of a green-to-red photoswitchable fluorescent protein Dendra, derived from octocoral Dendronephthya sp. [Gurskaya et al., 2006]. Dendra2 exhibits faster maturation and brighter fluorescence both before and after photoswitching than that of Dendra.
Dendra2 is capable of irreversible photoconversion from a green to a red fluorescent form. Comparing with other available photoactivatable proteins, it provides a unique combination of advantageous properties including monomeric state suitable for protein labeling, high contrast photoconversion with fluorescence at the red spectral region, low-phototoxic activation with 488-nm light available on common confocal microscopes, high photostability of the photoconverted state, and efficient chromophore maturation at 37°C in mammalian cells. These properties make Dendra2 an ideal tool for real-time tracking protein dynamics (movement, degradation, etc.) and monitoring selective cell fate [Gurskaya et al., 2006; Zhang et al., 2007; Chudakov et al., 2007].