What are the fluorescence excitation and emission maxima for GFP?

The fluorescence excitation maximum and emission maximum for Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) are indeed 488 nm and 509 nm, respectively. This specific characteristic is crucial for applications involving fluorescence microscopy and molecular biology, where GFP is commonly used as a marker due to its bright green fluorescence when excited by light around 488 nm.

Understanding these maxima allows researchers to select appropriate filters and light sources, enhancing the visualization of GFP-tagged proteins in live cells or tissues. It is important to note that different fluorescent proteins have varying excitation and emission maxima, so knowing the specific values for GFP aids in avoiding overlap with other fluorescent markers that may be used in experimental setups. This precise knowledge is essential for successful imaging and analysis in experiments using GFP.