The paper introduces faster variants of the Caprola tool for calcium-dependent fluorescent labeling, enabling more sensitive and efficient recording of neuronal activity in zebrafish.

bioRxiv · Aug 11, 2026 · PreprintNeuroscience

A high-affinity split-HaloTag for live-cell protein labeling

Yin‐Hsi Lin, Julian Kompa, De‐en Sun, Runyu Mao, Birgit Koch, Konstantin Hinnah, Jonas Wilhelm, Natascha Franz, Stefanie F. Kühn, Tanja Menche, Abdinasir Adow, Paula Breuer, Julien Hiblot, Kai Johnsson

This paper introduces a high-affinity split-HaloTag system for live-cell protein labeling, enabling efficient and versatile imaging with compatibility for advanced microscopy techniques.

Nature Communications · Mar 25, 2026Peer-reviewedBiochemistry

Fast and Luminous: CLIP-tag2

Veselin Nasufović, Anamarija Pišpek, Stefanie F. Kühn, Manuel Bibrowski, Jonas Fischer, Jonas Wilhelm, Birgit Koch, Julian Kompa, Runyu Mao, Mirosław Tarnawski, Julien Hiblot, Kai Johnsson

The paper introduces CLIP-tag2, an engineered variant of the CLIP-tag protein that significantly improves labeling speed and efficiency for live-cell imaging.

bioRxiv · Mar 7, 2026 · PreprintBiochemistry

Glutamate indicators with increased sensitivity and tailored deactivation rates

Abhi Aggarwal, Adrian Negrean, Yang Chen, Rishyashring R. Iyer, Daniel Reep, Anyi Liu, Anirudh Palutla, Michael E. Xie, Bryan J. MacLennan, Kenta M. Hagihara, Lucas W. Kinsey, Julianna L. Sun, Pantong Yao, Jihong Zheng, Arthur Tsang, , Kaspar Podgorski

The paper develops two variants of a glutamate indicator with enhanced sensitivity and tailored deactivation rates for studying synaptic transmission in vivo.

Nature Methods · Dec 23, 2025Peer-reviewedNeuroscience

Fast, Bright and Reversible Rhodamine Tags for Live-Cell Imaging

Julian Kompa, L Dornfeld, Nicola Porzberg, Soohyen Jang, Simon Hans Lilje, Claudia Catapano, David Jocher, Lukas Merk, Silja Zedlitz, Runyu Mao, Jonas Wilhelm, Marina S. Dietz, Mirosław Tarnawski, Julien Hiblot, Mike Heilemann, Kai Johnsson

This paper introduces Rho-tag and SiR-tag, fast, reversible, and fluorogenic protein tags for live-cell imaging, compatible with super-resolution techniques and demonstrated in zebrafish larvae.

bioRxiv · Jul 6, 2025 · PreprintBioengineering

SNAP-tag2: faster and brighter protein labeling

Stefanie Kühn, Veselin Nasufović, Jonas Wilhelm, Julian Kompa, Eline M.F. de Lange, Yin‐Hsi Lin, Cornelia Egoldt, Jonas Fischer, Artem Lennoi, Mirosław Tarnawski, Jochen Reinstein, Rifka Vlijm, Julien Hiblot, Kai Johnsson

This paper introduces SNAP-tag2, an improved version of SNAP-tag with faster labeling kinetics and higher fluorescence brightness for better live-cell imaging.

Nature Chemical Biology · Jul 3, 2025Peer-reviewedBiochemistry

Improving Split-HaloTag through Computational Protein Engineering

Jonas Wilhelm, Lennart Nickel, Yin‐Hsi Lin, Julien Hiblot, Kai Johnsson

This paper improves split-HaloTag by engineering cpHalo{Delta} with computational methods to enhance thermostability and activity, reducing assay time and substrate requirements.

Protein Science · Apr 18, 2025Peer-reviewedBiochemistry

Fluorescent and bioluminescent calcium indicators with tuneable colors and affinities

Nicole Mertes, Marvin Busch, Magnus-Carsten Huppertz, Christina Nicole Hacker, Jonas Wilhelm, Clara‐Marie Gürth, Stefanie Kühn, Julien Hiblot, Birgit Koch, Kai Johnsson

This paper introduces a family of tunable calcium indicators with fluorescence and bioluminescence readouts, applicable for live-cell imaging and high-throughput assays in rat neurons.

Journal of the American Chemical Society · Apr 5, 2022Peer-reviewedNeuroscience

Chemogenetic control of nanobodies

Helen Farrants, Mirosław Tarnawski, Thorsten G. Müller, Shotaro Otsuka, Julien Hiblot, Birgit Koch, Moritz Kueblbeck, Hans‐Georg Kräusslich, Jan Ellenberg, Kai Johnsson

This paper describes an engineered nanobody that modulates GFP binding with small molecules, enabling controlled study of GFP fusion proteins in biological processes.

Nature Methods · Feb 17, 2020Peer-reviewedSynthetic Biology