Research infrastructure FISH can be used to detect specific gene signatures in intact organisms – without nucleic acid extraction, PCR and gene sequencing. FISH can be evaluated by fluorescence microscopy, flow cytometry or by other methods. Some of the main benefits of FISH is that the morphology of the targeted object remains intact and that its distribution and association to others can be evaluated in the natural environment. FISH is used worldwide in medical science, life science, and biotechnology.
Here you can see examples of FISH images
Image Natuschka Lee
Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH) was developed in the 1980s and together with PCR and gene sequencing, these methods revolutionized many fields in biology (from chromosomal diagnostics to the many fields in microbiology, ecology and biotechnology). Today, PCR, gene sequencing and omics have become the most common diagnostic methods, simply because they are easier to automate and provide precise quantitative data. However, these methods are not seldom time-consuming and bias-free, they also fail to describe relevant parameters such as morphology, distribution and association between different objects in their own environment.
FISH is a relatively fast and straightforward method and can thus complement the PCR and gene sequencing/omics diagnostic approach in several ways:
In simple terms, FISH can be regarded as a phylogenetic staining method, as it is based on gene probes that are designed to target specific gene sequences. These gene probes are labeled with different kinds of markers – mostly fluorochromes. Since several different gene probes can be used simultaneously in one FISH experiment, different gene targets can therefore be easily distinguished by different colours. FISH experiments can be evaluated by different techniques, such as with microscopy and flow cytometry.
Successful FISH depends on several parameters, such as optimal penetration of gene probes through the cell wall, amount of gene copy numbers of the intended gene target, stringent and specific gene probes, and a non-fluorescent background. If these demands are not met, different kinds of biases may arise. To overcome such obstacles, a plethora of different kinds of FISH protocols have been developed.
FISH can be evaluated in different ways and combined with other methods for optimal retrieval of additional information.
Options available at Umeå University are:
Other facilities:
In situ detection and fluorescence microscopy of genes and cells in their natural environments
Different FISH procedures are used in a wide range of projects at Umeå University and with collaborators in Sweden or in other countries, such as projects in the fields of insect microbiology, plant microbiology, geomicrobiology, astrobiology, medical microbiology, gut microbiology, food microbiology, probiotics, environmental microbiology, biological wastewater treatment, fungal biotechnology, wood biotechnology and developmental biology.
(Download FISH presentation slide as PDF)
Planned courses related to FISH (digital and where possible live) – dates will be announced within soon
Contents:
1a-b) Introduction to FISH
2a-b) Introduction into phylogeny and gene probe design and the bioinformatics software package ARB
3a-b) Advanced FISH applications
4) Brain-storming seminar on participants' own plans for FISH experiments
5) Summary
Mode: Lectures, computer practice and lab exercises.
Course organisers:
Examples of publications using the FISH technics in different projects
