AccPbFRET: An ImageJ plugin for semi-automatic, fully corrected analysis of acceptor photobleaching FRET images

Background: The acceptor photobleaching fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) method is widely used for monitoring molecular interactions in cells. This method of FRET, while among those with the simplest mathematics, is robust, self-controlled and independent of fluorophore amounts and ratios. Results: AccPbFRET is a user-friendly, efficient ImageJ plugin which allows fully corrected, pixel-wise calculation and detailed, ROI (region of interest)-based analysis of FRET efficiencies in microscopic images. Furthermore, automatic registration and semi-automatic analysis of large image sets is provided, which are not available in any existing FRET evaluation software. Conclusion: Despite of the widespread applicability of the acceptor photobleaching FRET technique, this is the first paper where all possible sources of major errors of the measurement and analysis are considered, and AccPbFRET is the only program which provides the complete suite of corrections - for registering image pairs, for unwanted photobleaching of the donor, for cross-talk of the acceptor and/ or its photoproduct to the donor channel and for partial photobleaching of the acceptor. The program efficiently speeds up the analysis of large image sets even for novice users and is freely available.