Recombinant protein constructs are described that comprises a membrane protein whose N- or C-terminus in the native state is recombinantly linked through a membrane-spanning linker polypeptide to a reporter polypeptide. The reporter polypeptide may be a fluorogen activating protein capable of binding a fluorogen to detect the location and relative abundance of the membrane protein, and more specifically to detect protein trafficking to the cell surface using a cell impermeant fluorogen probe.
