Time-resolved, confocal single-molecule tracking of individual organic dyes and fluorescent proteins in three dimensions

ACS Nano. 2012 Oct 23;6(10):8922-32. doi: 10.1021/nn302912j. Epub 2012 Sep 17.

Abstract

We demonstrate following individual fluorescent protein constructs and individual organic dyes as they diffuse in 3-D in solution at rates up to 1 μm(2)/s over distances of several micrometers in X, Y, and Z. Our 3-D tracking method is essentially a stage scanning confocal microscope that uses a unique spatial filter geometry and active feedback 200 times/s to follow fast 3-D motion. Here we detail simulations used to find optimal feedback parameters for following individual fluorescent proteins in 3-D and show that a wide range of parameters are capable of following individual proteins diffusing at 1 μm(2)/s rates. In addition, we experimentally show that through 3-D single-molecule tracking of a protein oligomer series (monomer, dimer, and tetramer) of the fluorescent protein Azami Green one can determine the protein oligomerization state. We also perform time-resolved spectroscopy (photon pair correlation measurements) during the measured 3-D trajectories. The photon pair correlation measurements show clear fluorescence photon antibunching, demonstrating that the trajectories are of single fluorescent molecules. We note that the rates of single-molecule diffusive motion we follow (approximately 1 μm(2)/s) are comparable to or faster than many intracellular transport processes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Algorithms*
  • Fluorescent Dyes / analysis*
  • Imaging, Three-Dimensional / methods*
  • Microscopy, Confocal / methods*
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence / methods*
  • Molecular Imaging / methods*
  • Organic Chemicals / analysis
  • Pattern Recognition, Automated / methods*

Substances

  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • Organic Chemicals