scholarly journals Dynamics of Bacterial Signal Recognition Particle at a Single Molecule Level

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin Mayer ◽  
Meike Schwan ◽  
Luis M. Oviedo-Bocanegra ◽  
Gert Bange ◽  
Kai M. Thormann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Membrane ◽  
Single Molecule ◽  
Signal Recognition Particle ◽  
Transition States ◽  
High Mobility ◽  
Structured Illumination ◽  
Structured Illumination Microscopy ◽  
Single Molecule Level ◽  
Preferential Localization ◽  
Mobile Fraction

We have studied the localization and dynamics of bacterial Ffh, part of the SRP complex, its receptor FtsY, and of ribosomes in the Gamma-proteobacterium Shewanella putrefaciens. Using structured illumination microscopy, we show that ribosomes show a pronounced accumulation at the cell poles, whereas SRP and FtsY are distributed at distinct sites along the cell membrane, but they are not accumulated at the poles. Single molecule dynamics can be explained by assuming that all three proteins/complexes move as three distinguishable mobility fractions: a low mobility/static fraction may be engaged in translation, medium-fast diffusing fractions may be transition states, and high mobility populations likely represent freely diffusing molecules/complexes. Diffusion constants suggest that SRP and FtsY move together with slow-mobile ribosomes. Inhibition of transcription leads to loss of static molecules and reduction of medium-mobile fractions, in favor of freely diffusing subunits, while inhibition of translation appears to stall the medium mobile fractions. Depletion of FtsY leads to aggregation of Ffh, but not to loss of the medium mobile fraction, indicating that Ffh/SRP can bind to ribosomes independently from FtsY. Heat maps visualizing the three distinct diffusive populations show that while static molecules are mostly clustered at the cell membrane, diffusive molecules are localized throughout the cytosol. The medium fast populations show an intermediate pattern of preferential localization, suggesting that SRP/FtsY/ribosome transition states may form within the cytosol to finally find a translocon.

scholarly journals Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence Microscopy (TIRFM) – novel techniques and applications

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Verena Richter ◽  
Michael Wagner ◽  
Herbert Schneckenburger
Keyword(s):  
Fluorescence Microscopy ◽  
Single Molecule ◽  
Total Internal Reflection ◽  
Plasma Membranes ◽  
Focal Adhesions ◽  
Internal Reflection ◽  
Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence ◽  
Thin Layers ◽  
Structured Illumination ◽  
Structured Illumination Microscopy

Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence Microscopy (TIRFM) has been established almost 40 years ago for studies of plasma membranes or membrane proximal sites of living cells. The method is based on light incidence at an angle above the critical angle of total internal reflection and generation of an evanescent electromagnetic field penetrating about 100 nm into a sample and permitting selective excitation of membrane proximal fluorophores. Two techniques are presented here: prism-type TIRFM and objective-type TIRFM with high aperture microscope objective lenses. Furthermore, numerous applications are summarized, e.g. measurement of focal adhesions, cell-substrate topology, endocytosis or exocytosis of vesicles as well as single molecule detection within thin layers. Finally, highly innovative combinations of TIRFM with Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) measurements as well as with Structured Illumination Microscopy (SIM) and fluorescence reader technologies are presented.

scholarly journals Live-cell superresolution microscopy reveals the organization of RNA polymerase in the bacterial nucleoid

2015 ◽  
Vol 112 (32) ◽  
pp. E4390-E4399 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mathew Stracy ◽  
Christian Lesterlin ◽  
Federico Garza de Leon ◽  
Stephan Uphoff ◽  
Pawel Zawadzki ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Single Molecule ◽  
Spatial Organization ◽  
Search Time ◽  
Population Level ◽  
Bacterial Cells ◽  
Structured Illumination ◽  
Structured Illumination Microscopy ◽  
Superresolution Microscopy

Despite the fundamental importance of transcription, a comprehensive analysis of RNA polymerase (RNAP) behavior and its role in the nucleoid organization in vivo is lacking. Here, we used superresolution microscopy to study the localization and dynamics of the transcription machinery and DNA in live bacterial cells, at both the single-molecule and the population level. We used photoactivated single-molecule tracking to discriminate between mobile RNAPs and RNAPs specifically bound to DNA, either on promoters or transcribed genes. Mobile RNAPs can explore the whole nucleoid while searching for promoters, and spend 85% of their search time in nonspecific interactions with DNA. On the other hand, the distribution of specifically bound RNAPs shows that low levels of transcription can occur throughout the nucleoid. Further, clustering analysis and 3D structured illumination microscopy (SIM) show that dense clusters of transcribing RNAPs form almost exclusively at the nucleoid periphery. Treatment with rifampicin shows that active transcription is necessary for maintaining this spatial organization. In faster growth conditions, the fraction of transcribing RNAPs increases, as well as their clustering. Under these conditions, we observed dramatic phase separation between the densest clusters of RNAPs and the densest regions of the nucleoid. These findings show that transcription can cause spatial reorganization of the nucleoid, with movement of gene loci out of the bulk of DNA as levels of transcription increase. This work provides a global view of the organization of RNA polymerase and transcription in living cells.

scholarly journals Resolving the internal morphology of core–shell microgels with super-resolution fluorescence microscopy

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 323-331 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pia Otto ◽  
Stephan Bergmann ◽  
Alice Sandmeyer ◽  
Maxim Dirksen ◽  
Oliver Wrede ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fluorescence Microscopy ◽  
Internal Structure ◽  
Single Molecule ◽  
Fluorescent Dyes ◽  
Super Resolution ◽  
Core Shell ◽  
Structured Illumination ◽  
Structured Illumination Microscopy ◽  
Internal Morphology

We investigate the internal structure of smart core–shell microgels by super-resolution fluorescence microscopy by combining of 3D single molecule localization and structured illumination microscopy using freely diffusing fluorescent dyes.

scholarly journals Single-molecule analysis of RAG-mediated V(D)J DNA cleavage

2015 ◽  
Vol 112 (14) ◽  
pp. E1715-E1723 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geoffrey A. Lovely ◽  
Robert C. Brewster ◽  
David G. Schatz ◽  
David Baltimore ◽  
Rob Phillips
Keyword(s):  
Single Molecule ◽  
Dna Cleavage ◽  
Synapse Formation ◽  
High Mobility ◽  
Binding Energies ◽  
Synaptic Complex ◽  
Single Molecule Level ◽  
Molecular Events ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Single Molecule Analysis

The recombination-activating gene products, RAG1 and RAG2, initiate V(D)J recombination during lymphocyte development by cleaving DNA adjacent to conserved recombination signal sequences (RSSs). The reaction involves DNA binding, synapsis, and cleavage at two RSSs located on the same DNA molecule and results in the assembly of antigen receptor genes. We have developed single-molecule assays to examine RSS binding by RAG1/2 and their cofactor high-mobility group-box protein 1 (HMGB1) as they proceed through the steps of this reaction. These assays allowed us to observe in real time the individual molecular events of RAG-mediated cleavage. As a result, we are able to measure the binding statistics (dwell times) and binding energies of the initial RAG binding events and characterize synapse formation at the single-molecule level, yielding insights into the distribution of dwell times in the paired complex and the propensity for cleavage on forming the synapse. Interestingly, we find that the synaptic complex has a mean lifetime of roughly 400 s and that its formation is readily reversible, with only ∼40% of observed synapses resulting in cleavage at consensus RSS binding sites.

scholarly journals Drosophila germ granules are structured and contain homotypic mRNA clusters

2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tatjana Trcek ◽  
Markus Grosch ◽  
Andrew York ◽  
Hari Shroff ◽  
Timothée Lionnet ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Single Molecule ◽  
Germ Plasm ◽  
Cell Formation ◽  
Super Resolution ◽  
Structured Illumination ◽  
Structured Illumination Microscopy ◽  
Germ Granules ◽  
Spatially Distributed ◽  
Multiple Copies ◽  
And Migration

Abstract Germ granules, specialized ribonucleoprotein particles, are a hallmark of all germ cells. In Drosophila, an estimated 200 mRNAs are enriched in the germ plasm, and some of these have important, often conserved roles in germ cell formation, specification, survival and migration. How mRNAs are spatially distributed within a germ granule and whether their position defines functional properties is unclear. Here we show, using single-molecule FISH and structured illumination microscopy, a super-resolution approach, that mRNAs are spatially organized within the granule whereas core germ plasm proteins are distributed evenly throughout the granule. Multiple copies of single mRNAs organize into ‘homotypic clusters’ that occupy defined positions within the center or periphery of the granule. This organization, which is maintained during embryogenesis and independent of the translational or degradation activity of mRNAs, reveals new regulatory mechanisms for germ plasm mRNAs that may be applicable to other mRNA granules.

scholarly journals Laser-free super-resolution microscopy

2021 ◽  
Vol 379 (2199) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kirti Prakash
Keyword(s):  
Single Molecule ◽  
Super Resolution ◽  
Stimulated Emission ◽  
Structured Illumination ◽  
Structured Illumination Microscopy ◽  
Correlative Imaging ◽  
Deep Blue ◽  
Meiotic Chromosomes ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Super Resolution Microscopy

We report that high-density single-molecule super-resolution microscopy can be achieved with a conventional epifluorescence microscope set-up and a mercury arc lamp. The configuration termed as laser-free super-resolution microscopy (LFSM) is an extension of single-molecule localization microscopy (SMLM) techniques and allows single molecules to be switched on and off (a phenomenon termed as ‘blinking’), detected and localized. The use of a short burst of deep blue excitation (350–380 nm) can be further used to reactivate the blinking, once the blinking process has slowed or stopped. A resolution of 90 nm is achieved on test specimens (mouse and amphibian meiotic chromosomes). Finally, we demonstrate that stimulated emission depletion and LFSM can be performed on the same biological sample using a simple commercial mounting medium. It is hoped that this type of correlative imaging will provide a basis for a further enhanced resolution. This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue ‘Super-resolution structured illumination microscopy (part 1)’.

scholarly journals RhoBAST - a rhodamine-binding aptamer for super-resolution RNA imaging

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Murat Sunbul ◽  
Jens Lackner ◽  
Annabell Martin ◽  
Daniel Englert ◽  
Benjamin Hacene ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Single Molecule ◽  
Fluorescence Emission ◽  
Super Resolution ◽  
Image Resolution ◽  
Rna Aptamer ◽  
Structured Illumination ◽  
Structured Illumination Microscopy ◽  
Fluorescence Light ◽  
Rhodamine Dye ◽  
Single Molecule Localization Microscopy

AbstractRhoBAST is a novel fluorescence light-up RNA aptamer (FLAP) that transiently binds a fluorogenic rhodamine dye. Fast dye association and dissociation result in intermittent fluorescence emission, facilitating single-molecule localization microscopy (SMLM) with an image resolution not limited by photobleaching. We demonstrate RhoBAST's excellent properties as a RNA marker by resolving subcellular and subnuclear structures of RNA in live and fixed cells by SMLM and structured illumination microscopy (SIM).

scholarly journals Super-Resolution Imaging of Tight and Adherens Junctions: Challenges and Open Questions

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 744 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannes Gonschior ◽  
Volker Haucke ◽  
Martin Lehmann
Keyword(s):  
Single Molecule ◽  
Imaging Techniques ◽  
Rapid Development ◽  
Ion Homeostasis ◽  
Super Resolution ◽  
Stimulated Emission ◽  
Molecular Architecture ◽  
Structured Illumination ◽  
Structured Illumination Microscopy ◽  
Resolution Imaging

The tight junction (TJ) and the adherens junction (AJ) bridge the paracellular cleft of epithelial and endothelial cells. In addition to their role as protective barriers against bacteria and their toxins they maintain ion homeostasis, cell polarity, and mechano-sensing. Their functional loss leads to pathological changes such as tissue inflammation, ion imbalance, and cancer. To better understand the consequences of such malfunctions, the junctional nanoarchitecture is of great importance since it remains so far largely unresolved, mainly because of major difficulties in dynamically imaging these structures at sufficient resolution and with molecular precision. The rapid development of super-resolution imaging techniques ranging from structured illumination microscopy (SIM), stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy, and single molecule localization microscopy (SMLM) has now enabled molecular imaging of biological specimens from cells to tissues with nanometer resolution. Here we summarize these techniques and their application to the dissection of the nanoscale molecular architecture of TJs and AJs. We propose that super-resolution imaging together with advances in genome engineering and functional analyses approaches will create a leap in our understanding of the composition, assembly, and function of TJs and AJs at the nanoscale and, thereby, enable a mechanistic understanding of their dysfunction in disease.

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