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FRET-enhanced photostability allows improved single-molecule tracking of proteins and protein complexes in live mammalian cells

Abstract:
A major challenge in single-molecule imaging is tracking the dynamics of proteins or complexes for long periods of time in the dense environments found in living cells. Here, we introduce the concept of using FRET to enhance the photophysical properties of photo-modulatable (PM) fluorophores commonly used in such studies. By developing novel single-molecule FRET pairs, consisting of a PM donor fluorophore (either mEos3.2 or PA-JF549) next to a photostable acceptor dye JF646, we demonstrate that FRET competes with normal photobleaching kinetic pathways to increase the photostability of both donor fluorophores. This effect was further enhanced using a triplet-state quencher. Our approach allows us to significantly improve single-molecule tracking of chromatin-binding proteins in live mammalian cells. In addition, it provides a novel way to track the localization and dynamics of protein complexes by labeling one protein with the PM donor and its interaction partner with the acceptor dye.
Publication status:
Published
Peer review status:
Peer reviewed

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Publisher copy:
10.1038/s41467-018-04486-0

Authors


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Role:
Author
ORCID:
0000-0001-5783-8769


Publisher:
Nature Publishing Group
Journal:
Nature Communications More from this journal
Volume:
9
Issue:
1
Pages:
2520
Publication date:
2018-06-28
Acceptance date:
2018-04-27
DOI:
EISSN:
2041-1723
ISSN:
2041-1723
Pmid:
29955052


Language:
English
Keywords:
Pubs id:
pubs:867703
UUID:
uuid:1dac116a-c4c7-4329-9404-901dcf132b9a
Local pid:
pubs:867703
Source identifiers:
867703
Deposit date:
2018-08-06

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