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Meng F, Kim JY, Gopich IV, Chung HS. Single-molecule FRET and molecular diffusion analysis characterize stable oligomers of amyloid-β 42 of extremely low population. PNAS NEXUS 2023; 2:pgad253. [PMID: 37564361 PMCID: PMC10411938 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgad253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2023] [Revised: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Abstract
Soluble oligomers produced during protein aggregation have been thought to be toxic species causing various diseases. Characterization of these oligomers is difficult because oligomers are a heterogeneous mixture, which is not readily separable, and may appear transiently during aggregation. Single-molecule spectroscopy can provide valuable information by detecting individual oligomers, but there have been various problems in determining the size and concentration of oligomers. In this work, we develop and use a method that analyzes single-molecule fluorescence burst data of freely diffusing molecules in solution based on molecular diffusion theory and maximum likelihood method. We demonstrate that the photon count rate, diffusion time, population, and Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) efficiency can be accurately determined from simulated data and the experimental data of a known oligomerization system, the tetramerization domain of p53. We used this method to characterize the oligomers of the 42-residue amyloid-β (Aβ42) peptide. Combining peptide incubation in a plate reader and single-molecule free-diffusion experiments allows for the detection of stable oligomers appearing at various stages of aggregation. We find that the average size of these oligomers is 70-mer and their overall population is very low, less than 1 nM, in the early and middle stages of aggregation of 1 µM Aβ42 peptide. Based on their average size and long diffusion time, we predict the oligomers have a highly elongated rod-like shape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanjie Meng
- Laboratory of Chemical Physics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-0520, USA
| | - Jae-Yeol Kim
- Laboratory of Chemical Physics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-0520, USA
| | - Irina V Gopich
- Laboratory of Chemical Physics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-0520, USA
| | - Hoi Sung Chung
- Laboratory of Chemical Physics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-0520, USA
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2
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Gopich IV, Kim JY, Chung HS. Analysis of photon trajectories from diffusing single molecules. J Chem Phys 2023; 159:024119. [PMID: 37431909 PMCID: PMC10474944 DOI: 10.1063/5.0153114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023] Open
Abstract
In single-molecule free diffusion experiments, molecules spend most of the time outside a laser spot and generate bursts of photons when they diffuse through the focal spot. Only these bursts contain meaningful information and, therefore, are selected using physically reasonable criteria. The analysis of the bursts must take into account the precise way they were chosen. We present new methods that allow one to accurately determine the brightness and diffusivity of individual molecule species from the photon arrival times of selected bursts. We derive analytical expressions for the distribution of inter-photon times (with and without burst selection), the distribution of the number of photons in a burst, and the distribution of photons in a burst with recorded arrival times. The theory accurately treats the bias introduced due to the burst selection criteria. We use a Maximum Likelihood (ML) method to find the molecule's photon count rate and diffusion coefficient from three kinds of data, i.e., the bursts of photons with recorded arrival times (burstML), inter-photon times in bursts (iptML), and the numbers of photon counts in a burst (pcML). The performance of these new methods is tested on simulated photon trajectories and on an experimental system, the fluorophore Atto 488.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina V. Gopich
- Laboratory of Chemical Physics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA
| | - Jae-Yeol Kim
- Laboratory of Chemical Physics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA
| | - Hoi Sung Chung
- Laboratory of Chemical Physics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA
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3
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Shrinking gate fluorescence correlation spectroscopy yields equilibrium constants and separates photophysics from structural dynamics. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2211896120. [PMID: 36652471 PMCID: PMC9942831 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2211896120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy is a versatile tool for studying fast conformational changes of biomolecules especially when combined with Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET). Despite the many methods available for identifying structural dynamics in FRET experiments, the determination of the forward and backward transition rate constants and thereby also the equilibrium constant is difficult when two intensity levels are involved. Here, we combine intensity correlation analysis with fluorescence lifetime information by including only a subset of photons in the autocorrelation analysis based on their arrival time with respect to the excitation pulse (microtime). By fitting the correlation amplitude as a function of microtime gate, the transition rate constants from two fluorescence-intensity level systems and the corresponding equilibrium constants are obtained. This shrinking-gate fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (sg-FCS) approach is demonstrated using simulations and with a DNA origami-based model system in experiments on immobilized and freely diffusing molecules. We further show that sg-FCS can distinguish photophysics from dynamic intensity changes even if a dark quencher, in this case graphene, is involved. Finally, we unravel the mechanism of a FRET-based membrane charge sensor indicating the broad potential of the method. With sg-FCS, we present an algorithm that does not require prior knowledge and is therefore easily implemented when an autocorrelation analysis is carried out on time-correlated single-photon data.
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4
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Opanasyuk O, Barth A, Peulen TO, Felekyan S, Kalinin S, Sanabria H, Seidel CA. Unraveling multi-state molecular dynamics in single-molecule FRET experiments. II. Quantitative analysis of multi-state kinetic networks. J Chem Phys 2022; 157:031501. [DOI: 10.1063/5.0095754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Single-molecule Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (smFRET) experiments are ideally suited to resolve the structural dynamics of biomolecules. A significant challenge to date is capturing and quantifying the exchange between multiple conformational states, mainly when these dynamics occur on the sub-millisecond timescale. Many methods for quantitative analysis are challenged if more than two states are involved, and the appropriate choice of the number of states in the kinetic network is difficult. An additional complication arises if dynamically active molecules coexist with pseudo-static molecules in similar conformational states with undistinguishable FRET efficiencies. To address these problems, we developed a quantitative integrative analysis framework that combines the information from FRET-lines that relate average fluorescence lifetimes and intensities in two-dimensional burst frequency histograms, fluorescence decays obtained by time-correlated single photon counting, photon distribution analysis of the intensities and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy. Individually, these methodologies provide ambiguous results for the characterization of dynamics in complex kinetic networks. However, the global analysis approach enables accurate determination of the number of states, their kinetic connectivity, the transition rate constants, and species fractions. To challenge the potential of smFRET experiments studying multi-state kinetic networks, we apply our integrative framework using a set of synthetic data for three-state systems with different kinetic connectivity and exchange rates. Our methodology paves the way towards an integrated analysis of multiparameter smFRET experiments that spans all dimensions of the experimental data. Finally, we propose a workflow for the analysis and show examples that demonstrate the usefulness of this toolkit for dynamic structural biology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Suren Felekyan
- PC-II, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf Department of Chemistry, Germany
| | - Stanislav Kalinin
- Institut für Physikalische Chemie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Germany
| | | | - Claus A.M. Seidel
- Institut fuer Physikalische Chemie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Germany
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5
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Speckner K, Weiss M. Single-Particle Tracking Reveals Anti-Persistent Subdiffusion in Cell Extracts. ENTROPY (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 23:892. [PMID: 34356433 PMCID: PMC8303845 DOI: 10.3390/e23070892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Revised: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Single-particle tracking (SPT) has become a powerful tool to quantify transport phenomena in complex media with unprecedented detail. Based on the reconstruction of individual trajectories, a wealth of informative measures become available for each particle, allowing for a detailed comparison with theoretical predictions. While SPT has been used frequently to explore diffusive transport in artificial fluids and inside living cells, intermediate systems, i.e., biochemically active cell extracts, have been studied only sparsely. Extracts derived from the eggs of the clawfrog Xenopus laevis, for example, are known for their ability to support and mimic vital processes of cells, emphasizing the need to explore also the transport phenomena of nano-sized particles in such extracts. Here, we have performed extensive SPT on beads with 20 nm radius in native and chemically treated Xenopus extracts. By analyzing a variety of distinct measures, we show that these beads feature an anti-persistent subdiffusion that is consistent with fractional Brownian motion. Chemical treatments did not grossly alter this finding, suggesting that the high degree of macromolecular crowding in Xenopus extracts equips the fluid with a viscoelastic modulus, hence enforcing particles to perform random walks with a significant anti-persistent memory kernel.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Matthias Weiss
- Experimental Physics I, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstr. 30, D-95447 Bayreuth, Germany;
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6
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Lerner E, Barth A, Hendrix J, Ambrose B, Birkedal V, Blanchard SC, Börner R, Sung Chung H, Cordes T, Craggs TD, Deniz AA, Diao J, Fei J, Gonzalez RL, Gopich IV, Ha T, Hanke CA, Haran G, Hatzakis NS, Hohng S, Hong SC, Hugel T, Ingargiola A, Joo C, Kapanidis AN, Kim HD, Laurence T, Lee NK, Lee TH, Lemke EA, Margeat E, Michaelis J, Michalet X, Myong S, Nettels D, Peulen TO, Ploetz E, Razvag Y, Robb NC, Schuler B, Soleimaninejad H, Tang C, Vafabakhsh R, Lamb DC, Seidel CAM, Weiss S. FRET-based dynamic structural biology: Challenges, perspectives and an appeal for open-science practices. eLife 2021; 10:e60416. [PMID: 33779550 PMCID: PMC8007216 DOI: 10.7554/elife.60416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 125] [Impact Index Per Article: 41.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Single-molecule FRET (smFRET) has become a mainstream technique for studying biomolecular structural dynamics. The rapid and wide adoption of smFRET experiments by an ever-increasing number of groups has generated significant progress in sample preparation, measurement procedures, data analysis, algorithms and documentation. Several labs that employ smFRET approaches have joined forces to inform the smFRET community about streamlining how to perform experiments and analyze results for obtaining quantitative information on biomolecular structure and dynamics. The recent efforts include blind tests to assess the accuracy and the precision of smFRET experiments among different labs using various procedures. These multi-lab studies have led to the development of smFRET procedures and documentation, which are important when submitting entries into the archiving system for integrative structure models, PDB-Dev. This position paper describes the current 'state of the art' from different perspectives, points to unresolved methodological issues for quantitative structural studies, provides a set of 'soft recommendations' about which an emerging consensus exists, and lists openly available resources for newcomers and seasoned practitioners. To make further progress, we strongly encourage 'open science' practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eitan Lerner
- Department of Biological Chemistry, The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, and The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Faculty of Mathematics & Science, The Edmond J. Safra Campus, The Hebrew University of JerusalemJerusalemIsrael
| | - Anders Barth
- Lehrstuhl für Molekulare Physikalische Chemie, Heinrich-Heine-UniversitätDüsseldorfGermany
| | - Jelle Hendrix
- Dynamic Bioimaging Lab, Advanced Optical Microscopy Centre and Biomedical Research Institute (BIOMED), Hasselt UniversityDiepenbeekBelgium
| | - Benjamin Ambrose
- Department of Chemistry, University of SheffieldSheffieldUnited Kingdom
| | - Victoria Birkedal
- Department of Chemistry and iNANO center, Aarhus UniversityAarhusDenmark
| | - Scott C Blanchard
- Department of Structural Biology, St. Jude Children's Research HospitalMemphisUnited States
| | - Richard Börner
- Laserinstitut HS Mittweida, University of Applied Science MittweidaMittweidaGermany
| | - Hoi Sung Chung
- Laboratory of Chemical Physics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Thorben Cordes
- Physical and Synthetic Biology, Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität MünchenPlanegg-MartinsriedGermany
| | - Timothy D Craggs
- Department of Chemistry, University of SheffieldSheffieldUnited Kingdom
| | - Ashok A Deniz
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research InstituteLa JollaUnited States
| | - Jiajie Diao
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Cincinnati School of MedicineCincinnatiUnited States
| | - Jingyi Fei
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and The Institute for Biophysical Dynamics, University of ChicagoChicagoUnited States
| | - Ruben L Gonzalez
- Department of Chemistry, Columbia UniversityNew YorkUnited States
| | - Irina V Gopich
- Laboratory of Chemical Physics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Taekjip Ha
- Department of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Howard Hughes Medical InstituteBaltimoreUnited States
| | - Christian A Hanke
- Lehrstuhl für Molekulare Physikalische Chemie, Heinrich-Heine-UniversitätDüsseldorfGermany
| | - Gilad Haran
- Department of Chemical and Biological Physics, Weizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
| | - Nikos S Hatzakis
- Department of Chemistry & Nanoscience Centre, University of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
- Denmark Novo Nordisk Foundation Centre for Protein Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Sungchul Hohng
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, and Institute of Applied Physics, Seoul National UniversitySeoulRepublic of Korea
| | - Seok-Cheol Hong
- Center for Molecular Spectroscopy and Dynamics, Institute for Basic Science and Department of Physics, Korea UniversitySeoulRepublic of Korea
| | - Thorsten Hugel
- Institute of Physical Chemistry and Signalling Research Centres BIOSS and CIBSS, University of FreiburgFreiburgGermany
| | - Antonino Ingargiola
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and Department of Physiology, University of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesUnited States
| | - Chirlmin Joo
- Department of BioNanoScience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of TechnologyDelftNetherlands
| | - Achillefs N Kapanidis
- Biological Physics Research Group, Clarendon Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | - Harold D Kim
- School of Physics, Georgia Institute of TechnologyAtlantaUnited States
| | - Ted Laurence
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National LaboratoryLivermoreUnited States
| | - Nam Ki Lee
- School of Chemistry, Seoul National UniversitySeoulRepublic of Korea
| | - Tae-Hee Lee
- Department of Chemistry, Pennsylvania State UniversityUniversity ParkUnited States
| | - Edward A Lemke
- Departments of Biology and Chemistry, Johannes Gutenberg UniversityMainzGermany
- Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB)MainzGermany
| | - Emmanuel Margeat
- Centre de Biologie Structurale (CBS), CNRS, INSERM, Universitié de MontpellierMontpellierFrance
| | | | - Xavier Michalet
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and Department of Physiology, University of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesUnited States
| | - Sua Myong
- Department of Biophysics, Johns Hopkins UniversityBaltimoreUnited States
| | - Daniel Nettels
- Department of Biochemistry and Department of Physics, University of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Thomas-Otavio Peulen
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Evelyn Ploetz
- Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Center for Nanoscience (CeNS), Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich (CIPSM) and Nanosystems Initiative Munich (NIM), Ludwig-Maximilians-UniversitätMünchenGermany
| | - Yair Razvag
- Department of Biological Chemistry, The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, and The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Faculty of Mathematics & Science, The Edmond J. Safra Campus, The Hebrew University of JerusalemJerusalemIsrael
| | - Nicole C Robb
- Warwick Medical School, University of WarwickCoventryUnited Kingdom
| | - Benjamin Schuler
- Department of Biochemistry and Department of Physics, University of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Hamid Soleimaninejad
- Biological Optical Microscopy Platform (BOMP), University of MelbourneParkvilleAustralia
| | - Chun Tang
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, PKU-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Peking UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Reza Vafabakhsh
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern UniversityEvanstonUnited States
| | - Don C Lamb
- Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Center for Nanoscience (CeNS), Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich (CIPSM) and Nanosystems Initiative Munich (NIM), Ludwig-Maximilians-UniversitätMünchenGermany
| | - Claus AM Seidel
- Lehrstuhl für Molekulare Physikalische Chemie, Heinrich-Heine-UniversitätDüsseldorfGermany
| | - Shimon Weiss
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and Department of Physiology, University of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesUnited States
- Department of Physiology, CaliforniaNanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesUnited States
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7
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Ingargiola A, Weiss S, Lerner E. Monte Carlo Diffusion-Enhanced Photon Inference: Distance Distributions and Conformational Dynamics in Single-Molecule FRET. J Phys Chem B 2018; 122:11598-11615. [PMID: 30252475 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.8b07608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Single-molecule Förster resonance energy transfer (smFRET) is utilized to study the structure and dynamics of many biomolecules, such as proteins, DNA, and their various complexes. The structural assessment is based on the well-known Förster relationship between the measured efficiency of energy transfer between a donor (D) and an acceptor (A) dye and the distance between them. Classical smFRET analysis methods called photon distribution analysis (PDA) take into account photon shot-noise, D-A distance distribution, and, more recently, interconversion between states in order to extract accurate distance information. It is known that rapid D-A distance fluctuations on the order of the D lifetime (or shorter) can increase the measured mean FRET efficiency and thus decrease the estimated D-A distance. Nonetheless, this effect has been so far neglected in smFRET experiments, potentially leading to biases in estimated distances. Here we introduce a PDA approach dubbed Monte Carlo diffusion-enhanced photon inference (MC-DEPI). MC-DEPI recolor detected photons of smFRET experiments taking into account dynamics of D-A distance fluctuations, multiple interconverting states, and photoblinking. Using this approach, we show how different underlying conditions may yield identical FRET histograms and how the additional information from fluorescence decays helps in distinguishing between the different conditions. We also introduce a machine learning fitting approach for retrieving the D-A distance distribution, decoupled from the above-mentioned effects. We show that distance interpretation of smFRET experiments of even the simplest dsDNA is nontrivial and requires decoupling the effects of rapid D-A distance fluctuations on FRET in order to avoid systematic biases in the estimation of the D-A distance distribution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonino Ingargiola
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry , University of California Los Angeles , Los Angeles , California , United States
| | - Shimon Weiss
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry , University of California Los Angeles , Los Angeles , California , United States
| | - Eitan Lerner
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry , University of California Los Angeles , Los Angeles , California , United States.,Department of Biological Chemistry, The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences , The Hebrew University , Jerusalem , Israel
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8
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Barth A, Hendrix J, Fried D, Barak Y, Bayer EA, Lamb DC. Dynamic interactions of type I cohesin modules fine-tune the structure of the cellulosome of Clostridium thermocellum. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:E11274-E11283. [PMID: 30429330 PMCID: PMC6275499 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1809283115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Efficient degradation of plant cell walls by selected anaerobic bacteria is performed by large extracellular multienzyme complexes termed cellulosomes. The spatial arrangement within the cellulosome is organized by a protein called scaffoldin, which recruits the cellulolytic subunits through interactions between cohesin modules on the scaffoldin and dockerin modules on the enzymes. Although many structural studies of the individual components of cellulosomal scaffoldins have been performed, the role of interactions between individual cohesin modules and the flexible linker regions between them are still not entirely understood. Here, we report single-molecule measurements using FRET to study the conformational dynamics of a bimodular cohesin segment of the scaffoldin protein CipA of Clostridium thermocellum We observe compacted structures in solution that persist on the timescale of milliseconds. The compacted conformation is found to be in dynamic equilibrium with an extended state that shows distance fluctuations on the microsecond timescale. Shortening of the intercohesin linker does not destabilize the interactions but reduces the rate of contact formation. Upon addition of dockerin-containing enzymes, an extension of the flexible state is observed, but the cohesin-cohesin interactions persist. Using all-atom molecular-dynamics simulations of the system, we further identify possible intercohesin binding modes. Beyond the view of scaffoldin as "beads on a string," we propose that cohesin-cohesin interactions are an important factor for the precise spatial arrangement of the enzymatic subunits in the cellulosome that leads to the high catalytic synergy in these assemblies and should be considered when designing cellulosomes for industrial applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anders Barth
- Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 81377 Munich, Germany
- Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 81377 Munich, Germany
- Nanosystems Initative Munich, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 81377 Munich, Germany
- Center for Nanoscience, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Jelle Hendrix
- Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 81377 Munich, Germany
- Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 81377 Munich, Germany
- Nanosystems Initative Munich, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 81377 Munich, Germany
- Center for Nanoscience, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Daniel Fried
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Yoav Barak
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Edward A Bayer
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Don C Lamb
- Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 81377 Munich, Germany;
- Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 81377 Munich, Germany
- Nanosystems Initative Munich, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 81377 Munich, Germany
- Center for Nanoscience, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 81377 Munich, Germany
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9
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Vandenberk N, Karamanou S, Portaliou AG, Zorzini V, Hofkens J, Hendrix J, Economou A. The Preprotein Binding Domain of SecA Displays Intrinsic Rotational Dynamics. Structure 2018; 27:90-101.e6. [PMID: 30471924 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2018.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2018] [Revised: 08/27/2018] [Accepted: 10/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
SecA converts ATP energy to protein translocation work. Together with the membrane-embedded SecY channel it forms the bacterial protein translocase. How secretory proteins bind to SecA and drive conformational cascades to promote their secretion remains unknown. To address this, we focus on the preprotein binding domain (PBD) of SecA. PBD crystalizes in three distinct states, swiveling around its narrow stem. Here, we examined whether PBD displays intrinsic dynamics in solution using single-molecule Förster resonance energy transfer (smFRET). Unique cysteinyl pairs on PBD and apposed domains were labeled with donor/acceptor dyes. Derivatives were analyzed using pulsed interleaved excitation and multi-parameter fluorescence detection. The PBD undergoes significant rotational motions, occupying at least three distinct states in dimeric and four in monomeric soluble SecA. Nucleotides do not affect smFRET-detectable PBD dynamics. These findings lay the foundations for single-molecule dissection of translocase mechanics and suggest models for possible PBD involvement during catalysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niels Vandenberk
- KU Leuven, Department of Chemistry, Division for Molecular Imaging and Photonics, Laboratory for Photochemistry and Spectroscopy, Celestijnenlaan 200F, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Spyridoula Karamanou
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Laboratory for Molecular Bacteriology, Herestraat 49, Gasthuisberg Campus, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Athina G Portaliou
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Laboratory for Molecular Bacteriology, Herestraat 49, Gasthuisberg Campus, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Valentina Zorzini
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Laboratory for Molecular Bacteriology, Herestraat 49, Gasthuisberg Campus, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Johan Hofkens
- KU Leuven, Department of Chemistry, Division for Molecular Imaging and Photonics, Laboratory for Photochemistry and Spectroscopy, Celestijnenlaan 200F, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jelle Hendrix
- KU Leuven, Department of Chemistry, Division for Molecular Imaging and Photonics, Laboratory for Photochemistry and Spectroscopy, Celestijnenlaan 200F, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium; Dynamic Bioimaging Lab, Advanced Optical Microscopy Centre, Biomedical Research Institute, Agoralaan C (BIOMED), Hasselt University, B-3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium.
| | - Anastassios Economou
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Laboratory for Molecular Bacteriology, Herestraat 49, Gasthuisberg Campus, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.
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10
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Bravo JPK, Borodavka A, Barth A, Calabrese AN, Mojzes P, Cockburn JJB, Lamb DC, Tuma R. Stability of local secondary structure determines selectivity of viral RNA chaperones. Nucleic Acids Res 2018; 46:7924-7937. [PMID: 29796667 PMCID: PMC6125681 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gky394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2018] [Revised: 04/24/2018] [Accepted: 04/30/2018] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
To maintain genome integrity, segmented double-stranded RNA viruses of the Reoviridae family must accurately select and package a complete set of up to a dozen distinct genomic RNAs. It is thought that the high fidelity segmented genome assembly involves multiple sequence-specific RNA-RNA interactions between single-stranded RNA segment precursors. These are mediated by virus-encoded non-structural proteins with RNA chaperone-like activities, such as rotavirus (RV) NSP2 and avian reovirus σNS. Here, we compared the abilities of NSP2 and σNS to mediate sequence-specific interactions between RV genomic segment precursors. Despite their similar activities, NSP2 successfully promotes inter-segment association, while σNS fails to do so. To understand the mechanisms underlying such selectivity in promoting inter-molecular duplex formation, we compared RNA-binding and helix-unwinding activities of both proteins. We demonstrate that octameric NSP2 binds structured RNAs with high affinity, resulting in efficient intramolecular RNA helix disruption. Hexameric σNS oligomerizes into an octamer that binds two RNAs, yet it exhibits only limited RNA-unwinding activity compared to NSP2. Thus, the formation of intersegment RNA-RNA interactions is governed by both helix-unwinding capacity of the chaperones and stability of RNA structure. We propose that this protein-mediated RNA selection mechanism may underpin the high fidelity assembly of multi-segmented RNA genomes in Reoviridae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack P K Bravo
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
- School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Alexander Borodavka
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
- School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
- Department of Chemistry, Center for NanoScience (CeNS), Nanosystems Initiative Munich (NIM) and Centre for Integrated Protein Science Munich (CiPSM), Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Anders Barth
- Department of Chemistry, Center for NanoScience (CeNS), Nanosystems Initiative Munich (NIM) and Centre for Integrated Protein Science Munich (CiPSM), Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Antonio N Calabrese
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
- School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Peter Mojzes
- Institute of Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University, Ke Karlovu 5, CZ-12116 Prague 2, Czech Republic
| | - Joseph J B Cockburn
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
- School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Don C Lamb
- Department of Chemistry, Center for NanoScience (CeNS), Nanosystems Initiative Munich (NIM) and Centre for Integrated Protein Science Munich (CiPSM), Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Roman Tuma
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
- School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
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11
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Schrimpf W, Barth A, Hendrix J, Lamb DC. PAM: A Framework for Integrated Analysis of Imaging, Single-Molecule, and Ensemble Fluorescence Data. Biophys J 2018; 114:1518-1528. [PMID: 29642023 PMCID: PMC5954487 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2018.02.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2017] [Revised: 01/15/2018] [Accepted: 02/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Fluorescence microscopy and spectroscopy data hold a wealth of information on the investigated molecules, structures, or organisms. Nowadays, the same fluorescence data set can be analyzed in many ways to extract different properties of the measured sample. Yet, doing so remains slow and cumbersome, often requiring incompatible software packages. Here, we present PAM (pulsed interleaved excitation analysis with MATLAB), an open-source software package written in MATLAB that offers a simple and efficient workflow through its graphical user interface. PAM is a framework for integrated and robust analysis of fluorescence ensemble, single-molecule, and imaging data. Although it was originally developed for the analysis of pulsed interleaved excitation experiments, PAM has since been extended to support most types of data collection modalities. It combines a multitude of powerful analysis algorithms, ranging from time- and space-correlation analysis, over single-molecule burst analysis, to lifetime imaging microscopy, while offering intrinsic support for multicolor experiments. We illustrate the key concepts and workflow of the software by discussing data handling and sorting and provide step-by-step descriptions for the individual usage cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Waldemar Schrimpf
- Department of Physical Chemistry, Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich (CIPSM), Nanosystems Initiative Munich (NIM) and Center for Nanoscience (CeNS), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany
| | - Anders Barth
- Department of Physical Chemistry, Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich (CIPSM), Nanosystems Initiative Munich (NIM) and Center for Nanoscience (CeNS), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany
| | - Jelle Hendrix
- Dynamic Bioimaging Lab, Biomedical Research Institute (BIOMED), Advanced Optical Microscopy Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium; Laboratory for Photochemistry and Spectroscopy, Molecular Imaging and Photonics Division, KU Leuven, Heverlee, Belgium
| | - Don C Lamb
- Department of Physical Chemistry, Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich (CIPSM), Nanosystems Initiative Munich (NIM) and Center for Nanoscience (CeNS), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany.
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12
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Khmelinskaia A, Mücksch J, Conci F, Chwastek G, Schwille P. FCS Analysis of Protein Mobility on Lipid Monolayers. Biophys J 2018; 114:2444-2454. [PMID: 29605081 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2018.02.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2017] [Revised: 02/08/2018] [Accepted: 02/27/2018] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
In vitro membrane model systems are used to dissect complex biological phenomena under controlled unadulterated conditions. In this context, lipid monolayers are a powerful tool to particularly study the influence of lipid packing on the behavior of membrane proteins. Here, monolayers deposited in miniaturized fixed area-chambers, which require only minute amounts of protein, were used and shown to faithfully reproduce the characteristics of Langmuir monolayers. This assay is ideally suited to be combined with single-molecule sensitive fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) to characterize diffusion dynamics. Our results confirm the influence of lipid packing on lipid mobility and validate the use of FCS as an alternative to conventional surface pressure measurements for characterizing the monolayer. Furthermore, we demonstrate the effect of lipid density on the diffusional behavior of membrane-bound components. We exploit the sensitivity of FCS to characterize protein interactions with the lipid monolayer in a regime in which the monolayer physical properties are not altered. To demonstrate the potential of our approach, we analyzed the diffusion behavior of objects of different nature, ranging from a small peptide to a large DNA-based nanostructure. Moreover, in this work we quantify the surface viscosity of lipid monolayers. We present a detailed strategy for the conduction of point FCS experiments on lipid monolayers, which is the first step toward extensive studies of protein-monolayer interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alena Khmelinskaia
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Jonas Mücksch
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Franco Conci
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Grzegorz Chwastek
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Petra Schwille
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, Germany.
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13
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Ingargiola A, Lerner E, Chung S, Weiss S, Michalet X. FRETBursts: An Open Source Toolkit for Analysis of Freely-Diffusing Single-Molecule FRET. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0160716. [PMID: 27532626 PMCID: PMC4988647 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0160716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2016] [Accepted: 07/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Single-molecule Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (smFRET) allows probing intermolecular interactions and conformational changes in biomacromolecules, and represents an invaluable tool for studying cellular processes at the molecular scale. smFRET experiments can detect the distance between two fluorescent labels (donor and acceptor) in the 3-10 nm range. In the commonly employed confocal geometry, molecules are free to diffuse in solution. When a molecule traverses the excitation volume, it emits a burst of photons, which can be detected by single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) detectors. The intensities of donor and acceptor fluorescence can then be related to the distance between the two fluorophores. While recent years have seen a growing number of contributions proposing improvements or new techniques in smFRET data analysis, rarely have those publications been accompanied by software implementation. In particular, despite the widespread application of smFRET, no complete software package for smFRET burst analysis is freely available to date. In this paper, we introduce FRETBursts, an open source software for analysis of freely-diffusing smFRET data. FRETBursts allows executing all the fundamental steps of smFRET bursts analysis using state-of-the-art as well as novel techniques, while providing an open, robust and well-documented implementation. Therefore, FRETBursts represents an ideal platform for comparison and development of new methods in burst analysis. We employ modern software engineering principles in order to minimize bugs and facilitate long-term maintainability. Furthermore, we place a strong focus on reproducibility by relying on Jupyter notebooks for FRETBursts execution. Notebooks are executable documents capturing all the steps of the analysis (including data files, input parameters, and results) and can be easily shared to replicate complete smFRET analyzes. Notebooks allow beginners to execute complex workflows and advanced users to customize the analysis for their own needs. By bundling analysis description, code and results in a single document, FRETBursts allows to seamless share analysis workflows and results, encourages reproducibility and facilitates collaboration among researchers in the single-molecule community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonino Ingargiola
- Dept. Chemistry and Biochemistry, Univ. of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Eitan Lerner
- Dept. Chemistry and Biochemistry, Univ. of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
| | - SangYoon Chung
- Dept. Chemistry and Biochemistry, Univ. of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
| | - Shimon Weiss
- Dept. Chemistry and Biochemistry, Univ. of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
| | - Xavier Michalet
- Dept. Chemistry and Biochemistry, Univ. of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
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14
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15
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Laurence TA, Braun GB, Reich NO, Moskovits M. Robust SERS enhancement factor statistics using rotational correlation spectroscopy. NANO LETTERS 2012; 12:2912-2917. [PMID: 22551121 DOI: 10.1021/nl3005447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
We characterize the distribution of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) enhancement factors observed in individual hot spots of single Ag "nanocapsules", encapsulated Ag nanoparticle dimers formed via controlled nanoparticle linking, polymer encapsulation, and small molecule infusion. The enhancement factors are calculated for over 1000 individual nanocapsules by comparing Raman scattering intensities of 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (MBA) measured from single SERS hot spots to intensities measured from high-concentration solutions of MBA. Correlation spectroscopy measurements of the rotational diffusion identify nanocapsules with signals dominated by single hot spots via their strong polarization response. Averaging over the entire surface of the nanocapsules, the distribution of enhancement factors is found to range from 10(6) to 10(8), with a mean of 6 × 10(6). Averaging only over nanoparticle junctions (where most SERS signals are expected) increases this average value to 10(8), with a range from 2 × 10(7) to 2 × 10(9). This significant statistical sampling shows that very high SERS enhancement factors can be obtained on a consistent basis using nanoparticle linking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ted A Laurence
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94550, United States.
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16
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Beam M, Silva MC, Morimoto RI. Dynamic imaging by fluorescence correlation spectroscopy identifies diverse populations of polyglutamine oligomers formed in vivo. J Biol Chem 2012; 287:26136-45. [PMID: 22669943 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m112.362764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein misfolding and aggregation are exacerbated by aging and diseases of protein conformation including neurodegeneration, metabolic diseases, and cancer. In the cellular environment, aggregates can exist as discrete entities, or heterogeneous complexes of diverse solubility and conformational state. In this study, we have examined the in vivo dynamics of aggregation using imaging methods including fluorescence microscopy, fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP), and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS), to monitor the diverse biophysical states of expanded polyglutamine (polyQ) proteins expressed in Caenorhabditis elegans. We show that monomers, oligomers and aggregates co-exist at different concentrations in young and aged animals expressing different polyQ-lengths. During aging, when aggregation and toxicity are exacerbated, FCS-based burst analysis and purified single molecule FCS detected a populational shift toward an increase in the frequency of brighter and larger oligomeric species. Regardless of age or polyQ-length, oligomers were maintained in a heterogeneous distribution that spans multiple orders of magnitude in brightness. We employed genetic suppressors that prevent polyQ aggregation and observed a reduction in visible immobile species with the persistence of heterogeneous oligomers, yet our analysis did not detect the appearance of any discrete oligomeric states associated with toxicity. These studies reveal that the reversible transition from monomers to immobile aggregates is not represented by discrete oligomeric states, but rather suggests that the process of aggregation involves a more complex pattern of molecular interactions of diverse intermediate species that can appear in vivo and contribute to aggregate formation and toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica Beam
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Rice Institute for Biomedical Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208-3500, USA
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17
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Tomov TE, Tsukanov R, Masoud R, Liber M, Plavner N, Nir E. Disentangling subpopulations in single-molecule FRET and ALEX experiments with photon distribution analysis. Biophys J 2012; 102:1163-73. [PMID: 22404939 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2011.11.4025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2011] [Revised: 11/06/2011] [Accepted: 11/21/2011] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Among the advantages of the single-molecule approach when used to study biomolecular structural dynamics and interaction is its ability to distinguish between and independently observe minor subpopulations. In a single-molecule Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) and alternating laser excitation diffusion experiment, the various populations are apparent in the resultant histograms. However, because histograms are calculated based on the per-burst mean FRET and stoichiometry ratio and not on the internal photon distribution, much of the acquired information is lost, thereby reducing the capabilities of the method. Here we suggest what to our knowledge is a novel statistical analysis tool that significantly enhances these capabilities, and we use it to identify and isolate static and dynamic subpopulations. Based on a kernel density estimator and a proper photon distribution analysis, for each individual burst, we calculate scores that reflect properties of interest. Specifically, we determine the FRET efficiency and brightness ratio distributions and use them to reveal 1), the underlying structure of a two-state DNA-hairpin and a DNA hairpin that is bound to DNA origami; 2), a minor doubly labeled dsDNA subpopulation concealed in a larger singly labeled dsDNA; and 3), functioning DNA origami motors concealed within a larger subpopulation of defective motors. Altogether, these findings demonstrate the usefulness of the proposed approach. The method was developed and tested using simulations, its rationality is described, and a computer algorithm is provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toma E Tomov
- Department of Chemistry, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be'er-Sheva, Israel
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18
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Schuler B, Müller-Späth S, Soranno A, Nettels D. Application of confocal single-molecule FRET to intrinsically disordered proteins. Methods Mol Biol 2012; 896:21-45. [PMID: 22821515 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4614-3704-8_2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) are characterized by a large degree of conformational heterogeneity. In such cases, classical experimental methods often yield only mean values, averaged over the entire ensemble of molecules. The microscopic distributions of conformations, trajectories, or sequences of events often remain unknown, and with them the underlying molecular mechanisms. Signal averaging can be avoided by observing individual molecules. A particularly versatile method is highly sensitive fluorescence detection. In combination with Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET), distances and conformational dynamics can be investigated in single molecules. This chapter introduces the practical aspects of applying confocal single-molecule FRET experiments to the study of IDPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Schuler
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
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19
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Ly S, Petrlova J, Huser T, Fore S, Gao T, Voss J, Laurence TA. Stoichiometry of reconstituted high-density lipoproteins in the hydrated state determined by photon antibunching. Biophys J 2011; 101:970-5. [PMID: 21843489 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2011.06.060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2011] [Revised: 06/28/2011] [Accepted: 06/29/2011] [Indexed: 10/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Apolipoprotein A-I plays a central role in the solution structure of high-density lipoproteins. Determining the stoichiometry of lipid-bound apo A-I in the hydrated state is therefore fundamental to understanding how high-density lipoproteins form and function. Here, we use the quantum optical phenomenon of photon antibunching to determine the number of apo A-I molecules bound to discoidal lipoproteins and compare this with values obtained by photon-counting histogram analysis. Both the photon antibunching and photon-counting analyses show that reconstituted high-density lipoprotein particles contain two apo A-I molecules, which is in agreement with the commonly accepted double-belt model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonny Ly
- Physical and Life Science Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California, USA
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20
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Torella JP, Holden SJ, Santoso Y, Hohlbein J, Kapanidis AN. Identifying molecular dynamics in single-molecule FRET experiments with burst variance analysis. Biophys J 2011; 100:1568-77. [PMID: 21402040 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2011.01.066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2010] [Revised: 12/31/2010] [Accepted: 01/20/2011] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Histograms of single-molecule Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) efficiency are often used to study the structures of biomolecules and relate these structures to function. Methods like probability distribution analysis analyze FRET histograms to detect heterogeneities in molecular structure, but they cannot determine whether this heterogeneity arises from dynamic processes or from the coexistence of several static structures. To this end, we introduce burst variance analysis (BVA), a method that detects dynamics by comparing the standard deviation of FRET from individual molecules over time to that expected from theory. Both simulations and experiments on DNA hairpins show that BVA can distinguish between static and dynamic sources of heterogeneity in single-molecule FRET histograms and can test models of dynamics against the observed standard deviation information. Using BVA, we analyzed the fingers-closing transition in the Klenow fragment of Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I and identified substantial dynamics in polymerase complexes formed prior to nucleotide incorporation; these dynamics may be important for the fidelity of DNA synthesis. We expect BVA to be broadly applicable to single-molecule FRET studies of molecular structure and to complement approaches such as probability distribution analysis and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy in studying molecular dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph P Torella
- Department of Physics and Biological Physics Research Group, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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21
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Santoso Y, Torella JP, Kapanidis AN. Characterizing Single-Molecule FRET Dynamics with Probability Distribution Analysis. Chemphyschem 2010; 11:2209-19. [DOI: 10.1002/cphc.201000129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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22
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Miller AE, Hollars CW, Lane SM, Laurence TA. Fluorescence cross-correlation spectroscopy as a universal method for protein detection with low false positives. Anal Chem 2009; 81:5614-22. [PMID: 19522509 DOI: 10.1021/ac9001645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Specific, quantitative, and sensitive protein detection with minimal sample preparation is an enduring need in biology and medicine. Protein detection assays ideally provide quick, definitive measurements that use only small amounts of material. Fluorescence cross-correlation spectroscopy (FCCS) has been proposed and developed as a protein detection assay for several years. Here, we combine several recent advances in FCCS apparatus and analysis to demonstrate it as an important method for sensitive, quantitative, information-rich protein detection with low false positives. The addition of alternating laser excitation (ALEX) to FCCS along with a method to exclude signals from occasional aggregates leads to a very low rate of false positives, allowing the detection and quantification of the concentrations of a wide variety of proteins. We detect human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) using an antibody-based sandwich assay and quantitatively compare our results with calculations based on binding equilibrium equations. Furthermore, using our aggregate exclusion method, we detect smaller oligomers of the prion protein PrP by excluding bright signals from large aggregates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abigail E Miller
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
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23
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Persson G, Thyberg P, Sandén T, Widengren J. Modulation filtering enables removal of spikes in fluorescence correlation spectroscopy measurements without affecting the temporal information. J Phys Chem B 2009; 113:8752-7. [PMID: 19492787 DOI: 10.1021/jp902538b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The appearance of intensity spikes in measurements is a common problem in fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) studies of biological samples. In this work, we present a new method for generating artifact-free correlation curves from fluorescence traces that have undergone spike removal. This method preserves the temporal information throughout the measurement and properly represents the correlation between events separated by removed spikes. The method was validated using experimental data. The proposed algorithm is demonstrated herein to be generally applicable, but it is particularly powerful for cases where spikes occur frequently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustav Persson
- Department of Applied Physics, Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
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24
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Laurence TA, Braun G, Talley C, Schwartzberg A, Moskovits M, Reich N, Huser T. Rapid, solution-based characterization of optimized SERS nanoparticle substrates. J Am Chem Soc 2009; 131:162-9. [PMID: 19063599 DOI: 10.1021/ja806236k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
We demonstrate the rapid optical characterization of large numbers of individual metal nanoparticles freely diffusing in colloidal solution by confocal laser spectroscopy to guide nanoparticle engineering and optimization. We use ratios of the Rayleigh and Raman scattering response and rotational diffusion timescales of individual nanoparticles to show that hollow gold nanospheres and solid silver nanoparticle dimers linked with a bifunctional ligand, both specifically designed nanostructures, exhibit significantly higher monodispersity than randomly aggregated gold and silver nanoparticles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ted A Laurence
- Chemistry, Materials, Earth and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94550, USA
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25
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Ray K, Zhang J, Lakowicz JR. Fluorescence lifetime correlation spectroscopic study of fluorophore-labeled silver nanoparticles. Anal Chem 2008; 80:7313-8. [PMID: 18771274 PMCID: PMC3761368 DOI: 10.1021/ac8009356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
In this paper, we introduce the use of fluorescence lifetime correlation spectroscopy to study the metal-fluorophore interactions in solution at the single-fluorophore level. A single-stranded oligonucleotide was chemically bound to a 50-nm-diameter single silver particle, and a Cy5-labeled complementary single-stranded oligonucleotide was hybridized with the silver particle-bound oligonucleotide. The distance between the fluorophore and silver particle was maintained by a rigid hybridized DNA duplex of 8 nm in length. The single Cy5-DNA-Ag particles showed more than 10-fold increase in fluorescence intensity and a 5-fold decrease in emission lifetimes as compared with Cy5-DNA free molecules in the absence of metal. The decrease of lifetime for the Cy5-DNA-Ag particle allowed us to resolve the correlation functions of the two species based on the intensity decays. The increased brightness of the Cy5-DNA-Ag particle as compared to free Cy5-DNA resulted in an increased contribution of Cy5-DNA-Ag to the correlation function of the mixture. These results show that the effects of metal particles on fluorophores can be used to detect the small fractional populations of the metal-bound species in the presence of a larger number of less bright species. Our results also suggest that these bright fluorophores conjugated to silver particles could be used as the fluorescent probes for clinical detection in the biological samples with the high background.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krishanu Ray
- Center for Fluorescence Spectroscopy, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 725 West Lombard Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, USA.
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26
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Kalinin S, Felekyan S, Valeri A, Seidel CAM. Characterizing Multiple Molecular States in Single-Molecule Multiparameter Fluorescence Detection by Probability Distribution Analysis. J Phys Chem B 2008; 112:8361-74. [DOI: 10.1021/jp711942q] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Stanislav Kalinin
- Institut für Physikalische Chemie, Lehrstuhl für Molekulare Physikalische Chemie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität, Universitätsstraβe 1, Geb 26.32, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Suren Felekyan
- Institut für Physikalische Chemie, Lehrstuhl für Molekulare Physikalische Chemie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität, Universitätsstraβe 1, Geb 26.32, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Alessandro Valeri
- Institut für Physikalische Chemie, Lehrstuhl für Molekulare Physikalische Chemie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität, Universitätsstraβe 1, Geb 26.32, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Claus A. M. Seidel
- Institut für Physikalische Chemie, Lehrstuhl für Molekulare Physikalische Chemie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität, Universitätsstraβe 1, Geb 26.32, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
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27
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Laurence TA, Kwon Y, Johnson A, Hollars CW, O'Donnell M, Camarero JA, Barsky D. Motion of a DNA sliding clamp observed by single molecule fluorescence spectroscopy. J Biol Chem 2008; 283:22895-906. [PMID: 18556658 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m800174200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA sliding clamps attach to polymerases and slide along DNA to allow rapid, processive replication of DNA. These clamps contain many positively charged residues that could curtail the sliding due to attractive interactions with the negatively charged DNA. By single-molecule spectroscopy we have observed a fluorescently labeled sliding clamp (polymerase III beta subunit or beta clamp) loaded onto freely diffusing, single-stranded M13 circular DNA annealed with fluorescently labeled DNA oligomers of up to 90 bases. We find that the diffusion constant for the beta clamp diffusing along DNA is on the order of 10(-14) m(2)/s, at least 3 orders of magnitude less than that for diffusion through water alone. We also find evidence that the beta clamp remains at the 3' end in the presence of Escherichia coli single-stranded-binding protein. These results may imply that the clamp not only acts to hold the polymerase on the DNA but also prevents excessive drifting along the DNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ted A Laurence
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, California 94550, USA.
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28
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Fore S, Yuen Y, Hesselink L, Huser T. Pulsed-interleaved excitation FRET measurements on single duplex DNA molecules inside C-shaped nanoapertures. NANO LETTERS 2007; 7:1749-56. [PMID: 17503872 DOI: 10.1021/nl070822v] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Single-molecule fluorescence resonant energy transfer (FRET) is a widely accepted method for determining the spatial separation between molecules. In combination with pulsed interleaved excitation (PIE), additional information about the stoichiometry of molecular interactions is obtained. PIE-FRET, however, as implemented with standard confocal optics, requires the dilution of the sample to biologically low concentrations. Here, we show that PIE-FRET measurements inside nanometer-sized apertures yield meaningful biochemical data at 1000 x higher concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha Fore
- NSF Center for Biophotonics Science and Technology, University of California at Davis, 2700 Stockton Boulevard, Suite 1400, Sacramento, California 95817, USA.
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