We acknowledge the kind donations of bacterial strains from the groups of Prof. Judith Armitage (University of Oxford, UK) and Prof. Conrad Mullineaux (Queen Mary University of London, UK). IMD is jointly funded by the Dept of Biochemistry (Oxford University) and OCISB; AR is funded by an Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) DTC studentship; ND is funded from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC); MCL is funded by a Royal Society University Research Fellowship.

<ol>
<li>To begin this procedure, 50 &mu;l of frozen stocks of fluorescent protein expressing Escherichia coli bacterial cells are first defrosted and grown aerobically with shaking in 5 ml LB growth media overnight at 37 degrees C. In the morning, 50 &mu;l of this saturated culture is extracted and sub-cultured into minimal M63 glucose culture media, incubating at 30 degrees C for 4 to 6 hours. Here we demonstrate using two different cell strains, one of which expresses an electron-transporting cytochrome fused to GFP, the other which expresses a protein involved in the bacterial flagellar motor fused to GFP.</li>
<li>Cells may either harvested directly from the growing sub-culture if viewing them as immobilized samples, or they may be sheared to truncate bacterial flagella if viewing under "tethered" conditions.</li>
<li>Shearing involves placing typically 1-5ml of the sub-culture into a device consisting of two sterile syringes joined by sterile piping. The shearing is done by alternating pushing in each syringe pump to push the culture through the narrow tubing. This is done 50-100 times, depending on the extent of shearing required. The culture is then centrifuged to pellet the cells, which is resuspended in minimal media to remove flagella fragments.</li>
<li>We then prepare cleaned BK7 glass coverslips by immersing in a saturated solution of KOH in ethanol for 20 min, then rinsing thoroughly in de-ionized water and ethanol and leaving to dry in air for at least 1 h.</li>
<li>We construct a simple flow-cell to house the cells in the microscope. This involves drawing lines of paraffin grease on a BK7 glass microscope slide and then creating a tunnel-sandwich by placing one of the cleaned coverlips on top, and pressing down gently with a pair of forceps, giving a flow cell volume of 5-10 &mu;l.</li>
<li>To observe immobilized cells we fill the flow-cell by injection with a 0.1% w/v solution of poly-L-lysine, and allow it to incubate at room temperature for at least 1 min. We then flush out using 100 &mu;l minimal media by injecting the media from one end of the flow-cell and wicking with tissue paper from the other.</li>
<li>We then wick through 20 &mu;l of a 1:500 dilution of 200 nm diameter latex microspheres (Polysciences) in minimal media to mark the coverslip surface. The flow-cell is inverted such that the coverslip is facing downwards, placed on a platform clear of the surface in a simple humidity chamber, and incubated at room temperature for 5 min. Unbound beads are then washed away by wicking through 100 &mu;l minimal media.</li>
<li>If we wish to observe tethered cells we omit the poly-L-lysine step and instead fill the flow-cell with 5 mg/ml anti-flagellin antibody. The flow-cell is place in the humidity chamber for 10 min and is then flushed through by wicking.</li>
<li>20 &mu;l of the cell culture is then wicked through the flow-cell, either using the sheared sample if observing tethered cells or the unsheared sample in viewing immobilized cells.</li>
<li>The flow-cell is inverted and placed in the humidity chamber for 20 min. Unbound cells are then washed out by wicking through 100 &mu;l minimal media.</li>
<li>A drop of immersion oil is placed in the centre of the top surface of the coverslip and the flow-cell is then placed gently on to the sample holder of the custom built fluorescence microscope, making optical contact with the high numerical aperture objective lens.</li>
<li>The microscope electron-multiplying camera is switched on and the camera set to be cooled to -70 degrees C, The software is set to acquire images at a typical frame rate of 25 Hz in frame-transfer mode, initially disenabling the gain control on the camera.</li>
<li>The brightfield illumination is switched on and the image is brought into focus, selecting a suitable cell or group of cells to be imaged on the basis of their being stuck with their long axis parallel to the coverslip surface. The focus is finely adjusted to ensure that the 200 nm latex beads stuck to the coverslip surface are just in focus.</li>
<li>An image sequence is acquired in brightfield to record the outline of the cell body. The brightfield illumination is switched off and the camera gain is enabled to maximum.</li>
<li>For a standard acquisition using total internal reflection fluorescence (or TIRF) a laser beam over appropriate wavelength (here, for green fluorescent protein excitation, we use a 473 nm laser) is pre-set so as to be focused in the back focal plane of the objective lens but displaced laterally from the optic axis to generate an evanescent field for fluorescence excitation into the cell sample. </li>
<li>The camera acquisition is started and the laser shutter opened to excite the fluorescent proteins within the bacteria. The parameters for laser intensity and speed of acquisition need to be optimized for the particular biological system under investigation by experimenting with different values, but a typical range relevant to studying mobile protein complexes in the cell membrane are 1-10 mW laser power over a circular excitation area of diameter ~30 &mu;m, with an exposure time per frame of 5-40 ms. Samples are illuminated until photobleached, typically for ~10 s.</li>
<li>This protocol can be used both for tethered cells in which the body of the cell is rotating about a point of attachment between the coverslip and a flagellar stub, and for immobilized cells which are rigidly fixed to the coverslip surface.</li>
<li>Some cell strains which have a high copy number of complexes benefit from an initial diffraction-limited focused laser bleach on one pole of the cell prior to TIRF imaging. This bleach is equivalent to that used in fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (or FRAP). Using our custom microscope some of the excitation laser light can be fed off into a second independent path used for FRAP-type bleaching. Typically 1-10mW laser power is used, with a typical bleach time in the range 10-300 ms. This results in much higher imaging contrast in the bleached zone of the cell allowing individual complexes which subsequently diffuse into that area to be more easily visualized.</li>
<li>For visualizing complexes in the cell cytoplasm which diffuse much faster than those in the cell membrane a different illumination mode called "slimfield" is employed. Here a focused laser is expanded laterally to just encompass a single cell. This produces a very intense field allowing much faster exposures of typically a millisecond to be taken.</li>
<li>Following data acquisition, the images are fed into custom written software (coded in LabVIEW 8.5). This automatically detects the positions of fluorescent spots in the cells to a precision of a typically few nanometers and extracts their size and brightness. The brightnessof the photobleaching trace with respect to time of a tracked molecular complex is then used to estimate the stoichiometry, i.e. how many individual fluorescent proteins make up a single molecular complex.</li>
</ol>
Representative Results:
When the protocol is done correctly the images of the cells viewed in brightfield is very distinct, with the perimeters of the cell bodies dark against a white/gray cell body (Figure 1a). In fluorescence using immobilized cells, we can see distinct spots intensity, of typically 250-300 nm in width (Figure 1b). Healthy, tethered cells will be seen to rotate around the point of tether attachment in brightfield images. Under fluorescence excitation some molecular complexes in our case might also be seen at the point of attachment, indicating a localization of the tagged protein with the flagellar motor. These spots are individual molecular complexes and the number of them seen will depend upon the illumination mode used and how many of the complexes are actually present in the cell at any one time. The mobility of the spots depends upon the specific biological system under study. If the density of spots is initially very high, as is the case with the labeled cytochromes used here, then performing an initial FRAP bleach can improve the imaging contrast.
<img src="/files/ftp_upload/1508/1508Figure1tmb.jpg" border="0" alt="Figure 1" /> Figure 1. (A) Brightfield and (B) TIRF image (false color) for an immobilized Escherichia coli cell expressing a protein fused to green fluorescent protein (GFP) which is known to be involved in the flagellar motors of bacteria. Please <a href="https://www.jove.com/files/ftp_upload/1508/1508Figure1.jpg">click here</a> to see a larger version of figure 1.

<ol>
	<li>Leake, M. C., Chandler, J. H., Wadhams, G. H., Bai, F., Berry, R. M., Armitage, J. P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Stoichiometry+and+turnover+in+single,+functioning+membrane+protein+complexes.">Stoichiometry and turnover in single, functioning membrane protein complexes.</a> Nature. 443, 355-358 (2006).</li><li>Leake, M. C., Greene, N. P., Godun, R. M., Granjon, T., Buchanan, G., Chen, S., Berry, R. M., Palmer, T., Berks, B. C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Variable+stoichiometry+of+the+TatA+component+of+the+twin-arginine+protein+transport+system+observed+by+in+vivo+single-molecule+imaging.">Variable stoichiometry of the TatA component of the twin-arginine protein transport system observed by in vivo single-molecule imaging.</a> Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 105, 15376-15381 (2008).</li><li>Leake, M. C., Wilson, D., Gautel, M., Simmons, R. M., M, R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+elasticity+of+single+titin+molecules+using+a+two-bead+optical+tweezers+assay.">The elasticity of single titin molecules using a two-bead optical tweezers assay.</a> Biophys. J. 87, 1112-1135 (2004).</li><li>Leake, M. C., Wilson, D., Bullard, B., Simmons, R. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+elasticity+of+single+kettin+molecules+using+a+two-bead+laser-tweezers+assay.">The elasticity of single kettin molecules using a two-bead laser-tweezers assay.</a> FEBS Lett. , 535-555 (2003).</li><li>Lenn, T., Leake, M. C., Mullineaux, C. W. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=In+vivo+clustering+and+dynamics+of+cytochrome+bd+complexes+in+the+Escherichia+coli+plasma+membrane.">In vivo clustering and dynamics of cytochrome bd complexes in the Escherichia coli plasma membrane.</a> Mol. Microbiol. 70, 1397-1407 (2008).</li><li>Lenn, T., Leake, M. C., Mullineaux, C. W. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Are+Escherichia+coli+OXPHOS+complexes+concentrated+in+specialised+zones+within+the+plasma+membrane.">Are Escherichia coli OXPHOS complexes concentrated in specialised zones within the plasma membrane.</a> Biochem. Soc. Trans. 36, 1032-1036 (2008).</li><li>Lo, C. J., Leake, M. C., Pilizota, T., Berry, R. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Single-cell+measurements+of+Membrane+Potential,+Sodium-Motive+Force+and+Flagellar+Motor+Speed+in+Escherichia+coli.">Single-cell measurements of Membrane Potential, Sodium-Motive Force and Flagellar Motor Speed in Escherichia coli.</a> Biophys. 93, 294-302 (2007).</li><li>Lo, C. J., Leake, M. C., Berry, R. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Fluorescence+measurement+of+intracellular+sodium+concentration+in+single+Escherichia+coli+cells.">Fluorescence measurement of intracellular sodium concentration in single Escherichia coli cells.</a> Biophys. J. 90, 357-3565 (2006).</li></ol>

The authors have nothing to disclose.

Care must be taken not to "over shear" cell for looking at tethered bacteria, since this may impair the functionality of the flagellar motors. It is important to use cells for much longer than an hour once on the microscope slide since they may become oxygen depleted. Considerable optimization may be required to find the best microscope imaging conditions catered to your specific biological system under investigation. It may be wise to attempt the imaging using purified GFP alone to ascertain the correct intensity laser ...

visualizing single molecular complexes in vivo using advanced fluorescence microscopy

Full insight into the mechanisms of living cells can be achieved only by investigating the key processes that elicit and direct events at a cellular level. To date the shear complexity of biological systems has caused precise single-molecule experimentation to be far too demanding, instead focusing on studies of single systems using relatively crude bulk ensemble-average measurements. However, many important processes occur in the living cell at the level of just one or a few molecules; ensemble measurements generally mask the stochastic and heterogeneous nature of these events. Here, using advanced optical microscopy and analytical image analysis tools we demonstrate how to monitor proteins within a single living bacterial cell to a precision of single molecules and how we can observe dynamics within molecular complexes in functioning biological machines. The techniques are directly relevant physiologically. They are minimally-perturbative and non-invasive to the biological sample under study and are fully attuned for investigations in living material, features not readily available to other single-molecule approaches of biophysics. In addition, the biological specimens studied all produce fluorescently-tagged protein at levels which are almost identical to the unmodified cell strains ("genomic encoding"), as opposed to the more common but less ideal approach for generating significantly more protein than would occur naturally ('plasmid expression'). Thus, the actual biological samples which will be investigated are significantly closer to the natural organisms, and therefore the observations more relevant to real physiological processes.

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Visualizing Single Molecular Complexes In Vivo Using Advanced Fluorescence Microscopy at JoVE.com

Visualizing Single Molecular Complexes In Vivo Using Advanced Fluorescence Microscopy

Here we demonstrate the protocols for performing single-molecule fluorescence microscopy on living bacterial cells to enable functional molecular complexes to be detected, tracked and quantified.

Visualizing Single Molecular Complexes In Vivo Using Advanced Fluorescence Microscopy

Full insight into the mechanisms of living cells can be achieved only by investigating the key processes that elicit and direct events at a cellular ...

visualizing-single-molecular-complexes-vivo-using-advanced

Research

JoVE Journal

Biology

9.2K Views.  University of Oxford. Here we demonstrate the protocols for performing single-molecule fluorescence microscopy on living bacterial cells to enable functional molecular complexes to be detected, tracked and quantified.

Video: Visualizing Single Molecular Complexes In Vivo Using Advanced Fluorescence Microscopy

Visualizing the Live Drosophila Glial-neuromuscular Junction with Fluorescent Dyes

Our project identified GFP labeled glial structures at the developing larval fly neuromuscular synapse. To look at development of live glial-nerve-muscle synapses, we developed a larval tissue preparation that had features of live intact larvae, but also had good optical properties.  This new preparation also allowed for access of perfusates to the synapse.  We used fly larvae, immersed them in artificial hemolymph, and relaxed their normal rhythmic body contractions by chilling them. Next we dissected off the posterior segments of each animal and with a blunt insect pin pushed the mouth parts backward through the body cavity.  This everted the larval body wall, like turning a sock inside-out.  We completed the dissection with ultra-fine dissection scissors and thus exposed the visceral side of the body wall muscles. The glial structures at the NMJ expressed membrane targeted GFP under the control of glial specific promoters. The post-synaptic membrane, the SSR (Subsynaptic Reticula) in muscle expressed synaptically targeted dsRed. We needed to acutely label the motor neuron terminals, the third part of the synapse. To do this we applied primary antibodies to HRP, conjugated to a far-red emitting flurophore.  To test for dye diffusion properties into the perisynaptic space between the motor neuron terminals and the SSR, we applied a solution of large Dextran molecules conjugated to far-red emitting flurophore and collected images.

Visualizing the Live Drosophila Glial-neuromuscular Junction with Fluorescent Dyes

We described structural features of the Glia-neuromuscular synapses in a novel Inside-out tissue preparation of live fly larvae using fluorescent dyes with confocal microscopy. We labeled live neuron terminals with fluorescent primary antibodies to HRP, and also visualized the perisynaptic space with fluorescent Dextrans.

Our project identified GFP labeled glial structures at the developing larval fly neuromuscular synapse. To look at development of live glial-nerve-muscle ...

Mesoscopic Fluorescence Tomography for In-vivo Imaging of Developing Drosophila

Visualizing developing organ formation as well as progession and treatment of disease often heavily relies on the ability to optically interrogate molecular and functional changes in intact living organisms. Most existing optical imaging methods are inadequate for imaging at dimensions that lie between the penetration limits of modern optical microscopy (0.5-1mm) and the diffusion-imposed limits of optical macroscopy (&gt;1cm) [1]. Thus, many important model organisms, e.g. insects, animal embryos or small animal extremities, remain inaccessible for in-vivo optical imaging. 
Although there is increasing interest towards the development of nanometer-resolution optical imaging methods, there have not been many successful efforts in improving the imaging penetration depth. The ability to perform in-vivo imaging beyond microscopy limits is in fact met with the difficulties associated with photon scattering present in tissues. Recent efforts to image entire embryos for example [2,3] require special chemical treatment of the specimen, to clear them from scattering, a procedure that makes them suitable only for post-mortem imaging. These methods however evidence the need for imaging larger specimens than the ones usually allowed by two-photon or confocal microscopy, especially in developmental biology and in drug discovery.
We have developed a new optical imaging technique named Mesoscopic Fluorescence Tomography [4], which appropriate for non-invasive in-vivo imaging at dimensions of 1mm-5mm. The method exchanges resolution for penetration depth, but offers unprecedented tomographic imaging performance and it has been developed to add time as a new dimension in developmental biology observations (and possibly other areas of biological research) by imparting the ability to image the evolution of fluorescence-tagged responses over time. As such it can accelerate studies of morphological or functional dependencies on gene mutations or external stimuli, and can importantly, capture the complete picture of development or tissue function by allowing longitudinal time-lapse visualization of the same, developing organism.
The technique utilizes a modified laboratory microscope and multi-projection illumination to collect data at 360-degree projections. It applies the Fermi simplification to Fokker-Plank solution of the photon transport equation, combined with geometrical optics principles in order to build a realistic inversion scheme suitable for mesoscopic range. This allows in-vivo whole-body visualization of non-transparent three-dimensional structures in samples up to several millimeters in size.
We have demonstrated the in-vivo performance of the technique by imaging three-dimensional structures of developing Drosophila tissues in-vivo and by following the morphogenesis of the wings in the opaque Drosophila pupae in real time over six consecutive hours.

Mesoscopic Fluorescence Tomography for In-vivo Imaging of Developing Drosophila

Mesoscopic fluorescence tomography operates beyond the penetration limits of tissue-sectioning fluorescence microscopy. The technique is based on multi-projection illumination and a photon transport description. We demonstrate in-vivo whole-body 3D visualization of the morphogenesis of GFP-expressing wing imaginal discs in Drosophila melanogaster.

Visualizing  developing organ formation as well as progession and treatment of disease often  heavily relies on the ability to optically interrogate ...

In Vivo Optical Imaging of Brain Tumors and Arthritis Using Fluorescent SapC-DOPS Nanovesicles

We describe a multi-angle rotational optical imaging (MAROI) system for in vivo monitoring of physiopathological processes labeled with a fluorescent marker. Mouse models (brain tumor and arthritis) were used to evaluate the usefulness of this method. Saposin C (SapC)-dioleoylphosphatidylserine (DOPS) nanovesicles tagged with CellVue Maroon (CVM) fluorophore were administered intravenously. Animals were then placed in the rotational holder (MARS) of the in vivo imaging system. Images were acquired in 10&#176; steps over 380&#176;. A rectangular&#160;region of interest (ROI) was placed across the full image width at the model disease site. Within the ROI, and for every image, mean fluorescence intensity was computed after background subtraction. In the mouse models studied, the labeled nanovesicles were taken up in both the orthotopic and transgenic brain tumors, and in the arthritic sites (toes and ankles). Curve analysis of the multi angle image ROIs determined the angle with the highest signal. Thus, the optimal angle for imaging each disease site was characterized. The MAROI method applied to imaging of fluorescent compounds is a noninvasive, economical, and precise tool for in vivo quantitative analysis of the disease states in the described mouse models.

In Vivo Optical Imaging of Brain Tumors and Arthritis Using Fluorescent SapC-DOPS Nanovesicles

We describe a multi-angle rotational optical imaging (MAROI) system for in vivo quantitation of a fluorescent marker delivered by saposin C (SapC)-dioleoylphosphatidylserine (DOPS) nanovesicles. Employing mouse models of cancer and arthritis, we demonstrate how the MAROI signal curve analysis can be used for the precise mapping and biological characterization of disease processes.

We describe a multi-angle rotational optical imaging (MAROI) system for in vivo monitoring of physiopathological processes labeled with a fluorescent ...

Medicine

Visualization of Endosome Dynamics in Living Nerve Terminals with Four-dimensional Fluorescence Imaging

Four-dimensional (4D) light imaging has been used to study behavior of small structures within motor nerve terminals of the thin transversus abdominis muscle of the garter snake. Raw data comprises time-lapse sequences of 3D z-stacks. Each stack contains 4-20 images acquired with epifluorescence optics at focal planes separated by 400-1,500 nm. Steps in the acquisition of image stacks, such as adjustment of focus, switching of excitation wavelengths, and operation of the digital camera, are automated as much as possible to maximize image rate and minimize tissue damage from light exposure. After acquisition, a set of image stacks is deconvolved to improve spatial resolution, converted to the desired 3D format, and used to create a 4D "movie" that is suitable for variety of computer-based analyses, depending upon the experimental data sought. One application is study of the dynamic behavior of two classes of endosomes found in nerve terminals-macroendosomes (MEs) and acidic endosomes (AEs)-whose sizes (200-800 nm for both types) are at or near the diffraction limit. Access to 3D information at each time point provides several advantages over conventional time-lapse imaging. In particular, size and velocity of movement of structures can be quantified over time without loss of sharp focus. Examples of data from 4D imaging reveal that MEs approach the plasma membrane and disappear, suggesting that they are exocytosed rather than simply moving vertically away from a single plane of focus. Also revealed is putative fusion of MEs and AEs, by visualization of overlap between the two dye-containing structures as viewed in each three orthogonal projections.

Four-dimensional (4D) imaging is utilized to study the behavior and interactions among two types of endosomes in living vertebrate nerve terminals. Movement of these small structures is characterized in three dimensions, permitting confirmation of events such as endosome fusion and exocytosis.

Four-dimensional (4D) light imaging has been used to study behavior of small structures within motor nerve terminals of the thin transversus abdominis ...

Neuroscience

Simultaneous Visualization of the Dynamics of Crosslinked and Single Microtubules In Vitro by TIRF Microscopy

Microtubules are polymers of &#945;&#946;-tubulin heterodimers that organize into distinct structures in cells. Microtubule-based architectures and networks often contain subsets of microtubule arrays that differ in their dynamic properties. For example, in dividing cells, stable bundles of crosslinked microtubules coexist in close proximity to dynamic non-crosslinked microtubules. TIRF-microscopy-based in vitro reconstitution studies enable the simultaneous visualization of the dynamics of these different microtubule arrays. In this assay, an imaging chamber is assembled with surface-immobilized microtubules, which are either present as single filaments or organized into crosslinked&#160;bundles. Introduction of tubulin, nucleotides, and protein regulators allows direct visualization of associated proteins and of dynamic properties of single and crosslinked microtubules. Furthermore, changes that occur as dynamic single microtubules organize into bundles can be monitored in real-time. The method described here allows for a systematic evaluation of the activity and localization of individual proteins, as well as synergistic effects of protein regulators on two different microtubule subsets under identical experimental conditions, thereby providing mechanistic insights that are inaccessible by other methods.

Simultaneous Visualization of the Dynamics of Crosslinked and Single Microtubules In Vitro by TIRF Microscopy

Here, a TIRF microscopy-based in vitro reconstitution assay is presented to simultaneously quantify and compare the dynamics of two microtubule populations. A method is described to simultaneously view the collective activity of multiple microtubule-associated proteins on crosslinked microtubule bundles and single microtubules.

Microtubules are polymers of &#945;&#946;-tubulin heterodimers that organize into distinct structures in cells. Microtubule-based architectures and ...

Biochemistry

Visualizing Intracellular SNARE Trafficking by Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy

Soluble N-ethylmaleimide sensitive fusion protein (NSF) attachment protein receptor (SNARE) proteins are key for membrane trafficking, as they catalyze membrane fusion within eukaryotic cells. The SNARE protein family consists of about 36 different members. Specific intracellular transport routes are catalyzed by specific sets of 3 or 4 SNARE proteins that thereby contribute to the specificity and fidelity of membrane trafficking. However, studying the precise function of SNARE proteins is technically challenging, because SNAREs are highly abundant and functionally redundant, with most SNAREs having multiple and overlapping functions. In this protocol, a new method for the visualization of SNARE complex formation in live cells is described. This method is based on expressing SNARE proteins C-terminally fused to fluorescent proteins and measuring their interaction by F&#246;rster resonance energy transfer (FRET) employing fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM). By fitting the fluorescence lifetime histograms with a multicomponent decay model, FRET-FLIM allows (semi-)quantitative estimation of the fraction of the SNARE complex formation at different vesicles. This protocol has been successfully applied to visualize SNARE complex formation at the plasma membrane and at endosomal compartments in mammalian cell lines and primary immune cells, and can be readily extended to study SNARE functions at other organelles in animal, plant, and fungal cells.

This protocol describes a new method allowing for the quantitative visualization of complex formation of SNARE proteins, based on F&#246;rster resonance energy transfer, and fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy.

Soluble N-ethylmaleimide sensitive fusion protein (NSF) attachment protein receptor (SNARE) proteins are key for membrane trafficking, as they catalyze ...

Immunology and Infection

Intravital Microscopy of Tumor-associated Vasculature Using Advanced Dorsal Skinfold Window Chambers on Transgenic Fluorescent Mice

Tumor and tumor vessel development, as well as tumor response to therapeutics, are highly dynamic biological processes. Histology provides static information and is often not sufficient for a correct interpretation. Intravital evaluation, in which a process is followed in time, provides extra and often unexpected information. With the creation of transgenic animals expressing cell-specific markers and live cell tracers, improvements to imaging equipment, and the development of several imaging chambers, intravital microscopy has become an important tool to better understand biological processes. This paper describes an experimental design for the investigation of tumor vessel development and of therapeutic effects in a spatial and temporal manner. Using this setup, the stage of vessel development, tip cell and lumen formation, blood flow, extravasation, an established vascular bed, and vascular destruction can be visualized and followed. Furthermore, therapeutic effects, intratumoral fate, and the localization of chemotherapeutic compounds can also be followed.

This protocol describes the intravital imaging of transgenic mice expressing cell-specific fluorescent markers. Intravital imaging provides a non-invasive method for high-resolution observations in living animals using implantable windows through which the microscopic visualization of processes is possible. This method is especially useful to study longitudinal processes.

Tumor and tumor vessel development, as well as tumor response to therapeutics, are highly dynamic biological processes. Histology provides static ...

Intravital Microscopy for Imaging Subcellular Structures in Live Mice Expressing Fluorescent Proteins

Here we describe a procedure to image subcellular structures in live rodents that is based on the use of confocal intravital microscopy. As a model organ, we use the salivary glands of live mice since they provide several advantages. First, they can be easily exposed to enable access to the optics, and stabilized to facilitate the reduction of the motion artifacts due to heartbeat and respiration. This significantly facilitates imaging and tracking small subcellular structures. Second, most of the cell populations of the salivary glands are accessible from the surface of the organ. This permits the use of confocal microscopy that has a higher spatial resolution than other techniques that have been used for in vivo imaging, such as two-photon microscopy. Finally, salivary glands can be easily manipulated pharmacologically and genetically, thus providing a robust system to investigate biological processes at a molecular level.
In this study we focus on a protocol designed to follow the kinetics of the exocytosis of secretory granules in acinar cells and the dynamics of the apical plasma membrane where the secretory granules fuse upon stimulation of the beta-adrenergic receptors. Specifically, we used a transgenic mouse that co-expresses cytosolic GFP and a membrane-targeted peptide fused with the fluorescent protein tandem-Tomato. However, the procedures that we used to stabilize and image the salivary glands can be extended to other mouse models and coupled to other approaches to label in vivo cellular components, enabling the visualization of various subcellular structures, such as endosomes, lysosomes, mitochondria, and the actin cytoskeleton.

Intravital microscopy is a powerful tool that enables imaging various biological processes in live animals. In this article, we present a detailed method for imaging the dynamics of subcellular structures, such as the secretory granules, in the salivary glands of live mice.

Here we describe a procedure to image subcellular structures in live rodents that is based on the use of confocal intravital microscopy. As a model organ, ...

Simultaneous Multicolor Imaging of Biological Structures with Fluorescence Photoactivation Localization Microscopy

Localization-based super resolution microscopy can be applied to obtain a spatial map (image) of the distribution of individual fluorescently labeled single molecules within a sample with a spatial resolution of tens of nanometers. Using either photoactivatable (PAFP) or&#160;photoswitchable (PSFP) fluorescent proteins fused to proteins of interest, or organic dyes conjugated to antibodies or other molecules of interest, fluorescence photoactivation localization microscopy (FPALM) can simultaneously image multiple species of molecules within single cells. By using the following approach, populations of large numbers (thousands to hundreds of thousands) of individual molecules are imaged in single cells and localized with a precision of ~10-30 nm. Data obtained can be applied to understanding the nanoscale spatial distributions of multiple protein types within a cell. One primary advantage of this technique is the dramatic increase in spatial resolution: while diffraction limits resolution to ~200-250 nm in conventional light microscopy, FPALM can image length scales more than an order of magnitude smaller. As many biological hypotheses concern the spatial relationships among different biomolecules, the improved resolution of FPALM can provide insight into questions of cellular organization which have previously been inaccessible to conventional fluorescence microscopy. In addition to detailing the methods for sample preparation and data acquisition, we here describe the optical setup for FPALM. One additional consideration for researchers wishing to do super-resolution microscopy is cost: in-house setups are significantly cheaper than most commercially available imaging machines. Limitations of this technique include the need for optimizing the labeling of molecules of interest within cell samples, and the need for post-processing software to visualize results. We here describe the use of PAFP and PSFP expression to image two protein species in fixed cells. Extension of the technique to living cells is also described.

We demonstrate the use of fluorescence photo activation localization microscopy (FPALM) to simultaneously image multiple types of fluorescently labeled molecules&#160;within cells. The techniques described yield the localization of thousands to hundreds of thousands of individual fluorescent labeled proteins, with a precision of tens of nanometers&#160;within single cells.

Localization-based super resolution microscopy can be applied to obtain a spatial map (image) of the distribution of individual fluorescently labeled ...

Super-resolution Fluorescence Microscopy

Super-resolution fluorescence microscopy (SRFM) provides a better resolution than conventional fluorescence microscopy by reducing the point spread function (PSF). PSF is the light intensity distribution from a point that causes it to appear blurred. Due to PSF, each fluorescing point appears bigger than its actual size, and it is the PSF interference of nearby fluorophores that causes the blurred image. Various approaches to achieving higher resolution through SRFM have recently been developed.
Photoactivated Localization Microscopy
Photoactivated localization microscopy (PALM) is a type of fluorescence microscopy that captures high-resolution images using a single-molecule detection and localization approach. For example, two fluorescent spots 75 nm apart may appear to be a single spot during imaging due to interference of their PSFs. In such cases, especially for live-cell imaging, PALM is a suitable technique to resolve the interference and provide a better resolution.
In PALM, a variant of green fluorescent protein (GFP) with a different excitation wavelength and high fluorescence is employed. In the first step, a few GFPs are activated and imaged with very high precision. In the next step, another set of GFPs is activated and imaged. Step by step, all the GFPs across the specimen are thus recorded. Finally, the data is processed to generate a high-resolution image.
Stochastic Optical Reconstruction Microscopy
In stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (STORM), unique photo-switchable probes are used for specimen imaging. The emission from these probes can be switched on and off using lights of different wavelengths. Thus, only a few fluorophores can be activated at a point in time such that the number of activated fluorophores is significantly lesser than the number of deactivated fluorophores. This selective activation of probes helps determine their precise position in the specimen. Following this, the center of each fluorescent probe is identified and marked. The process is then repeated to record all the fluorescent probes in the specimen. Finally, a high-resolution composite image is constructed by superimposing these multiple images.

Mikroskopia fluorescencyjna o wysokiej rozdzielczości

Super-resolution fluorescence microscopy (SRFM) provides a better resolution than conventional fluorescence microscopy by reducing the point spread ...

Visualizing Single Molecular Complexes In Vivo Using Advanced Fluorescence Microscopy

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