Name: visualizing single molecular complexes in vivo using advanced fluorescence microscopy
Uploaded: 2009-09-08T16:30:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Visualizing Single Molecular Complexes In Vivo Using Advanced Fluorescence Microscopy at JoVE.com

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.

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<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...

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	<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>

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 ...

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