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Abstract

Bioengineering

Optical Photothermal Infrared - Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (OPTIR-FISH)

Published: February 23rd, 2024

DOI:

10.3791/66562

1Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, 2Neuroscience Research Institute, Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, 3Photothermal Spectroscopy Corp., 4School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, 5Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, Photonics Center, Boston University

* These authors contributed equally

Abstract

Understanding the metabolic activities of individual cells within complex communities is critical for unraveling their role in human disease. Here, we present a comprehensive protocol for simultaneous cell identification and metabolic analysis with the OPTIR-FISH platform by combining rRNA-tagged FISH probes and isotope-labeled substrates. Fluorescence imaging provides cell identification by the specific binding of rRNA-tagged FISH probes, while OPTIR imaging provides metabolic activities within single cells by isotope-induced red shift on OPTIR spectra. Using bacteria cultured with 13C-glucose as a test bed, the protocol outlines microbial culture with isotopic labeling, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), sample preparation, optimization of the OPTIR-FISH imaging setup, and data acquisition. We also demonstrate how to perform image analysis and interpret spectral data at the single-cell level with high throughput. This protocol's standardized and detailed nature will greatly facilitate its adoption by researchers from diverse backgrounds and disciplines within the broad single-cell metabolism research community.

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Keywords Optical Photothermal Infrared

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