Berlin 2012 – scientific programme

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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik

BP 25: Posters: Molecular Motors

BP 25.3: Poster

Thursday, March 29, 2012, 17:30–19:30, Poster A

Studying collective motor effects by fast optical tracking of gold nanoparticles — •Wiebke Jahr, Rene Schneider, and Stefan Diez — B CUBE - Center for Molecular Bioengineering, Technische Universität Dresden

This study focuses on the usage of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) for the fast optical tracking of microtubules gliding on motor-coated surfaces. GNPs are strong light scatterers and can be functionalized to bind to microtubules via biotin-streptavidin or antibody interactions. In contrast to conventional fluorophores, GNPs show neither photobleaching, photon blinking nor emission saturation. Thus, GNPs are ideal probes to study the motion of filaments on short time scales with high precision. Their signal only depends on their radii and the incoming light intensity so that data acquisition rates are not limited by saturation effects.

In combination with the software package FIESTA [1] (Fluorescence Image Evaluation Software for Tracking and Analysis) stepping events of single and multiple kinesin-1 molecules are investigated at full ATP concentration. Moreover, the effects of roadblocks on the movement of motor proteins is studied. The insights gained from these experiments are applicable to the design of early diagnosis mechanisms for diseases, such as Alzheimer's, which is initiated by overexpression of microtubule-associated proteins, leading to blockages on the motor paths.

[1] F. Ruhnow, D. Zwicker, S. Diez, "Filament localization with nanometer accuracy", Biophys J 98, 363a-363a, (2011).