Fluorescence spectroscopy of single molecules at room temperature and its applications

Thesis/Dissertation · Sun Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1996

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/451199· OSTI ID:451199

Ha, Taekjip ^[1]

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1. Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)

We performed fluorescence spectroscopy of single and pairs of dye molecules on a surface at room temperature. Near field scanning optical microscope (NSOM) and far field scanning optical microscope with multi-color excitation/detection capability were built. The instrument is capable of optical imaging with 100nm resolution and has the sensitivity necessary for single molecule detection. A variety of dynamic events which cannot be observed from an ensemble of molecules is revealed when the molecules are probed one at a time. They include (1) spectral jumps correlated with dark states, (2) individually resolved quantum jumps to and from the meta-stable triplet state, (3) rotational jumps due to desorption/readsorption events of single molecules on the surface. For these studies, a computer controlled optical system which automatically and rapidly locates and performs spectroscopic measurements on single molecules was developed. We also studied the interaction between closely spaced pairs of molecules. In particular, fluorescence resonance energy transfer between a single resonant pair of donor and acceptor molecules was measured. Photodestruction dynamics of the donor or acceptor were used to determine the presence and efficiency of energy transfer Dual molecule spectroscopy was extended to a non-resonant pair of molecules to obtain high resolution differential distance information. By combining NSOM and dual color scheme, we studied the co-localization of parasite proteins and host proteins on a human red blood cell membrane infected with malaria. These dual-molecule techniques can be used to measure distances, relative orientations, and changes in distances/orientations of biological macromolecules with very good spatial, angular and temporal resolutions, hence opening new capabilities in the study of such systems.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Energy Research (ER)
• DOE Contract Number: AC03-76SF00098
• OSTI ID: 451199
• Report Number(s): LBNL--39921; ON: DE97004227
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION
60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES
DATA ACQUISITION SYSTEMS
DNA
DYES
FLUORESCENCE SPECTROSCOPY
IMAGE PROCESSING
MOLECULAR DYNAMICS METHOD
OPTICAL SYSTEMS
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY