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Multi-dimensional super-resolution imaging enables surface hydrophobicity mapping

Published version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

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Authors

Bongiovanni, MN 
Godet, J 
Horrocks, MH 
Tosatto, L 
Carr, AR 

Abstract

We have developed a multi-dimensional super-resolution (md-SR) imaging technique to determine both the localization and the environmental properties of single-molecule fluorescent emitters. The method, termed sPAINT, exploits the solvatochromic and fluorogenic properties of nile red to extract both the emission spectrum and the position of each dye molecule to enable the mapping of hydrophobicity of biological structures. We first validated the sPAINT method by studying synthetic lipid vesicles of known composition, then applied it to measure the hydrophobicity of amyloid fibrils and oligomers implicated in neurodegenerative diseases, and of the plasma membrane of mammalian cells. sPAINT is easily implemented by inserting a transmission diffraction grating into the optical path of a localization-based super-resolution microscope, which enables all the necessary information to be extracted simultaneously from a single image plane. sPAINT enables the hydrophobicity of surfaces to be mapped at the nanoscale in a dynamic fashion.

Description

Keywords

0299 Other Physical Sciences, 0601 Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Generic Health Relevance

Journal Title

Nature Communications

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

2041-1723
2041-1723

Volume Title

7

Publisher

Nature Publishing Group
Sponsorship
The Royal Society (uf120277)
Medical Research Council (MR/K015850/1)
Medical Research Council (Grant ID: MR/K015850/1), Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, Royal Society (University Research Fellowship, Grant ID: UF120277), Augustus Newman Foundation, Cambridge Advanced Imaging Centre, Christ’s College
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