Optical Tweezers with Confocal Fluorescence Microscop

• Subject Area: Basic Research in Biology and Medicine
• Term: Funded in 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 437571593

Molecular forces undoubtedly play a fundamental role in biological processes. The folding of a polypeptide or an oligonucleotide into a stable three-dimensional structure, the assembly of distinct domains into larger complexes, as well as their conformational change in response to substrate binding, all these processes involve the formation and disruption of non-covalent bonds that must overcome thermal forces to be effective. The ability to measure molecular interactions has been revolutionized over the past 30 years by the development of sophisticated single-molecule techniques, granting access to detailed mechanistic information, normally not attainable by traditional ensemble assays. We here apply for a combined instrumentation that allows to manipulate single molecules by optical tweezers and simultaneously detect them by confocal fluorescence microscopy with time-course control of the reaction environment using a microfluidic device. Our projects require the use of ultra-high position resolution optical tweezer to resolve dynamic changes generated by sub-pN force variations in different experimental scenarios. The most suitable instrument configuration will be therefore a dual-beam optical tweezer coupled with a confocal fluorescence imaging system integrated with microfluidics technology. The combination of all three technologies in one single instrument will provide access to innovative experiments, contributing to enlarge our understanding of fundamental biological mechanisms.

• DFG Programme: Major Research Instrumentation
• Major Instrumentation: Optische Pinzette mit konfokalem Fluoreszenzmikroskop
• Instrumentation Group: 5040 Spezielle Mikroskope (außer 500-503)
• Applicant Institution: Universität Duisburg-Essen
• Leader: Professorin Dr. Barbara Saccà