Colloidal crystals from surface-tension-assisted self-assembly: a novel matrix for single-molecule experiments

In this work, we develop a new method of creating colloidal crystals with cavities for the entrapment and long-term observation of single biomolecules. Colloidal crystals are first fabricated using surface-tension-assisted self-assembly. Surface tension helps to reduce the interparticle distance between dispensed colloids. Subsequently, the colloids are used as a matrix in which single fluorescently tagged molecules can be tracked using fluorescence microscopy. This method has a high efficiency of self-assembly for small volumes (4 microL) of colloidal suspensions (polystyrene colloids with diameters of 1000, 500, 200, and 100 nm) at low concentration (1% w/w). The spatial hindrance effect on the diffusion of molecules and their entrapment is discussed on the basis of fluorescence correlation spectroscopy results from the diffusion of molecules with different hydrodynamic radii in the cavities of colloidal crystals formed from micrometer- to nanometer-sized polystyrene spheres. Single horseradish peroxidase molecules turning over fluorescent products are tracked over a few seconds. This shows that colloidal crystals can be used to test the function of single molecules of enzymes and protein under controlled spatial confinement.