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Updated: May 12, 2026

Combining Single-molecule Manipulation and Imaging for the Study of Protein-DNA Interactions

Combining Single-molecule Manipulation and Imaging for the Study of Protein-DNA Interactions

Published on: August 27, 2014

Modular stitching to image single-molecule DNA transport.

Juan Guan¹, Bo Wang, Sung Chul Bae

¹Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA.

Journal of the American Chemical Society

|April 11, 2013

Summary

Researchers developed submolecular single-molecule imaging to study polymer dynamics. This novel method reveals unexpected DNA stretching and recoiling during gel electrophoresis, offering new insights into molecular behavior.

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Area of Science:

Polymer Physics
Biophysics
Molecular Imaging

Background:

Conventional single-molecule imaging of polymer transport is limited by diffraction, hindering detailed conformational studies.
Uniform fluorescence labeling along polymer chains reduces resolution and is insufficient for observing complex dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop a submolecular imaging technique for high-resolution, time-dependent conformational studies of single polymer molecules.
To investigate the internal chain dynamics of DNA during gel electrophoresis.

Main Methods:

Assembling DNA chains from labeled fragments with distinct dyes for backbone and designated spots.
Utilizing high-density dye labeling for nanometer precision localization and long-term tracking.
Imaging the electrophoretic transport of lambda-DNA (λ-DNA) through agarose gels.

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Self-assembly of Complex Two-dimensional Shapes from Single-stranded DNA Tiles

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Last Updated: May 12, 2026

Combining Single-molecule Manipulation and Imaging for the Study of Protein-DNA Interactions

Combining Single-molecule Manipulation and Imaging for the Study of Protein-DNA Interactions

Published on: August 27, 2014

Single-Molecule Real-Time Visualization of DNA Unwinding by CMG Helicase

Single-Molecule Real-Time Visualization of DNA Unwinding by CMG Helicase

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Self-assembly of Complex Two-dimensional Shapes from Single-stranded DNA Tiles

Self-assembly of Complex Two-dimensional Shapes from Single-stranded DNA Tiles

Published on: May 8, 2015

Main Results:

Observed an unexpected pattern of DNA molecule behavior during electrophoresis.
One end of the DNA molecule stretches in the electric field, while the other remains temporarily quiescent.
A repeating cycle of stretching and recoiling was detected, indicating complex internal dynamics.

Conclusions:

The submolecular imaging approach provides unprecedented insights into single-molecule internal dynamics.
Observed stretch-recoil behavior challenges existing theories of polymer electrophoresis.
Modular stitching of DNA chains is a powerful strategy for revealing hidden molecular mechanisms.