Single-Molecule Imaging of Escherichia coli Transmembrane Proteins

Single-molecule imaging in living cells can provide unique information about biological processes. Bacteria offer some particular challenges for single-molecule imaging due to their small size, only slightly larger than the diffraction limit of visible light. Here, we describe how reliable and reproducible single-molecule data can be obtained for a transmembrane protein in the Gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli by using live-cell fluorescence microscopy. Fluorescent labeling of a protein by genetic fusion, cell culturing, sample preparation, imaging, and data analysis are discussed.