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Tracking the 3D Rotational Dynamics in Nanoscopic Biological Systems
Ryuji Igarashi1,2,3, Takuma Sugi4, Shingo Sotoma5,6
1Institute for Quantum Life Science, National Institute for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, Anagawa 4-9-1, Inage-ku, Chiba 263-8555, Japan.
Journal of the American Chemical Society
|April 15, 2020
Summary
Researchers developed a new technique to track nanoscale three-degrees-of-freedom (3-DoF) rotation in biomolecules and live cells. This method visualizes 3-D rotational dynamics, offering new insights into biological mechanisms at the molecular and cellular levels.
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Nanotechnology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Three-degrees-of-freedom (3-DoF) rotation, encompassing roll, pitch, and yaw, is crucial for various applications but challenging to measure at the nanoscale.
- Existing methods lack the sensitivity to track 3-DoF rotation in biomolecules and live cells.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and demonstrate a novel technique for visualizing and measuring nanoscale 3-DoF rotation in biological systems.
- To apply this method to understand the dynamics of motor proteins, membrane proteins, and organisms.
Main Methods:
- Utilized nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in fluorescent nanodiamonds for sensing.
- Employed a tomographic vector magnetometry technique to track 3-D rotational motion.
- Attached nanodiamonds to specific biomolecules (F1-ATPase, membrane proteins) and observed cellular/organismal movements (C. elegans).
Main Results:
- Successfully visualized the 3-step rotation of F1-ATPase, revealing delays in ATP binding/ADP release.
- Correlated 3D rotational motion of membrane proteins in live cells with intracellular cytoskeletal density.
- Tracked nonrandom motions within the intestine of *Caenorhabditis elegans*.
Conclusions:
- The nanodiamond-based tomographic vector magnetometry method enables nanoscale 3-DoF rotation tracking in vitro, in cells, and in vivo.
- This technique provides a new perspective on microscopic biological samples, enhancing understanding of functional mechanisms driven by nanoscale dynamics.
