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MINSTED nanoscopy enters the Ångström localization range.
Michael Weber1, Henrik von der Emde1, Marcel Leutenegger1
1Department of NanoBiophotonics, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany.
Nature Biotechnology
|November 7, 2022
Summary
Researchers achieved Ångström-level localization precision for fluorophores using all-optical MINimal STED (MINSTED) nanoscopy at room temperature. This breakthrough enables sub-nanometer resolution imaging of cellular structures with minimal photons.
Area of Science:
- Optical microscopy
- Nanotechnology
- Biophysics
Background:
- Super-resolution microscopy achieves nanometer localization precision.
- MINimal STimulated Emission Depletion (MINSTED) nanoscopy enhances precision by increasing donut beam power.
- Current techniques are limited in achieving Ångström-level resolution.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate all-optical, room temperature localization of fluorophores with Ångström precision.
- To apply MINSTED nanoscopy for high-resolution imaging of biological structures.
- To explore the potential of MINSTED for studying macromolecular complexes.
Main Methods:
- Utilized MINimal STimulated Emission Depletion (MINSTED) nanoscopy.
- Employed a blue-shifted STED beam and on/off switching for fluorophore separation.
- Localized individual fluorophores bound to DNA strands.
Main Results:
- Achieved localization precision of 4.7 Å with 2,000 detected photons.
- Demonstrated single-digit nanometer resolution imaging of nuclear pore complexes and nuclear lamin distribution.
- Estimated localization precision of 2.3 Å with 10,000 detected photons.
Conclusions:
- MINSTED nanoscopy enables Ångström-level localization precision at room temperature.
- This technique offers unprecedented resolution for imaging cellular components.
- MINSTED is poised to advance the study of macromolecular complexes within cells.
