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Published on: November 10, 2023
Localization of Apicomplexa Motor Myosin A with Axial Nanometric Precision Using Graphene Energy Transfer
Giovanni Ferrari1, Yuan Song2, Michael Hensel3
1Lehrstuhl für Physikalische Chemie Fakultät für Chemie & Pharmazie, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Butenandtstraße 11, Haus E, 81377München, Germany.
Nano Letters
|August 12, 2026
Summary
Graphene energy transfer microscopy precisely mapped the apicomplexan parasite motor myosin A (MyoA). Results support a linear motor model, placing MyoA between membranes, not in the cytoplasm.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Parasitology
- Biophysics
Background:
- Apicomplexan parasites use gliding motility for invasion.
- The exact location of the myosin A (MyoA) motor is debated, with two models proposed: cytoplasmic or between membranes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To precisely determine the axial localization of MyoA in apicomplexan parasites.
- To distinguish between the cytoplasmic and linear models of MyoA motor positioning.
Main Methods:
- Graphene energy transfer (GET) microscopy was used as a nanoscale ruler.
- Live stimulated emission depletion (STED) imaging and expansion microscopy STED validated GET results.
Main Results:
- GET microscopy provided nanometer precision, comparable to electron microscopy.
- A significant portion of MyoA was localized to the space between the plasma membrane and the inner membrane complex (IMC).
Conclusions:
- The findings support the linear motor model for apicomplexan gliding motility.
- Graphene energy transfer (GET) is established as a valuable tool for nanoscale protein mapping in biological systems.
