title: Single-molecule quantum-dot fluorescence resonance energy transfer.
abstract: Colloidal semiconductor quantum dots are promising for single-molecule biological imaging due to their outstanding brightness and photostability. As a proof of concept for single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) applications, we measured FRET between a single quantum dot and a single organic fluorophore Cy5. DNA Holliday junction dynamics measured with the quantum dot/Cy5 pair are identical to those obtained with the conventional Cy3/Cy5 pair, that is, conformational changes of individual molecules can be observed by using the quantum dot as the donor.
authors.affiliation: Physics Department, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA.
authors.forename: Sungchul
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hohng
authors.forename: Taekjip
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ha
mesh_terms: D001703:Biophysics / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D001710:Biotin / Q000737:chemistry; D002232:Carbocyanines / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry; D045566:DNA, Cruciform / Q000737:chemistry; D004735:Energy Transfer; D031541:Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018715:Microscopy, Video; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D045663:Quantum Dots; D012235:Rhodamines; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods*; D019809:Streptavidin / Q000737:chemistry; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D002232:Carbocyanines; D045566:DNA, Cruciform; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D012235:Rhodamines; C085321:cyanine dye 5; D001710:Biotin; D004247:DNA; D019809:Streptavidin