Detection of single oxygen molecules with fluorescence-labeled hemocyanins.
This study introduces a method to detect individual oxygen molecules by fluorescence microscopy of single hemocyanins. These respiratory proteins from a tarantula bind oxygen with high affinity. A spectrometric signature of the oxygenated protein is transferred to an attached fluorescence label, which can be detected at the single-molecule level. This technique opens new perspectives for the development of small and sensitive oxygen sensors as well as for the investigation of cooperative oxygen binding in respiratory proteins.
Erker
Wolfgang
W
Institute for Physical Chemistry, Johannes Gutenberg University, Welderweg 11, 55099 Mainz, Germany. erker@mail.uni-mainz.de
Sdorra
Sven
S
Basché
Thomas
T
D000818:Animals; D003300:Copper / Q000737:chemistry; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000737:chemistry*; D006433:Hemocyanins / Q000737:chemistry*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry*; D013045:Species Specificity; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods; D013112:Spiders
D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D003300:Copper; D006433:Hemocyanins; D010100:Oxygen