title: Super-Resolution Optical Fluctuation Bio-Imaging with Dual-Color Carbon Nanodots.
abstract: Success in super-resolution imaging relies on a proper choice of fluorescent probes. Here, we suggest novel easily produced and biocompatible nanoparticles-carbon nanodots-for super-resolution optical fluctuation bioimaging (SOFI). The particles revealed an intrinsic dual-color fluorescence, which corresponds to two subpopulations of particles of different electric charges. The neutral nanoparticles localize to cellular nuclei suggesting their potential use as an inexpensive, easily produced nucleus-specific label. The single particle study revealed that the carbon nanodots possess a unique hybrid combination of fluorescence properties exhibiting characteristics of both dye molecules and semiconductor nanocrystals. The results suggest that charge trapping and redistribution on the surface of the particles triggers their transitions between emissive and dark states. These findings open up new possibilities for the utilization of carbon nanodots in the various super-resolution microscopy methods based on stochastic optical switching.
authors.affiliation: Third Institute of Physics, Georg August University , 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Anna M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Chizhik
authors.affiliation: Third Institute of Physics, Georg August University , 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stein
authors.affiliation: A. V. Palladin Institute of Biochemistry, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine , Leontovicha Street 9, Kiev 01601, Ukraine.
authors.forename: Mariia O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Dekaliuk
authors.affiliation: Third Institute of Physics, Georg August University , 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Battle
authors.affiliation: Third Institute of Physics, Georg August University , 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Weixing
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Third Institute of Physics, Georg August University , 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Anja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Huss
authors.affiliation: Third Institute of Physics, Georg August University , 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Mitja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Platen
authors.affiliation: Third Institute of Physics, Georg August University , 37077 Göttingen, Germany.|Institute of Biological Chemistry, Biophysics and Bioengineering, Heriot Watt University , Edinburgh EH14 4A, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Iwan A T
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Schaap
authors.affiliation: Third Institute of Physics, Georg August University , 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Ingo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gregor
authors.affiliation: A. V. Palladin Institute of Biochemistry, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine , Leontovicha Street 9, Kiev 01601, Ukraine.
authors.forename: Alexander P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Demchenko
authors.affiliation: Third Institute of Physics, Georg August University , 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Christoph F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.affiliation: Third Institute of Physics, Georg August University , 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Enderlein
authors.affiliation: Third Institute of Physics, Georg August University , 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Alexey I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Chizhik
mesh_terms: D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000737:chemistry; D008870:Microtubules / Q000648:ultrastructure; D057054:Molecular Imaging; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D045663:Quantum Dots / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D002244:Carbon
keywords: Carbon nanoparticles; SOFI; bioimaging; multicolor imaging; single-molecule fluorescence; super-resolution imaging