Reading the dynamics of biomacromolecules from signal fluctuations.

Keywords: spectroscopy, fluorescence, correlation, protein, nucleic acid

Biomacromolecules have flexible structures, and their structures fluctuate. We are interested in how this dynamic structure (dynamics) relates to the functions of biomacromolecules. In particular, we want to clarify how the dynamics of biomacromolecules are influenced by the intracellular environment and lead to functional expression. Dynamics are difficult to determine from the average structure of multiple molecules observed in general spectroscopic measurements, and distinguishing observations of individual molecules is necessary. We modify the biomacromolecules of interest with fluorescent dyes and extract information originating from single molecules from the fluctuations of their fluorescent signals to analyze the dynamics of biomacromolecules. This method allows us to obtain detailed information in the time domain of 1/1,000,000 seconds to 1/1,000 seconds, which distinguishes it from other research. Using this method, we are developing methodologies to observe the effects of the crowded intracellular environment on the dynamics of nucleic acids and proteins, as well as methods for observing dynamics within cells.

others