Super-resolution fluorescence imaging of chromosomal DNA.

J Struct Biol

Department of Biotechnology and Biophysics, Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany.

Published: February 2012

Super-resolution microscopy is a powerful tool for understanding cellular function. However one of the most important biomolecules - DNA - remains somewhat inaccessible because it cannot be effectively and appropriately labeled. Here, we demonstrate that robust and detailed super-resolution images of DNA can be produced by combining 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) labeling using the 'click chemistry' approach and direct stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (dSTORM). This method can resolve fine chromatin structure, and - when used in conjunction with pulse labeling - can reveal the paths taken by individual fibers through the nucleus. This technique should provide a useful tool for the study of nuclear structure and function.

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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jsb.2011.12.015DOI Listing

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