Fluorescence-detected linear dichroism microscopy allows observing various molecular processes in living cells, as well as obtaining quantitative information on orientation of fluorescent molecules associated with cellular features. Such information can provide insights into protein structure, aid in development of genetically encoded probes, and allow determinations of lipid membrane properties. However, quantitating and interpreting linear dichroism in biological systems has been laborious and unreliable. Here we present a set of open source ImageJ-based software tools that allow fast and easy linear dichroism visualization and quantitation, as well as extraction of quantitative information on molecular orientations, even in living systems. The tools were tested on model synthetic lipid vesicles and applied to a variety of biological systems, including observations of conformational changes during G-protein signaling in living cells, using fluorescent proteins. Our results show that our tools and model systems are applicable to a wide range of molecules and polarization-resolved microscopy techniques, and represent a significant step towards making polarization microscopy a mainstream tool of biological imaging.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s42003-021-01694-1 | DOI Listing |
ACS Nano
January 2025
Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Frontier Material Physics and Devices, School of Physical Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215006, China.
Circular differential scattering (CDS) spectroscopy has been developed as a powerful method for the characterization of the optical activity of individual plasmonic nanostructures and their complexes with chiral molecules. However, standard measurement setups often result in artifacts that have long raised concerns on the interpretation of spectral data. In fact, the detection limit of CDS setups is constrained by the high level of artifacts, to ±10%.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAdv Mater
January 2025
Center for Integrated Nanostructure Physics, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Suwon, 16419, Republic of Korea.
Research on manipulating materials using light has garnered significant interest, yet examples of controlling electronic polarization in magnetic materials remain scarce. Here, the hysteresis of electronic polarization in the anti-ferromagnetic semiconductor FePS is demonstrated via light. Below the Néel temperature, linear dichroism (i.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Fluoresc
January 2025
College of Life Science, Northwest University, Xian, 710069, Shaanxi, China.
Lead (Pb) ions give an imminent danger since they have been known to cause persistent damage to humans, plants, and animals, even at low concentrations, and cysteine (Cys) elevated levels are critical indicators for many diseases. Therefore, their detection is critical in pharmaceutical and environmental samples. This study tailored an innovative fluorescence switch off-on assay to detect Pb and Cys based on the amplification of G-quadruplex (G-4) to N-methylmesoporphyrin IX (NMM).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Am Chem Soc
January 2025
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Metal and Molecular Materials Chemistry, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Nankai University, Tongyan Road 38, Tianjin 300350, P. R. China.
Flexible molecular crystals are essential for advancing smart materials, providing unique functionality and adaptability for applications in next-generation electronics, pharmaceuticals, and energy storage. However, the optical applications of flexible molecular crystals have been largely restricted to linear optics, with nonlinear optical (NLO) properties rarely explored. Herein, we report on the application of mechanical twisting of flexible molecular crystals for second-order nonlinear optics.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSpectrochim Acta A Mol Biomol Spectrosc
December 2024
Department of Science and Environment, Roskilde University, Universitetsvej 1, P.O. Box 260, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark. Electronic address:
The IR polarization spectrum of acetylacetone enol (AAe, (3Z)-4-hydroxy-3-penten-2-one) was recorded in the region 2000 - 450 cm using stretched polyethylene as an anisotropic solvent. The measured orientation factors were consistent with C molecular symmetry of AAe and provided an experimental distinction between in-plane and out-of-plane polarized spectral features. The results suggest the assignment of at least one previously unrecognized fundamental transition.
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