Skip to main content

Single-Molecule Imaging of Escherichia coli Transmembrane Proteins

  • Protocol
  • First Online:
Single Molecule Analysis

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 1665))

  • 3054 Accesses

Abstract

Single-molecule imaging in living cells can provide unique information about biological processes. Bacteria offer some particular challenges for single-molecule imaging due to their small size, only slightly larger than the diffraction limit of visible light. Here, we describe how reliable and reproducible single-molecule data can be obtained for a transmembrane protein in the Gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli by using live-cell fluorescence microscopy. Fluorescent labeling of a protein by genetic fusion, cell culturing, sample preparation, imaging, and data analysis are discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Protocol
USD 49.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Green MR, Sambrook J (2012) Molecular cloning, 4th edn. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, NY

    Google Scholar 

  2. Gibson DG, Young L, Chuang RY, Venter JC, Hutchison CA 3rd, Smith HO (2009) Enzymatic assembly of DNA molecules up to several hundred kilobases. Nat Methods 6(5):343–345. doi:10.1038/nmeth.1318

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Sharan SK, Thomason LC, Kuznetsov SG, Court DL (2009) Recombineering: a homologous recombination-based method of genetic engineering. Nat Protoc 4(2):206–223. doi:10.1038/nprot.2008.227

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  4. Jiang Y, Chen B, Duan C, Sun B, Yang J, Yang S (2015) Multigene editing in the Escherichia coli genome via the CRISPR-Cas9 system. Appl Environ Microbiol 81(7):2506–2514. doi:10.1128/AEM.04023-14

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  5. Jaqaman K, Loerke D, Mettlen M, Kuwata H, Grinstein S, Schmid SL, Danuser G (2008) Robust single-particle tracking in live-cell time-lapse sequences. Nat Methods 5(8):695–702. doi:10.1038/nmeth.1237

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  6. Oswald F, ELM Bank, Bollen YJ, Peterman EJ (2014) Imaging and quantification of trans-membrane protein diffusion in living bacteria. Phys Chem Chem Phys 16(25):12625–12634. doi:10.1039/c4cp00299g

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Dinh T, Bernhardt TG (2011) Using superfolder green fluorescent protein for periplasmic protein localization studies. J Bacteriol 193(18):4984–4987. doi:10.1128/JB.00315-11

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  8. Oswald F, Varadarajan A, Lill H, Peterman EJ, Bollen YJ (2016) MreB-dependent organization of the E. coli cytoplasmic membrane controls membrane protein diffusion. Biophys J 110(5):1139–1149. doi:10.1016/j.bpj.2016.01.010

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  9. Guzman LM, Belin D, Carson MJ, Beckwith J (1995) Tight regulation, modulation, and high-level expression by vectors containing the arabinose PBAD promoter. J Bacteriol 177(14):4121–4130

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yves J. M. Bollen .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 Springer Science+Business Media LLC

About this protocol

Cite this protocol

Varadarajan, A., Oswald, F., Bollen, Y.J.M. (2018). Single-Molecule Imaging of Escherichia coli Transmembrane Proteins. In: Peterman, E. (eds) Single Molecule Analysis. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1665. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-7271-5_7

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-7271-5_7

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-7270-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-7271-5

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

Publish with us

Policies and ethics