Paper 13139-25
Paper 13139-25
Fluorescence fluctuation spectroscopy of protein-protein interactions and bio-environmental sensors at the single-molecule level (Invited Paper)
19 August 2024 • 11:30 AM - 11:55 AM PDT | Conv. Ctr. Room 11B
Abstract
Living cells are complex, crowded, and dynamic with heterogeneous ionic strength, which influences biological processes that are essential to cellular function and survival. Recently, we have investigated a family of newly developed donor-linker-acceptor constructs for environmental sensing of macromolecular crowding and ionic strength using integrated, ultrafast time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy methodologies. In this contribution, we highlight a novel single-molecule approach to investigate the sensitivity of these sensors to environmental variables using fluorescence fluctuation analysis and molecular brightness spectroscopy. These single-molecule studies complement the traditional, ensemble methods for protein-protein interactions. In addition, our findings represent a stop forward towards the development of a systematic, rational design strategy for environmental sensors.
Presenter
Univ. of Minnesota Duluth (United States)
Ahmed A. Heikal is a professor of Laser Spectroscopy, Biophysics, and Physical Chemistry, the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, at the University of Minnesota Duluth. He earned his Ph.D. degree in Applied Physics from the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, in 1995 under the supervision of Ahmed H. Zewail (Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, 1999). Then, he joined the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (NASA/Caltech), Pasadena, CA, as a Chemistry Fellow for two years working on materials for industrial and military applications. In 1997, Heikal joined the School of Applied and Engineering Physics, Cornell University, as Research Associate for biophysical studies before moving to the Bioengineering Department at the Pennsylvania State University as an associate professor (2003 - 2009). Currently, Heikal is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, England, United Kingdom and an Associate Editor on the Board of Biophysics section of Frontiers journals.