Origin of Life -- Single Molecule Tracking

By developing ultra hig-speed optical microscopes, Arisaka Lab is trying to explore the origin of life and the key properties of life. What is the fundamental dynamics at single molecule level? To be live, by definition, each active molecule must overcome thermal Brownian motion by consuming a tiny amount of free energy in efficient way.

Tracking TfR by Gold Nano Particles

Collaborating with Prof. Manuel Penichet's Group at Department of Surgical Oncology, UCLA, we were able to trace the high-speed motion of Transferrin receptor (TfR) on a cancer cell. The TfR was marked by a gold nano particle and it was traced by a ultra-fast CMOS camera (SA-1) by Photron.


As shown in this movie, we were able to take movies at 10,000 frame per second with a tracking position accuracy of a few nm. By looking this behavior and comparing it with the expected Brownian motion, we may be able to find the non thermal motion.


Tracking Single Molecules by Quantum Dots

Prof. Shimon Weiss at Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, UCLA, has pioneered the single molecule tracking by means of quantum dots. Together with Dr. Xavier Michalet, we have developed a high-throughput single molecule fluorescence microscopes, using a single and multi-pixel Hybrid APD. Below is a list of recent publications with Prof. Shimon Weiss and Dr. Xavier Michalet.

High-throughput single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy using parallel detection.

Michalet X. at al, Proc Soc Photo Opt Instrum Eng. 2010 Jan 24;7608.

Hybrid photodetector for single-molecule spectroscopy and microscopy.

Michalet X, Cheng A, Antelman J, Suyama M, Arisaka K, Weiss S.. Proc Soc Photo Opt nstrum Eng. 2008 Feb 15


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