Science / Technology - Colloquium
Monday, February 18, 2008
4:00 PM-5:00 PM
Olin Hall
107
Biomolecular function can now be studied with unprecedented detail by optically observing the motion and conformational changes of single molecules. Typically, biomolecules or long-lived molecular complexes are tethered to a surface and studied on an individual basis utilizing the optical properties of attached dyes or nanoparticles. In contrast, more commonly-occurring short-lived complexes are not easily studied on an individual basis because each of the molecular components must be localized and yet permitted to interact in the observation region. I will demonstrate a new technique that uses aqueous nanodroplets as femtoliter "test tubes" to confine, study, and mix individual molecules. The nanodroplets can be manipulated, mixed and held immobile using optical tweezers. Confined molecules are studied by optical techniques that are sensitive to the fluorescence from a single dye molecule. I will discuss how single molecular-pair fluorescence resonance energy transfer can be used to study RNA antisense interactions or RNA/protein interactions, and how polarization anisotropy lifetime can be used to investigate the rotational dynamics of confined biomolecules.
Cost: FREE
Sponsored by: WPI Physics Department, Dr. Stephan Koehler
Suggested Audiences: College
E-mail:
sak@wpi.edu
Phone: 508-831-5090
Last Modified: February 8, 2008 at 11:23 AM
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