Measuring EGFR separations on cells with ~10 nm resolution via fluorophore localization imaging with photobleaching

PLoS One. 2013 May 1;8(5):e62331. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0062331. Print 2013.

Abstract

Detecting receptor dimerisation and other forms of clustering on the cell surface depends on methods capable of determining protein-protein separations with high resolution in the ~10-50 nm range. However, this distance range poses a significant challenge because it is too large for fluorescence resonance energy transfer and contains distances too small for all other techniques capable of high-resolution in cells. Here we have adapted the technique of fluorophore localisation imaging with photobleaching to measure inter-receptor separations in the cellular environment. Using the epidermal growth factor receptor, a key cancer target molecule, we demonstrate ~10 nm resolution while continuously covering the range of ~10-80 nm. By labelling the receptor on cells expressing low receptor numbers with a fluorescent antagonist we have found inter-receptor separations all the way up from 8 nm to 59 nm. Our data are consistent with epidermal growth factor receptors being able to form homo-polymers of at least 10 receptors in the absence of activating ligands.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Algorithms
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Computer Simulation
  • ErbB Receptors / metabolism*
  • Fluorescent Dyes / metabolism*
  • Fluorometry / methods
  • Humans
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence
  • Models, Biological
  • Protein Multimerization
  • Protein Transport
  • Single-Cell Analysis / methods*

Substances

  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • EGFR protein, human
  • ErbB Receptors