Towards mapping the 3D genome through high speed single-molecule tracking of functional transcription factors in single living cells

Methods. 2020 Jan 1:170:82-89. doi: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2019.06.021. Epub 2019 Jun 26.

Abstract

How genomic DNA is organized in the nucleus is a long-standing question. We describe a single-molecule bioimaging method utilizing super-localization precision coupled to fully quantitative image analysis tools, towards determining snapshots of parts of the 3D genome architecture of model eukaryote budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae with exceptional millisecond time resolution. We employ astigmatism imaging to enable robust extraction of 3D position data on genomically encoded fluorescent protein reporters that bind to DNA. Our relatively straightforward method enables snippets of 3D architectures of likely single genome conformations to be resolved captured via DNA-sequence specific binding proteins in single functional living cells.

Keywords: Gene regulation; Single-molecule; Super-resolution; Transcription; Transcription factors; Yeast genome.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cell Nucleus / genetics
  • Cell Nucleus / metabolism
  • Chromosomes, Fungal / genetics
  • Chromosomes, Fungal / metabolism
  • Fluorescent Dyes / chemistry
  • Genes, Reporter / genetics
  • Genome, Fungal / genetics*
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / chemistry
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / genetics
  • Imaging, Three-Dimensional / methods*
  • Intravital Microscopy / methods*
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence / methods
  • Nucleic Acid Conformation
  • Repressor Proteins / genetics
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae / genetics
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / genetics
  • Single Molecule Imaging / methods*
  • Single-Cell Analysis / methods*
  • Spatial Analysis

Substances

  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • MIG1 protein, S cerevisiae
  • Repressor Proteins
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins