Quantitative linear dichroism imaging of molecular processes in living cells made simple by open software tools

Commun Biol. 2021 Feb 12;4(1):189. doi: 10.1038/s42003-021-01694-1.

Abstract

Fluorescence-detected linear dichroism microscopy allows observing various molecular processes in living cells, as well as obtaining quantitative information on orientation of fluorescent molecules associated with cellular features. Such information can provide insights into protein structure, aid in development of genetically encoded probes, and allow determinations of lipid membrane properties. However, quantitating and interpreting linear dichroism in biological systems has been laborious and unreliable. Here we present a set of open source ImageJ-based software tools that allow fast and easy linear dichroism visualization and quantitation, as well as extraction of quantitative information on molecular orientations, even in living systems. The tools were tested on model synthetic lipid vesicles and applied to a variety of biological systems, including observations of conformational changes during G-protein signaling in living cells, using fluorescent proteins. Our results show that our tools and model systems are applicable to a wide range of molecules and polarization-resolved microscopy techniques, and represent a significant step towards making polarization microscopy a mainstream tool of biological imaging.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Video-Audio Media

MeSH terms

  • Fluorescent Dyes / metabolism
  • GTP-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • GTP-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted*
  • Luminescent Proteins / genetics
  • Luminescent Proteins / metabolism
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence*
  • Microscopy, Polarization*
  • Molecular Dynamics Simulation
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction
  • Single-Cell Analysis*
  • Software Design*

Substances

  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • Luminescent Proteins
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • GTP-Binding Proteins