Accessing the Nanoscale with Light

Biological molecular machines, composed of proteins and nucleic acids, are dynamic entities that continually alter their conformation due to thermal fluctuations. Understanding their location and conformational kinetics is crucial for unraveling their mechanisms. Current technologies for examining their composition, interactions, and dynamics include cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET), mass spectrometry, single-molecule fluorescence, and optical tweezers. Among these, optical methods offer a unique advantage in exploring the structure and function of biological processes by providing access to dynamics and stoichiometry in vitro, in situ, and in vivo.

MINFLUX, a cutting-edge localization technique, enhances the arsenal of super-resolution and single-molecule tracking methods by achieving (sub) nanometer precision and time resolutions down to tens of microseconds. In this seminar, I will delve into the principles and implementations of MINFLUX, its applications in imaging and tracking, as well as its limitations and future directions for its use and development. Additionally, I will present the latest advancements from our group, focusing on instrumentation, imaging probes, and data handling techniques.