Single-molecule detection of chaperonin dynamics through polarization rotation modulation of CdSe QD luminescence imaging

We report our recent trials examining the single-molecule three-dimensional (3D) detection of protein conformational dynamics at room temperature. Using molecular chaperones as model proteins and cadmium selenide (CdSe) semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) as nanometer-scale probes, we monitored the temporal evolution of ATP-induced conformation changes with a total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy imaging technique in buffer solutions. The two-dimensional (2D) degenerate nature of the emission dipoles of the QDs, due to the uniaxial wurtzite crystal structure, made it possible to capture the 3D orientation using a polarization modulation technique in real time. The temporal resolution was half the period of analyzer rotation. Although still insufficient, the obtained signals suggest possible 3D detection of specific motions, which supports the two-step conformational changes triggered by ATP attachment.