Systems biophysics: Single-molecule optical proteomics in single living cells

How does the interplay between biomolecules result in the emergence of cellular complexity at higher length scales? This interplay in even simple biological processes is often too challenging to probe using traditional experimental tools of ensemble averaging across several thousands of molecules. Instead, insight can be gained using single-molecule techniques which can unpick the heterogeneity in physical/chemical properties of biomolecules and their cellular interactions. Significant understanding of many biological systems can be gained using techniques which apply advanced fluorescence microscopy to determine the cellular localization, dynamics and interaction kinetics of single functional proteins, whilst retaining the native context of live cells. Here, we report recent advances applied to cell motility, DNA replication and gene regulation in model unicellular organisms.