• Energy Research

AbstractGraphene-induced energy transfer (GIET) was recently introduced for the precise localization of fluorescent molecules along the optical axis of a microscope. GIET is based on near-field energy transfer from an optically excited fluorophore to a single sheet of graphene. As a proof-of-concept, we demonstrated its potential by determining the distance between the two leaflets of supported lipid bilayers (SLBs) with sub-nanometer accuracy. Here, we use GIET imaging for three-dimensional reconstruction of the mitochondrial membrane architecture. We map two quasi-stationary states of the inner and outer mitochondrial membranes before and during adenosine tri-phosphate (ATP) synthesis. We trigger the ATP synthesis state in vitro by activating mitochondria with precursor molecules. Our results demonstrate that the inner membrane (IM) approaches the outer membrane (OM) while the outer membrane (OM) does not show a measurable change in average axial position upon activation. As a result, the inter-membrane space (IM-OM distance) is reduced by ∼2 nm upon activation of the mitochondria. This direct experimental observation of the subtle dynamics of mitochondrial membranes and the change in inter-membrane distance induced by ATP synthesis is relevant for our understanding of the physical functioning of mitochondria.

Metal-induced electron transfer imaging is employed to study the adhesion of human blood platelets in a time-resolved manner.

Metal-Induced Energy Transfer (MIET) imaging is an easy-to-implement super-resolution modality that achieves nanometer resolution along the optical axis of a microscope. Although its capability in numerous biological and biophysical studies has been demonstrated, its implementation for live-cell imaging with fluorescent proteins is still lacking. Here, we present its applicability and capabilities for live-cell imaging with fluorescent proteins in diverse cell types (adult human stem cells, human osteo-sarcoma cells, andDictyostelium discoideumcells), and with various fluorescent proteins (GFP, mScarlet, RFP, YPet). We show that MIET imaging achieves nanometer axial mapping of living cellular and sub-cellular components across multiple timescales, from a few milliseconds to hours, with negligible phototoxic effects.