Toward measurements of absolute membrane potential in Bacillus subtilis using fluorescence lifetime.

ABSTRACT: Membrane potential (MP) changes can provide a simple readout of bacterial functional and metabolic state or stress levels. While several optical methods exist for measuring fast changes in MP in excitable cells, there is a dearth of such methods for absolute and precise measurements of steady-state MPs in bacterial cells. Conventional electrode-based methods for the measurement of MP are not suitable for calibrating optical methods in small bacterial cells. While optical measurement based on Nernstian indicators have been successfully used, they do not provide absolute or precise quantification of MP or its changes. We present a novel, calibrated MP recording approach to address this gap. In this study, we used a fluorescence lifetime-based approach to obtain a single-cell-resolved distrib

SUBMITTER: Roy D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11835658 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature