Characteristic rotational behaviors of rod-shaped cargo revealed by automated five-dimensional single particle tracking.

ABSTRACT: We report an automated single particle tracking technique for tracking the x, y, z coordinates, azimuthal and elevation angles of anisotropic plasmonic gold nanorod probes in live cells. These five spatial coordinates are collectively referred to as 5D. This method overcomes a long-standing challenge in distinguishing rotational motions from translational motions in the z-axis in differential interference contrast microscopy to result in full disclosure of nanoscale motions with high accuracy. Transferrin-coated endocytic gold nanorod cargoes initially undergo active rotational diffusion and display characteristic rotational motions on the membrane. Then as the cargoes being enclosed in clathrin-coated pits, they slow down the active rotation and experience a quiet period before they resto

SUBMITTER: Chen K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5638882 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature