Precision cellular imaging for advanced biological analysis

A novel DNA-based imaging technique enabling visualization of 3D cellular components with super-resolution.

Background

Super-resolution microscopy has revolutionized biological research by providing finer details beyond the diffraction limit of conventional microscopy. A particular challenge in this field is the visualization of small and dynamic cellular components, such as metabolites and metal ions, which are crucial for understanding cellular function. Existing methods are hampered by limited resolution and high background noise, making it difficult to gain accurate spatial information.

The primary issue with current super-resolution techniques like DNA-PAINT is the slow acquisition speed and high background caused by unbound fluorophores, leading to poor image quality. Existing solutions have mainly relied on reducing probe concentrations and employing TIRF, which limits imaging to superficial regions close to the glass slide. These compromises point to a clear need for improved imaging technologies that can offer high quality and rapid acquisition of 3D images in live cells without optical sectioning.

Technology description

Aptamer-PAINT and DNAzyme-PAINT represent new technologies in the realm of 3D super-resolution imaging, specifically overcoming obstacles in visualiz­ing metabolites and metal ions within cells. These methods have historically been challenging due to the small, mobile nature of these components. By fusing DNAzyme or aptamer modalities with DNA-PAINT microscopy, researchers can achieve high-precision insights into the spatial layouts of critical cellular components.

This invention stands apart for its fusion of DNA-based recognition elements with a super-resolution technique which was previously limited by background fluorescence and slow imaging. The novel approach features two-color fluorogenic DNA-PAINT, leveraging probes with enhanced binding kinetics. These innovations allow for far quicker imaging times, higher fluorescence upon binding, and eliminate the need for optical sectioning in 3D super-resolution imaging, marking a significant leap forward in microscopy methods.

Technologies

• Acyclic or carbocyclic compounds
• Testing in vivo

Benefits

• High-resolution 3D images of cellular components
• Faster imaging speeds compared to traditional methods
• Reduced background noise for clearer images
• Non-reliance on optical sectioning
• Capability to conduct multicolor imaging simultaneously

Commercial applications

• Biomedical research into cellular processes and structures at the nanometer scale
• Drug development through detailed visualizations of drug-target interactions in cells
• Clinical diagnostics by providing enhanced imaging methods for pathological specimen analysis
• Neuroscience research by mapping out complex neuronal networks and connections at super-resolution
• Genetic research by studying the 3D arrangement of chromatin and gene expression patterns

Opportunity

The University of Texas at Austin is seeking a commercial partner to non-exclusively license this technology.