Trapping single small molecules in solution

捕获溶液中的单个小分子

• 批准号: 0910824
• 负责人: Adam Cohen
• 金额: $ 55.19万
• 依托单位: Harvard University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2009
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2009-07-15 至 2013-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0910824&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Trapping; single; small; molecules; solution

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). Professor Adam E. Cohen of Harvard University is supported by an award from the Experimental Physical Chemistry Program to develop a trap capable of suppressing the Brownian motion of single small molecules in solution, with molecular diameters as small as 1 nm. The trap combines photon-by-photon tracking and real-time electrokinetic feedback to induce an electrokinetic motion that cancels the Brownian motion of one molecule. The Cohen Lab will study the random Brownian jumps of a molecule struggling to escape from the trap, as well as the responses of a molecule to electrokinetic and optical perturbations. The researchers' goal is to develop a platform via which nearly any fluorescent or fluorescently labeled molecule can be studied at the single-molecule level, without relying on chemical immobilization on a surface. The trap will be used to study the bending dynamics of single small molecules of DNA.Many biomolecules show strikingly more complex behavior at the single-molecule level than is observable in bulk, ensemble-averaged experiments. This complexity arises from dynamic heterogeneity corresponding to distinct configurations of the atoms. Often sparsely populated molecular sub-states are important for the biological function. The task of studying biomolecules one-by-one is complicated by the fact that the molecules do not hold still in free solution, a consequence of Brownian motion, while surface immobilization may disrupt the molecular function. The present research promises to increase the range of molecules that can be studied at the single-molecule level. This research combines nanofabrication, optics, microfluidics, electronics, computer programming, and biochemistry. The student and postdoc working on the project will gain experience in all of these diverse areas. In addition, high school students will spend summers working on the trap. Results of the research will be widely disseminated in public lectures and videos available on the Internet, as well as conventional scientific publications.

该奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法111-5）资助的。Adam E.哈佛大学的科恩得到了实验物理化学计划的一个奖项的支持，开发了一种能够抑制溶液中单个小分子布朗运动的陷阱，分子直径小至1纳米。 该陷阱结合了逐光子跟踪和实时电动反馈，以诱导电动运动，抵消一个分子的布朗运动。 科恩实验室将研究一个分子挣扎着逃离陷阱的随机布朗跳跃，以及分子对电动和光学扰动的反应。 研究人员的目标是开发一个平台，通过这个平台，几乎任何荧光或荧光标记的分子都可以在单分子水平上进行研究，而不依赖于表面上的化学固定。 这个陷阱将被用来研究单个小分子DNA的弯曲动力学。许多生物分子在单分子水平上的行为比在整体平均实验中观察到的要复杂得多。 这种复杂性源于对应于原子不同构型的动态异质性。 通常，稀疏分布的分子亚态对于生物功能是重要的。 逐个研究生物分子的任务是复杂的，因为分子在自由溶液中不会保持静止，这是布朗运动的结果，而表面固定可能会破坏分子功能。 目前的研究有望增加可以在单分子水平上研究的分子范围。 这项研究结合了纳米纤维，光学，微流体，电子，计算机编程和生物化学。 从事该项目的学生和博士后将获得所有这些不同领域的经验。 此外，高中生将花暑假的工作陷阱。 研究结果将通过公开讲座和因特网上的录像以及传统的科学出版物广泛传播。