Neste trabalho foi sintetizado o corante (E)-2-[3-[4-(difenilamina)-fenil]-1-(p-tolil)- alilideno]-malononitrila (DFTAM), a partir da reação de condensação entre 4- (difenilamino)-benzaldeído e 2- [1- (4- metilfenil)-etilideno]-malononitrila, com catálise básica de piperidina. O produto obtido foi purificado por cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência (HPLC) e caracterizado pelas técnicas de espectrometria de massas, ressonância magnética nuclear de 13C e 1H e espectroscopia no infravermelho com transformada de Fourier. Para estudar suas propriedades fotofísicas, espectros de absorção e emissão de fluorescência, decaimento de fluorescência e espectro de absorção de transientes foram feitos em diferentes solventes, variando-se a polaridade e viscosidade do meio. Duas bandas de absorção foram observadas, uma em 303 nm e outra em cerca de 490 nm, a qual apresentou deslocamento batocrômico com o aumento da polaridade do solvente. Para essa região de excitação a banda de emissão variou entre 517 e 630 nm, com o aumento da polaridade do meio. Os decaimentos de fluorescência mostraram duas componentes, uma na ordem de picossegundos e a outra de nanossegundos. Os experimentos de absorção de transientes apresentaram três espécies, uma mais longa (maior que 10 ms) e duas outras de cerca 2 e 22 μs. Surfactantes catiônicos, não iônico, e aniônico também foram usados para produzir micelas e fazer os experimentos já citados. Pôde-se observar que o corante interagiu com as micelas, melhorando sua fluorescência e aumentando o tempo de vida do estado singleto. Por fim, acompanhou-se in situ, através da técnica de microscopia TIRF, a reação de formação de DFTAM a nível single molecule com catalise básica de nanopartículas de MgO e lamínulas de vidro funcionalizadas com piperazina. Através da intermitência de fluorescência dos filmes feitos de ambas as amostras, observou-se a formação de moléculas do corante através de ciclos de catálise da piperazina. / In this project the synthesis of (E) -2- [3- [4- (diphenylamine) phenyl] -1- (p-tolyl) - allylidene] -malononitrile (DFTAM) dye, from the condensation reaction between 4- (diphenylamino) benzaldehyde and 2- [1- (4-methylphenyl) ethylidene]-malononitrile using piperidine basic catalysis has been achieved. The dye was purified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and characterized by mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance 13C and 1H and Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy techniques. To study DFTAM photophysical properties, absorption and fluorescence emission spectra, fluorescence decay and transient absorption spectrum were recorded in solvents with different polarity and viscosity. Two absorption bands of DFTAM were observed, the first one at 303 nm was solvent independent while the second one at about 490 nm, had bathochromic shift with increasing polarity of the medium. In the visible region of excitation the maximum of the dye emission band observed varied between 517 and 630 nm, upon increasing solvent polarity. Fluorescence decays showed two distinct components, a fast one in picosecond time scale and a slow one in nanoseconds. Transient absorption experiments indicated the presence of three species with different lifetimes, one longer than 10 ms and the other two with lifetimes about 2 and 22 μs. Cationic, nonionic, anionic surfactants were also used to produce micelles for easy solubilization of DFTAM. It was observed that the dye interacted with the micelles, improving its fluorescence yield and lifetime. Finally, the DFTAM formation reaction was monitored in situby TIRF wide field microscopy technique at single molecule level. The basic catalysis was tested for MgO nanoparticles and glass surface functionalized with bound piperazine. Through the fluorescence intermittency time trace obtained from TIRF movies, the discrete formation of dye molecules was only observed in the case of piperazine catalytic cycles.

Dans cette thèse, nous avons concentré notre étude sur les mécanismes qui génèrent la polarité cellulaire, en particulier dans le cas de la migration cellulaire. Malgré les derniers développements concernant l’observation de l’activité des RhoGTPases, les principes qui dictent la capacité des cellules à coordonner plusieurs modules de signalisation en parallèle ne sont toujours pas compris. L’optogénétique est un outil d’intérêt pour disséquer ces réseaux de signalisation à partir de la création d’une perturbation dont les caractéristiques spatiotemporelles sont contrôlées. Tout d’abord, à partir de la caractérisation des différents processus biophysiques en jeu, nous avons établi les relations quantitatives entre l’illumination et les gradients moléculaires que l’on induit. Nous avons déterminé qu’il est possible de créer des gradients subcellulaires avec une résolution spatiale de l’ordre de 5 μm et temporelle d’environ 3 minutes Ensuite, nous avons utilisé cette approche optogénétique pour contrôler l’activité de Cdc42, Rac1 et RhoA. Nous avons caractérisé les effets subcellulaires de l’activation de ces RhoGTPases en utilisant l’activité de membrane, les changements de forme cellulaire et leurs déplacements comme rapporteurs de la polarisation et de la migration. Nous avons ainsi montré qu’une activation locale de RhoGTPase permet la réorganisation interne des cellules jusqu’à générer un phénotype de migration.Enfin, nous avons caractérisé les effets d’une activation locale de RhoA sur différents acteurs moléculaires comme les points focaux d’adhésion, l’actine et les moteurs moléculaires myosines. Nous avons mesuré alors la dynamique de l’intégration des points focaux dans le cytosquelette et analysé la réponse du réseau d’acto-myosine au cours d’évènements de rétraction.Notre approche optogénétique couple le contrôle d’une perturbation à la mesure de la réponse cellulaire simultanément de manière directe et reproductible. Elle apporte une méthode pour contrôler la polarité cellulaire et une manière de disséquer des réseaux de signalisation à l’échelle subcellulaire. / In this thesis we focus on the mechanisms that establish cell polarization, particularly during cell migration. Despite latest developments that enable visualization of RhoGTPases activity, the underlying principles dictating the cell’s ability to coordinates multiple signaling modules is still unclear. Optogenetic methods have been recognized as promising tools to dissect these intracellular signaling networks by allowing perturbations to be spatially and temporally controlled. We established the quantitative relationship between illumination patterns and the corresponding gradients of induced signaling activity through the characterization of the biophysical properties of CRY2/CIBN. We determined that it is possible to create subcellular gradients of recruited proteins of different shapes of choice up to spatial resolutions of 5μm and temporal ones of ca. 3 minutes.We applied the aforementioned optogenetic approach as a means to perturb the activity of cdc42, Rac1 and RhoA. We characterized the effects of subcellular activation of those RhoGTPases using membrane activity, cell shape changes and cell displacement as reporters of cell polarization and migration. We show that localized activation of RhoGTPases can trigger cellular organization and drive the cell into a migrating state.We also characterized the effects of local activation of RhoA on different cellular effectors as focal adhesion complexes, actin filaments and myosin molecular motors. We measured the dynamics of the newly formed focal adhesion complexes and the acto-myosin complex during retraction events.Altogether, our optogenetic methodology enables simultaneous measurement of the imposed perturbation and the cell response in a straightforward and reproducible way. It provides a quantitative way to control cell polarity and a step forward in the dissection of subcellular signaling networks.

Le maintien de l’homéostasie passe notamment par la sécrétion d’hormones provenant des cellules neuro-endocrines ou endocrines telles que les cellules chromaffines ou les cellules b pancréatiques. Par exemple, la régulation de la glycémie nécessite l’exocytose de l’insuline depuis les cellules b pancréatiques des îlots de Langerhans. Une famille de protéines membranaires est au cœur de la machinerie de fusion d’une vésicule avec la membrane plasmique. Ce groupe appelé, la famille des protéines SNARE est composé de trois protéines. VAMP2 est localisée à la membrane vésiculaire alors que syntaxine 1A et SNAP25 sont localisées à la membrane plasmique. Syntaxine 1A et VAMP2 ont un domaine transmembranaire alors que SNAP25 est reliée à la membrane par prénylation de résidus cystéine. Cette famille forme le complexe cytosolique SNARE décrit comme essentiel à l’exocytose. La structure et la fonction du complexe cytosolique ont été étudiées en profondeur et ont mené au modèle du « zipper ». Celui-ci décrit un enroulement progressif des domaines cytosoliques SNARE permettant l’apposition des membranes puis la fusion. Le rôle des domaines transmembranaires reste encore peu décrit. Pourtant, leur étude est nécessaire afin d’établir un modèle complet de la fusion membranaire par les protéines SNARE. Nous avons donc mené une étude alliant une analyse structurale dynamique à une analyse biologique pour déterminer l’importance du domaine transmembranaire de VAMP2 dans la sécrétion. L’analyse biologique représente donc le centre de ma thèse. Le système biologique utilisé est basé sur l’extinction de l’expression de la protéine VAMP2 endogène et l’expression concomitante d’une protéine VAMP2 mutée dans son domaine transmembranaire. Deux lignées cellulaires considérées comme des modèles dans l’étude de la sécrétion hormonale et du trafic vésiculaire ont servi de support à notre étude. Par des approches de microscopies (confocal, TIRF) et d’analyses biochimiques, nous avons observé les conséquences fonctionnelles des mutations ponctuelles, établis par mutagénèse dirigée, sur le trafic vésiculaire et sur la capacité des cellules à sécréter.Les mutations induites présentent différents effets cellulaires. Certaines bloquent la sortie de VAMP2 du réseau golgien alors que d’autres ont un effet important sur la sécrétion hormonale et plus précisément sur l’exocytose. Les études structurales ont permis de corréler ces effets avec une diminution de la flexibilité structurale dans le cas de la diminution de l’exocytose, ou avec une restriction à la conformation hélice alpha dans le cas du sorting. Ce projet pluridisciplinaire a pu mettre en avant le rôle biologique du domaine transmembranaire de VAMP2 au cours de l’exocytose probablement soutenue par la dynamique conformationelle unique observée par le versant structural du projet. / The hormonal secretion plays a key role in the maintenance of homeostasis. For example, the maintenance of normoglycaemia requires insulin exocytosis from the pancreatic beta cells. The SNARE membrane family protein has been described as the core machinery of fusion between the vesicle containing hormones and the plasma membrane. This family consists of 3 different membrane proteins that are essential during exocytosis. VAMP2 is localized on the vesicle and Syntaxin 1A - on the plasma membrane. They both are transmembrane protein whereas SNAP25 is linked to the plasma membrane by palmitoylation. The SNAREs appear to be essential as they form the cytosolic SNARE complex to dock the vesicle to the plasma membrane. Even though the role of this cytosolic domain has been studied in depth, much less is known on the role of their transmembrane domain during the fusion. Their study remains necessary to establish a complete model of membrane fusion mediated by the SNARE proteins.Here, we have studied the behavior and the role of the SNARE transmembrane domain during exocytosis. In a multidisciplinary project, we have combined a structural approach with a biological study to evaluate the role of this domain. Using mutagenesis in the transmembrane domain of VAMP2 and a cellular system with a clean background, we have assessed the effect of mutations on the secretion and exocytosis in two different cell lines (INS1E and PC12). The biological system is based on the silencing of endogenous VAMP2 and reconstitution of the expression of VAMP2 wt or mutated in the transmembrane domain. Using biochemistry assay and TIRF microscopy we have shown that mutations in this domain can lead to a missorting of the Golgi apparatus or a reduction of the stimulated secretion and exocytosis. This effect can be correlated to a modification of the structural dynamics of this domain.The obtained results clearly demonstrate the role of the transmembrane domain of VAMP2 during exocytosis probably sustained by its unique structural dynamics observed by physico-chemistry.

The microtubular cytoskeleton is a ubiquitous and highly diverse biopolymer network present in all eukaryotic cells. Microtubules stochastically alternate between phases of growth and shrinkage. Cells take advantage of this dynamicity to generate forces for essential processes, such as cell division, motility or morphogenesis. Regulating the microtubule dynamics enables cells to adaptively respond to a wide range of tasks and conditions. Molecular mechanisms underpinning the regulation are not fully understood. Using a bottom-up approach and the combination of single molecule total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy and interference reflection microscopy (IRM), we here reconstituted and explored two dynamic cytoskeletal systems. (i) Microtubule doublets, comprising incomplete B-microtubule on the surface of a complete A- microtubule, provide an essential structural scaffold for flagella. Despite the fundamental role of microtubule doublets, the molecular mechanism governing their formation is unknown. We here demonstrate an inhibitory role of tubulin C-terminus in microtubule doublet assembly. By partial enzymatic digestion of polymerized microtubules followed by the addition of free tubulin in the presence of a stabilizing agent, we assembled microtubule doublets and revealed the B-...

Many genetic processes require enzymes or enzyme complexes that interact simultaneously with distant sites along the genome. Such long-range DNA-enzyme interactions are important for example in gene regulation, DNA replication, repair and recombination. In addition many restriction enzymes depend on interactions between two recognition sites and form therefore a model system for studying long-range communications on DNA. Topic of the present work are Type III restriction enzymes. For these enzymes the communication mechanism between their distant target sites has not been resolved and conflicting models including 3D diffusion, 1D translocation and 1D diffusion have been proposed. Also the role of ATP hydrolysis by their superfamily 2 helicase domains which catalyse functions of many enzyme systems is still poorly understood. To cleave DNA, Type III restriction enzymes sense the relative orientation of their distant target sites and cleave DNA only if at least two of them are situated in an inverted repeat. This process strictly depends on ATP hydrolysis. The aim of this PhD thesis was to elucidate this long-range communication. For this a new single molecule assay was developed using a setup combining magnetic tweezers and objective-type total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy. In addition of being able to mechanically manipulate individual DNA molecules, this assay allows to directly visualize the binding and movement of fluorescently labelled enzymes along DNA. Applying this assay to quantum dot labelled Type III restriction enzymes, a 1D diffusion of the enzymes after binding at their target sites could be demonstrated. Furthermore, it was found that the diffusion depends on the nucleotide that is bound to the ATPase domains of these enzymes. This suggested that ATP hydrolysis acts as a switch to license diffusion from the target site which leads to cleavage. In addition to the direct visualization of the enzyme-DNA interaction, the cleavage site selection, the DNA end influence (open or blocked) and the DNA binding kinetics were measured in bulk solution assays (not part of this thesis). The experimental results were compared to Monte Carlo simulations of a diffusion-collision-model which is proposed as long-range communication in this thesis.

Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy (FCS) is a powerful tool to measure important physical quantities such as concentrations, diffusion coefficients, diffusion modes or binding parameters, both in solution and in membranes. However, it can suffer from severe artifacts, especially in non-ideal systems. Here we develop several novel implementations of FCS which overcome these limitations and facilitate accurate and quantitative determination of dynamic parameters in membranes. Two-focus FCS with camera-detection allows for accurate and calibration-free determination of diffusion coefficients. Confocal FCS using a laser scanning microscope provides an unprecedented positioning accuracy which enabled us to study, for the first time with FCS, dynamics in bacterial membranes. Scanning FCS with a scan path perpendicular to the membrane plane allows to correct for instabilities permitting long measurement times necessary to study slow diffusion. It can easily be extended to measure calibration-free diffusion coefficients with two-focus scanning FCS and to quantify binding with dual color scanning FCS. Spectral crosstalk can be avoided effectively by using alternating excitation. Using this method we were able to perform measurements in systems previously not accessible with FCS, such as yeast cell membranes or membranes of living zebrafish embryos. Line-scan FCS with a scan path in the membrane plane uses the parallel acquisition along the line to increase the statistical accuracy and decrease the measurement times. Knowledge of the scan speed serves as an internal calibration, enabling accurate diffusion and concentration measurements within seconds, hardly affected by photobleaching. Both realizations of scanning FCS can be easily implemented with commercial laser scanning microscopes. Often, a fluorescence background around the membrane cannot be avoided. The high surface selectivity needed in this case can be achieved efficiently by using a novel objective for FCS, the supercritical angle objective, which produces a very flat and laterally confined detection volume. Another technique with similar surface selectivity is FCS with total internal reflection excitation (TIRFCS). Due to the lack of a correct model, the accurate analysis of TIR-FCS data was previously not possible. In this work we develop such a model, enabling quantitative measurements of membrane dynamics with TIR-FCS. The novel FCS techniques developed here will have a high impact on the use of FCS to address key questions in biological systems, previously inaccessible by other methods. / Fluoreszenz-Korrelations-Spektroskopie (FCS) ist eine mächtige Methode, um wichtige physikalische Parameter wie Konzentrationen, Diffusionskoeffizienten, Diffusionsarten oder Bindungsparameter in Lösung und in Modell- oder Zellmembranen zu bestimmen. In nichtidealen Systemen ist FCS fehleranfällig. In dieser Arbeit entwickeln wir mehrere neuartige Realisierungen von FCS, welche diese Fehlerquellen umgehen und die genaue und quantitative Messung dynamischer Parameter in Membranen ermöglichen. Zwei-Fokus FCS mit Kamera-Detektion erlaubt eine genaue und kalibrationsfreie Messung von Diffusionskoeffizienten. Konfokale FCS mit einem Laserscanningmikroskop besitzt eine bislang unerreichte Positionsgenauigkeit, welche uns erstmals dynamische Messungen in Bakterienmembranen mit FCS ermöglichte. Scanning FCS mit einem Scanweg senkrecht zur Membran ermöglicht eine Korrektur von Instabilitäten und damit lange Messzeiten, die zur Bestimmung langsamer Diffusionskoeffizienten notwendig sind. Eine Erweiterung zur kalibrationsfreien Messung von Diffusionskoeffizienten mit Zwei-Fokus Scanning FCS und von Bindungsparametern mit Zwei-Farben Scanning FCS ist einfach. Mit diesen Methoden konnten wir in Systemen messen, die bislang FCS nicht zugänglich waren, so in Hefezellmembranen oder in Membranen lebender Zebrafischembryonen. Line-scan FCS besitzt einen Scanweg parallel zur Membran. Die parallele Messung entlang der ganzen Linie führt zu einer deutlichen Verbesserung der Statistik und damit zu kurzen Messzeiten. Die Kenntnis der Scangeschwindigkeit dient einer internen Kalibration und erlaubt eine akkurate Bestimmung von Diffusionskoeffizienten und Konzentrationen innerhalb weniger Sekunden, kaum beeinflusst vom Bleichen von Fluorophoren. Beide Arten von Scanning FCS können mit einem kommerziellen Laserscanningmikroskop realisiert werden. Häufig kann bei FCS Messungen ein fluoreszierender Hintergrund nicht vermieden werden. Hier ist eine hohe Oberflächenselektivitiät nötig, welche effizient mit einem neuartigen Objektiv erreicht werden kann. Dieses Supercritical Angle-Objektiv erzeugt ein sehr flaches und lateral begrenztes Detektionsvolumen. Eine weitere Methode mit einer ähnlich guten Oberflächenselektivität ist FCS mit Anregung über totale interne Reflektion (TIR-FCS). Bislang war eine quantitative Analyse der TIR-FCS Daten kaum möglich, da keine ausreichend genaue theoretische Beschreibung existierte. In dieser Arbeit entwickeln wir ein akkurates Modell, welches quantitative Messungen mit TIR-FCS erlaubt. Die hier entwickelten neuartgien FCS-Techniken ermöglichen die Untersuchung biologischer Fragestellungen, welche bislang keiner anderen Methode zugänglich sind.

Eukaryontische Zellen besitzen ein Zytoskelett, ein zelluläres Netzwerk aus Biopolymeren. Unter diesen Biopolymeren sind die Mikrotubuli weitgehend konserviert. Diese aus Tubulin aufgebauten Filamente sind dynamisch und wechseln zwischen Phasen des Wachstums und der Schrumpfung. Die genauen Mechanismen, die die dynamische Instabilität der Mikrotubuli bestimmen, werden noch erforscht. Die Allgegenwart von Mikrotubuli wirft die Frage auf, wie sie in verschiedenen thermischen Umgebungen konservierte Funktionen ausführen können. Um dieser Fragestellung nachzugehen, habe ich verwandte Froscharten mit unterschiedlich temperierten Lebensräumen untersucht: Xenopus laevis (16-22 °C), Xenopus borealis (19-23 °C) und Xenopus tropicalis (22-30 °C). Um zu untersuchen, ob sich die biochemischen Eigenschaften von Tubulin und die Dynamik der Mikrotubuli bei den drei Arten an die Temperatur angepasst hat, habe ich die Methoden der Tubulin-Affinitätsreinigung und die temperaturgesteuerte TIRF-Mikroskopie zur Rekonstitution der Mikrotubuli-Dynamik kombiniert. Dabei habe ich festgestellt, dass bei einer Temperatur von 25°C die Wachstumsgeschwindigkeit der Mikrotubuli im Bezug zur thermischen Nische der einzelnen Arten negativ korreliert. Die Verwendung der Arrhenius-Gleichung zum Vergleich der Aktivierungsenergie der Mikrotubuli-Polymerisation für jede Spezies ergab, dass die freie Energie des Tubulins umso höher ist, je kälter die thermische Nische der Spezies ist. Die Mikrotubuli von X. laevis und X. borealis zeigten eine längere Lebensdauer und wurden häufiger zerstört als die von X. tropicalis. Die Tubuline von X. laevis und X. borealis sind phosphoryliert, im Gegensatz zu X. tropicalis. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass sich Xenopus Tubulin und die Dynamik der Mikrotubuli an die Temperatur angepasst haben. Kalt lebende Arten kommen mit der niedrigeren Energie des Milieus zurecht, durch verbessertes Wachstum und Stabilität. / Eukaryotic cells hold a cytoskeleton, a cellular network of biopolymers. Among the filaments of the cytoskeleton, microtubules are widely conserved. Built from tubulin, those filaments are dynamic, alternating between phases of growth and shrinkage. The biochemical properties of tubulin shape the dynamic behavior of microtubules, which is crucial for many cellular processes. The precise mechanisms determining microtubule dynamic instability are still under investigation. The ubiquity of microtubules raises the question of how they can perform conserved functions within various thermal environments. To address this, I turned to closely related frog species living at different temperatures, Xenopus laevis (niche: 16-22°C), Xenopus borealis (19-23°C) and Xenopus tropicalis (22-30°C). To probe whether the biochemical properties of tubulin and microtubule dynamics adapted to temperature across those three species, I combined tubulin affinity purification and temperature-controlled TIRF microscopy of in vitro reconstitution of microtubule dynamics. I found that at 25°C, the microtubule growth velocity inversely correlates with the thermal niche of each species. Adjusting temperature to each species’ endogenous condition modulates the growth rate differences across species. Using the Arrhenius equation to compare the activation energy of microtubule polymerization for each species suggested that the colder the thermal niche of the species, the higher the free energy of its tubulin. Microtubules from the cold-adapted species X. laevis and X. borealis have longer lifetimes and rescue more often than those of X. tropicalis, both at 25°C and at each species’ endogenous condition. X. laevis and X. borealis tubulins are phosphorylated, contrary to X. tropicalis. My results show that Xenopus tubulin and microtubule dynamics have adapted to temperature. Cold-living species cope with the lower energy of the milieu by facilitating growth and stability.

Upregulation of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) is a well-documented response to chronic nicotine exposure. Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors are pentameric ligand-gated ion channels consisting of alpha (α2-10) and beta (β2-4) subunits. Nicotine, an agonist of nAChRs, alters trafficking and assembly of some subtypes of nAChRs, leading to an increase in expression of high sensitivity receptors on the plasma membrane. These physiological changes in nAChRs are believed to contribute to nicotine addiction, although the mechanism of these processes has not been resolved. Recently, many studies have converged on the idea that nicotine induces upregulation by an intracellular mechanism. In this dissertation, expression levels of nAChRs were quantified upon exposure to nicotine and its primary metabolite, cotinine. A pH sensitive variant of GFP, super ecliptic pHluorin (SEP), was integrated with a nAChR subunit to study expression and trafficking of nAChRs by differentiating intracellular and plasma membrane inserted receptors. In this work, cotinine is shown to increase the number of α4β2 nAChRs within a cell. Cotinine also affects trafficking of α4β2, evident by a redistribution of intracellular receptors and an increase in single vesicle insertion events on the plasma membrane. This work shows both nicotine and cotinine alter the overall assembly of α4β2 to favor the high sensitivity (α4)2(β2)3 version. Since cotinine and nicotine induce similar physiological changes in nAChRs, the metabolite potentially plays a role in the mechanism of nicotine addiction. Although an intracellular mechanism for upregulation has been supported, a shift in assembly to the high sensitivity (α4)2(β2)3 version exclusively in the endoplasmic reticulum has not previously been detected. In order to study organelle specific changes in stoichiometry, a novel method was developed to isolate single nAChRs in nanovesicles derived from native cell membranes. Separation of nanovesicles originating from the endoplasmic reticulum and plasma membrane, encompassing isolated nAChRs, allows precise changes in stoichiometry to be monitored in subcellular regions. In this work, single molecule bleaching steps of green fluorescent protein (GFP) encoded in each alpha subunit of the pentamer are detected. The number of bleaching steps, or transitions to a nonfluorescent state upon continuous excitation, corresponds to the number of GFP-labeled alpha subunits present. Therefore, the stoichiometry can be deduced by detection of two bleaching steps, as in (α4)2(β2)3, or three bleaching steps, seen in (α4)3(β2)2. Using this method on isolated nAChRs, a shift to assembly of high sensitivity (α4)2(β2)3 receptors is detected definitively within the endoplasmic reticulum. In addition, an increase in (α4)2(β2)3 receptors located on the plasma membrane is shown when nicotine is present. This work provides convincing evidence that nicotine acts intracellularly, within the endoplasmic reticulum, to alter stoichiometry of nAChRs.

The last decade has seen substantial advances in single-molecule tracking methods with nano-metre level precision. A powerful tool in single-molecule tracking is fluorescence imaging. One particular application, total internal reflection microscopy, can capture biological processes at high contrast video rate imaging at the single-particle level. This thesis presents methodologically novel methods in analysing single particle tracking data. Presented here is an application of a Bayesian statistical approach that can discriminate between the different diffusive modes that appear with the presence of membrane architecture. This algorithm is denoted BARD; a Bayesian Analysis to Ranking Diffusion. These algorithms are applied to a total internal fluorescence microscopy based experimental data of a novel membrane probe in Escherichia coli. This probe is a plasmid expressed, non-native membrane integrating trans-membrane helix and thus acts as an ideal protein based probe under no specific native control. Two experiments were performed using a combination of varying helix probe size and growth temperature experiments effectively altering the transition temperature of the membrane. These data are suggestive of a passive partitioning of the helix protein into mobile and immobile domains that emerge from the underlying phase behaviour of the membrane.

Artificial membranes composed of natural lipids are not stable when exposed to air/vacuum, surfactant, organic solvent, etc. Polymerizable lipids provide an opportunity to broaden the use of lipid membranes to study ligand-receptor pairs under harsh experimental conditions. This dissertation presents the utilization of polymerizable lipids in matrix assisted laser desorption and ionization-mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) for analysis of ligands bound to membrane receptors. This platform may be applied to rapid drug-screening for membrane receptors including transmembrane proteins. Bacterial toxins and their membrane receptors were used as model ligand-receptor pairs to demonstrate the feasibility of using polymerizable lipids to detect and identify ligands by MALDI-TOF MS. Cholera toxin B (CTB) was successfully detected bound to polymerized lipid membranes with incorporation of its membrane receptor, GM1, while no CTB was detected in non-polymerizable lipid membranes. This affinity capture platform based on poly(lipid) showed a high resistance to interferences. On-plate digestion of bound CTB was performed and 57% amino acid sequence coverage was achieved. Total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIRF-M) was applied to compare CTB-GM1 binding affinity in polymerized and unpolymerized membranes. Under a static flow system, the binding between CTB and GM1 was found to be stronger in polymerized membranes than other membranes. However, the ligand concentration under a static flow system is not in excess and the apparent binding affinity is likely to be significantly different than the true value. The true binding affinity can be approached under a continuous flow system, however equilibration time was found to be too long to address experimentally. Membrane fluidity, which may be required to maintain the membrane receptor activity, is suppressed in poly(lipid) membranes compared to unpolymerized membranes. In order to maintain fluidity, a non-polymerizable lipid was mixed into a polymerized lipid. Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) data showed that fluidity of membrane composed of the mixed lipid was maintained compared to pure poly(lipid). Phase segregation of polymerized lipid and non-polymerizable lipid was detected by atomic force microscopy (AFM). CTB bound to GM1 in mixed lipid membranes was detected by MALDI-MS, indicating the mixed lipid membranes retain stability under MALDI-MS analysis conditions.