Open AccessStochastic fluorescence switching of nucleic acids under visible light illumination
Author(s) -
Biqin Dong,
Luay M. Almassalha,
Brian T. Soetikno,
John E. Chandler,
The-Quyen Nguyen,
Ben E. Urban,
Cheng Sun,
Hao F. Zhang,
Vadim Backman
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.25.007929
Subject(s) - fluorescence , nucleic acid , fluorescence microscope , microscopy , absorption (acoustics) , optics , quantum yield , biophysics , materials science , chemistry , physics , biology , biochemistry
We report detailed characterizations of stochastic fluorescence switching of unmodified nucleic acids under visible light illumination. Although the fluorescent emission from nucleic acids under the visible light illumination has long been overlooked due to their apparent low absorption cross section, our quantitative characterizations reveal the high quantum yield and high photon count in individual fluorescence emission events of nucleic acids at physiological concentrations. Owing to these characteristics, the stochastic fluorescence switching of nucleic acids could be comparable to that of some of the most potent exogenous fluorescence probes for localization-based super-resolution imaging. Therefore, utilizing the principle of single-molecule photon-localization microscopy, native nucleic acids could be ideal candidates for optical label-free super-resolution imaging.