@phdthesis{Petrich2023,
  author    = {Petrich, Annett},
  title     = {Quantitative fluorescence microscopy methods to investigate molecular interactions and dynamics in living cells},
  doi       = {10.25932/publishup-61180},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-611800},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  pages     = {244},
  year      = {2023},
  abstract  = {Biomolecules such as proteins and lipids have vital roles in numerous cellular functions, including biomolecule transport, protein functions, cellular homeostasis and biomembrane integrity. Traditional biochemistry methods do not provide precise information about cellular biomolecule distribution and behavior under native environmental conditions since they are not transferable to live cell samples. Consequently, this can lead to inaccuracies in quantifying biomolecule interactions due to potential complexities arising from the heterogeneity of native biomembranes. To overcome these limitations, minimal invasive microscopic techniques, such as fluorescence fluctuation spectroscopy (FFS) in combination with fluorescence proteins (FPs) and fluorescence lipid analogs, have been developed. FFS techniques and membrane property sensors enable the quantification of various parameters, including concentration, dynamics, oligomerization, and interaction of biomolecules in live cell samples. In this work, several FFS approaches and membrane property sensors were implemented and employed to examine biological processes of diverse context. Multi-color scanning fluorescence fluctuation spectroscopy (sFCS) was used the examine protein oligomerization, protein-protein interactions (PPIs) and protein dynamics at the cellular plasma membrane (PM). Additionally, two-color number and brightness (N\&B) analysis was extended with the cross-correlation analysis in order to quantify hetero-interactions of proteins in the PM with very slow motion, which would not accessible with sFCS due strong initial photobleaching. Furthermore, two semi-automatic analysis pipelines were designed: spectral F{\"o}rster resonance energy transfer (FRET) analysis to study changes in membrane charge at the inner leaflet of the PM, and spectral generalized polarization (GP) imaging and spectral phasor analysis to monitor changes in membrane fluidity and order. An important parameter for studying PPIs is molecular brightness, which directly determines oligomerization and can be extracted from FFS data. However, FPs often display complex photophysical transitions, including dark states. Therefore, it is crucial to characterize FPs for their dark-states to ensure reliable oligomerization measurements. In this study, N\&B and sFCS analysis were applied to determine photophysical properties of novel green FPs under different conditions (i.e., excitation power and pH) in living cells. The results showed that the new FPs, mGreenLantern (mGL) and Gamillus, exhibited the highest molecular brightness at the cost of lower photostability. The well-established monomeric enhanced green fluorescent protein (mEGFP) remained the best option to investigate PPIs at lower pH, while mGL was best suited for neutral pH, and Gamillus for high pH. These findings provide guidance for selecting an appropriate FP to quantify PPIs via FFS under different environmental conditions. Next, several biophysical fluorescence microscopy approaches (i.e., sFCS, GP imaging, membrane charge FRET) were employed to monitor changes in lipid-lipid-packing in biomembranes in different biological context. Lipid metabolism in cancer cells is known to support rapid proliferation and metastasis. Therefore, targeting lipid synthesis or membrane integrity holds immense promise as an anticancer strategy. However, the mechanism of action of the novel agent erufosine (EPC3) on membrane stability is not fully under stood. The present work revealed that EPC3 reduces lipid packing and composition as well as increased membrane fluidity and dynamic, hence, modifies lipid-lipid-interaction. These effects on membrane integrity were likely triggered by modulations in lipid metabolism and membrane organization. In the case of influenza A virus (IAV) infection, regulation of lipid metabolism is crucial for multiple steps in IAV replication and is related to the pathogenicity of IAV. Here, it is shown for the first time that IAV infection triggers a local enrichment of negatively charged lipids at the inner leaflet of the PM, which decreases membrane fluidity and dynamic, as well as increases lipid packing at the assembly site in living cells. This suggests that IAV alters lipid-lipid interactions and organization at the PM. Overall, this work highlights the potential of biophysical techniques as a screening platform for studying membrane properties in living cells at the single-cell level. Finally, this study addressed remaining questions about the early stage of IAV assembly. The recruitment of matrix protein 1 (M1) and its interaction with other viral surface proteins, hemagglutinin (HA), neuraminidase (NA), and matrix protein 2 (M2), has been a subject of debate due to conflicting results. In this study, different FFS approaches were performed in transfected cells to investigate interactions between IAV proteins themselves and host factors at the PM. FFS measurements revealed that M2 interacts strongly with M1, leading to the translocation of M1 to the PM. This interaction likely took place along the non-canonical pathway, as evidenced by the detection of an interaction between M2 and the host factor LC3-II, leading to the recruitment of LC3-II to the PM. Moreover, weaker interaction was observed between HA and membrane-bound M1, and no interaction between NA and M1. Interestingly, higher oligomeric states of M1 were only detectable in infected cells. These results indicate that M2 initiates virion assembly by recruiting M1 to the PM, which may serve as a platform for further interactions with viral proteins and host factors.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Dippel2017,
  author    = {Dippel, Sandor},
  title     = {Development of functional hydrogels for sensor applications},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-398252},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  pages     = {127},
  year      = {2017},
  abstract  = {In this work, a sensor system based on thermoresponsive materials is developed by utilizing a modular approach. By synthesizing three different key monomers containing either a carboxyl, alkene or alkyne end group connected with a spacer to the methacrylic polymerizable unit, a flexible copolymerization strategy has been set up with oligo ethylene glycol methacrylates. This allows to tune the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of the polymers in aqueous media. The molar masses are variable thanks to the excurse taken in polymerization in ionic liquids thus stretching molar masses from 25 to over 1000 kDa. The systems that were shown shown to be effective in aqueous solution could be immobilized on surfaces by copolymerizing photo crosslinkable units. The immobilized systems were formulated to give different layer thicknesses, swelling ratios and mesh sizes depending on the demand of the coupling reaction. The coupling of detector units or model molecules is approached via reactions of the click chemistry pool, and the reactions are evaluated on their efficiency under those aspects, too. These coupling reactions are followed by surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy (SPR) to judge efficiency. With these tools at hand, Salmonella saccharides could be selectively detected by SPR. Influenza viruses were detected in solution by turbidimetry in solution as well as by a copolymerized solvatochromic dye to track binding via the changes of the polymers' fluorescence by said binding event. This effect could also be achieved by utilizing the thermoresponsive behavior. Another demonstrator consists of the detection system bound to a quartz surface, thus allowing the virus detection on a solid carrier. The experiments show the great potential of combining the concepts of thermoresponsive materials and click chemistry to develop technically simple sensors for large biomolecules and viruses.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Lettau2007,
  author    = {Lettau, Kristian},
  title     = {Katalytische molekular gepr{\"a}gte Polymere : Herstellung und Anwendung in einem Thermistor},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-14804},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  year      = {2007},
  abstract  = {Biomakromolek{\"u}le sind in der Natur f{\"u}r viele Abl{\"a}ufe in lebenden Organismen verantwortlich. Dies reicht vom Aufbau der extrazellul{\"a}ren Matrix und dem Cytoskelett {\"u}ber die Erkennung von Botenstoffen durch Rezeptoren bis hin zur Katalyse der verschiedensten Reaktionen in den Zellen selbst. Diese Aufgaben werden zum gr{\"o}ßten Teil von Proteinen {\"u}bernommen, und besonders das spezifische Erkennen der Interaktionspartner ist f{\"u}r alle diese Molek{\"u}le {\"a}ußerst wichtig, um eine fehlerfreie Funktion zu gew{\"a}hrleisten. Als Alternative zur evolutiven Erzeugung von optimalen Bindern und Katalysatoren auf der Basis von Aminos{\"a}uren und Nukleotiden wurden von Wulff, Shea und Mosbach synthetische molekular gepr{\"a}gte Polymere (molecularly imprinted polymers, MIPs) konzipiert. Das Prinzip dieser k{\"u}nstlichen Erkennungselemente beruht auf der Tatsache, dass sich funktionelle Monomere spezifisch um eine Schablone (Templat) anordnen. Werden diese Monomere dann vernetzend polymerisiert, entsteht ein Polymer mit molekularen Kavit{\"a}ten, in denen die Funktionalit{\"a}ten komplement{\"a}r zum Templat fixiert sind. Dadurch ist die selektive Bindung des Templats in diese Kavit{\"a}ten m{\"o}glich. Aufgrund ihrer hohen chemischen und thermischen Stabilit{\"a}t und ihrer geringen Kosten haben "bio-inspirierte" molekular gepr{\"a}gte Polymere das Potential, biologische Erkennungselemente in der Affinit{\"a}tschromatographie sowie in Biosensoren und Biochips zu ersetzen. Trotz einiger publizierter Sensorkonfigurationen steht der große Durchbruch noch aus. Ein Hindernis f{\"u}r Routineanwendungen ist die Signalgenerierung bei Bindung des Analyten an das Polymer. Eine M{\"o}glichkeit f{\"u}r die markerfreie Detektion ist die Benutzung von Kalorimetern, die Bindungs- oder Reaktionsw{\"a}rmen direkt messen k{\"o}nnen. In der Enzymtechnologie wird der Enzym-Thermistor f{\"u}r diesen Zweck eingesetzt, da enzymatische Reaktionen eine Enthalpie in einer Gr{\"o}ßenordnung von 5 - 100 kJ/mol besitzen. In dieser Arbeit wird die Herstellung von katalytisch gepr{\"a}gten Polymeren nach dem Verfahren des Oberfl{\"a}chenpr{\"a}gens erstmalig beschrieben. Die Methode zur Immobilisierung des Templats auf der Oberfl{\"a}che von por{\"o}sem Kieselgel sowie die Polymerzusammensetzung wurden optimiert. Weiter wird die Evaluation der katalytischen Eigenschaften {\"u}ber einen optischen Test, sowie das erste Mal die Kombination eines kalorimetrischen Transduktors - des Thermistors - mit der Analyterkennung durch ein katalytisch aktives MIP gezeigt. Bei diesen Messungen konnte zum ersten Mal gleichzeitig die Bindung/Desorption, sowie die katalytische Umwandlung des Substrats durch konzentrationsabh{\"a}ngige W{\"a}rmesignale nachgewiesen werden.},
  language  = {de}
}