Modified aptamers enable quantitative sub-10-nm cellular DNA-PAINT imaging

• DOI: 10.1038/s41592-018-0105-0
• Publication Date: 2018-08-17T09:41:52Z
• Authors: Sebastian Strauss; Philipp C. Nickels; Maximilian T. Str...; Vilma Jimenez Sab...; Jan Ellenberg; Jeffrey D. Carter; Shashi Gupta; Nebojsa Janjic; Ralf Jungmann
• Keywords: Aptamer

Although current implementations of super-resolution microscopy are technically approaching true molecular-scale resolution, this has not translated to imaging of biological specimens, because of the large size of conventional affinity reagents. Here we introduce slow off-rate modified aptamers (SOMAmers) as small and specific labeling reagents for use with DNA points accumulation in nanoscale topography (DNA-PAINT). To demonstrate the achievable resolution, specificity, and multiplexing capability of SOMAmers, we labeled and imaged both transmembrane and intracellular targets in fixed and live cells.