Research Projects

In recent years single molecule imaging has attracted a lot of attention due to their applications in understanding the biological phenomenon. In comparison to organic/inorganic dyes, the luminescent nanoparticles like quantum dots and polymer dots have been a more popular choice due to their advantageous photophysical properties than the dyes. Though the nanoparticle-based probes also suffer from the aspects of uncontrolled valency, larger size (8-20 nm) and intrinsic toxicity for the biological systems. In spite of single dye molecule, if multiple dye molecules (devoid of any self-quenching property) are attached specifically with the biomolecules of interest, then the dye molecules also can be utilized for single molecule imaging as they can have high brightness, non-blinking character, along with the advantages like monovalency, small size, and non-toxic nature. The emerging HaloTag technology offers to study the protein of interest by specifically labeling the protein of interest with a tag molecule, which can be attached with a variety of molecules as desired. Our aim of this project will include (i) to synthesize a tag containing multicolor dyes with multiple copy number (ii) to construct the gene of myosin-X and Halo tag protein, and (iii) to perform single-molecule imaging of an important motor protein namely myosin-X in normal and pathogenic condition.