University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Magnifying a Molecule: MINFLUX Nanoscopy of an HIV-Infected Cell

Arun, Neha

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Magnifying a Molecule MINFLUX Nanoscopy of an HIV Infected Cell.jpg

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/117892

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Title
Magnifying a Molecule: MINFLUX Nanoscopy of an HIV-Infected Cell
Author(s)
Arun, Neha
Contributor(s)
Boateng , Kingsley
Issue Date
2023
Keyword(s)
Image of Research
Date of Ingest
2023-05-15T12:47:57-05:00
Abstract
The Minimum Photon FLUX (MINFLUX) developed by Abberior described as the “world’s most powerful fluorescence microscope,” can achieve a resolution around the single molecule level (1-3 nanometers), essentially making it a nanoscope (Gwosch et al., 2020). This super-resolution tool presents an unprecedented method of resolving the structure of a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected cell. Upon infection, HIV’s integrates into the host cell where it hides from the immune system. The difficulty of eradicating this “latent reservoir” of cells which can become reactivated during treatment interruption is why HIV remains without a cure. My research seeks to define how HIV hijacks human host proteins to facilitate virus spread upon reactivation, which requires a detailed understanding on the molecular level. Here I combine my passions for multimedia editing and research to present a visualization of how it felt to zoom into this cell during MINFLUX acquisition until I was almost seeing individual molecules interact. Many people have to “see it to believe it,” and this is possible with the MINFLUX at the Institute for Genomic Biology (IGB), only the third of its kind in the United States. Images were captured with the help of Dr. Kingsley Boateng at the IGB.
Type of Resource
still image
Language
en

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Image of Research - Undergraduate Students PRIMARY