Rm. Dickson et al., SINGLE MOLECULES SOLVATED IN PORES OF POLYACRYLAMIDE GELS, Molecular crystals and liquid crystals science and technology. Section A, Molecular crystals and liquid crystals, 291, 1996, pp. 31-39
Individual fluorescent molecules and individual singly-labeled protein
s have been observed in the water-filled pores of poly(acrylamide) gel
s with far-field microscopy. The molecular range of motion is dramatic
ally reduced by the gel framework, thus allowing single molecules to b
e studied in an aqueous environment for long periods of time. For the
small fluorophores, the gel restricts Brownian motion by approximately
two orders of magnitude in each direction, thus greatly enhancing the
molecule's detectability. In contrast to dry polymeric hosts, the gel
is composed primarily of water and the majority of molecules remain i
n solution, thus making these gels an ideal medium in which to utilize
single molecule detection methods for the study of biological systems
in vitro.