Multiplexed 3D Cellular Super-Resolution Imaging with DNA-PAINT and Exchange-PAINT

Abstract

While super-resolution fluorescence microscopy is a powerful tool for biological research, obtaining multiplexed images for a large number of distinct target species remains challenging. Here we use the transient binding of short fluorescently labeled oligonucleotides (DNA-PAINT, point accumulation for imaging in nanoscale topography) for simple and easy-to-implement multiplexed 3D super-resolution imaging inside fixed cells and achieve sub-10 nm spatial resolution in vitro using synthetic DNA structures. We also report a novel approach for multiplexing (Exchange-PAINT) that allows sequential imaging of multiple targets using only a single dye and a single laser source. We experimentally demonstrate ten-“color” super-resolution imaging in vitro on synthetic DNA structures and four-“color” imaging of proteins in a fixed cell.