Physics Commons^™

Live Cell Super-Resolution Microscopy Quanitifies An Interaction Between Influenza Hemagglutinin And Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-Bisphosphate, Jaqulin N. Wallace

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Influenza virus, colloquially known as the flu, is an acute respiratory disease that infects several millions of individuals each year in the U.S. and kills tens of thousands of those infected. Yearly viral vaccines are widely available, however, due to the virus’s high mutation rate, their efficacy varies greatly. Due to the variability in vaccine efficiency against seasonal influenza, and the potential for even more pathogenic versions of influenza to emerge at any time, there is a high demand for a universal treatment option.

Influenza virus hijacks a variety of host cell components in order to replicate. The glycoprotein hemagglutinin …

Quantification Of Interactions Between Influenza Hemagglutinin And Host Cell Phosphoinositides By Super-Resolution Microscopy, Matthew T. Parent

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The influenza viral membrane protein hemagglutinin (HA) forms dense nanoscale clusters on host cell plasma membranes (PM), but the mechanisms that direct HA clustering are not well understood. Previous studies have observed HA associated with actin rich regions of the PM, but there are no known direct interactions between HA and actin. Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-biphosphate (PIP2) is a signaling lipid in the PM which can regulate the actin cytoskeleton, and actin comets initiated by PIP2 are known to be exploited by HA to reach the PM of infected cells. PIP2 is also used by other viruses, such as HIV and Ebola, …

Investigating High Speed Localization Microscopy Through Experimental Methods, Data Processing Methods, And Applications Of Localization Microscopy To Biological Questions, Andrew J. Nelson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Fluorescence Photoactivation Localization Microscopy(FPALM) and other super resolution localization microscopy techniques can resolve structures with nanoscale resolution. Unlike techniques of electron microscopy, they are also compatible with live cell and live animal studies, making FPALM and related techniques ideal for answering questions about the dynamic nature of molecular biology in living systems. Many processes in biology occur on rapid sub second time scales requiring the imaging technique to be capable of resolving these processes not just with a high enough spatial resolution, but with an appropriate temporal resolution. To that end, this Dissertation in part investigates high speed FPALM as …