A Simple, Ultrastable, and Cost‐Effective Oxygen‐Scavenging System for Long‐Term DNA‐PAINT Imaging
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: ABSTRACT DNA‐PAINT (Points Accumulation in Nanoscale Topography) is a super‐resolution microscopy technique capable of nanoscale imaging through the transient binding of fluorescently labeled imager strands to complementary DNA docking strands. Imager strands can be continuously replenished from an effectively infinite pool, making DNA‐PAINT inherently resistant to photobleaching. However, extended DNA‐PAINT imaging is limited by the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which damage docking strands and reduce localization sampling over time. Although the state‐of‐the‐art oxygen‐scavenging system (OSS) can mitigate this damage, its enzymatic components degrade over time, reducing its performance, robustness, and utility. Here, we introduce a simple, enzyme‐free oxygen scavenging buffer based on sodium sulfite (Na 2 SO 3 ) that overcomes these challenges. Our optimized formulation, combining Na 2 SO 3 with Trolox (SST), effectively preserves docking strand integrity for over 24 h and enhances long‐term imaging performance. SST improves buffer stability tenfold, is easy to prepare and reduces costs by more than 90%, providing a robust, cost‐effective, high‐performance OSS for extended DNA‐PAINT imaging.
Source: Small
Language: English
Subfield: Biophysics
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $5,790
OpenAlex ID: W4417496696