Utilizing the predictable binding kinetics of DNA-PAINT to denoise super-resolution images
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: DNA-Point Accumulation for Imaging in Nanoscale Topography (DNA-PAINT) is a versatile super-resolution technique that relies on the predictable binding kinetics between fluorescent imager strands and docking strands attached to target proteins. This makes DNA-PAINT particularly suitable for multiplexing and quantitative applications, but its performance is often limited by spurious signals from non-specific binding of imager strands. Here we describe a method to remove these non-specific binding events using a statistical test to distinguish between DNA-specific and non-specific interactions. To demonstrate the method, we imaged mosaic epithelial tissues in Drosophila melanogaster egg chambers and showed that >90% of non-specific and otherwise indistinguishable signal in the super-resolved images can be removed. This denoising improves the quality of DNA-PAINT super-resolved images and is essential for accurate measurements of spatial relationships and protein quantification.
Source: Nature Communications
Institutions: University of Cambridge, The Gurdon Institute
Language: English
Subfield: Biophysics
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $6,990
OpenAlex ID: W7127976849