Novel Approaches for Single Molecule Activation and Detection

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xii

   PDF

2. Introduction to Single-Molecule Analysis and Computation: The Focus Project

   • Monica Mazzolini, Vincent Torre

   Pages 1-6

3. Computer-Generated Holographic Beams for the Investigation of the Molecular and Circuit Function

   • Marco Dal Maschio

   Pages 7-26

4. Super-Resolution Fluorescence Optical Microscopy: Targeted and Stochastic Read-Out Approaches

   • Alberto Diaspro, Francesca Cella Zanacchi, Paolo Bianchini, Giuseppe Vicidomini

   Pages 27-43

5. Superhydrophobic Devices Molecular Detection

   • Tania Limongi, Lorenzo Ferrara, Gobind Das, Manola Moretti, Monica Marini, Ermanno Miele et al.

   Pages 45-60

6. Tip-Assisted Optical Nanoscopy for Single-Molecule Activation and Detection

   • Denys Naumenko, Damiano Cassese, Marco Lazzarino, Alpan Bek

   Pages 61-83

7. DNA as Nanostructuring Element for Design of Functional Devices

   • Dennis M. Bauer, Dania M. Kendziora, Ishtiaq Ahmed, Yu-Chueh Hung, Ljiljana Fruk

   Pages 85-121

8. Fast Force Clamp in Optical Tweezers: A Tool to Study the Kinetics of Molecular Reactions

   • Pasquale Bianco, Lorenzo Bongini, Luca Melli, Giulia Falorsi, Luca Salvi, Dan Cojoc et al.

   Pages 123-147

9. Investigating Adhesion Proteins by Single Cell Force Spectroscopy

   • Laura Andolfi, Marco Lazzarino

   Pages 149-168

10. Photoswitchable Ion Channels and Receptors

    • Antoni Bautista-Barrufet, Mercè Izquierdo-Serra, Pau Gorostiza

    Pages 169-188

11. The Use of Light-Sensitive Organic Semiconductors to Manipulate Neuronal Activity

    • Duco Endeman, Paul Feyen, Diego Ghezzi, Maria Rosa Antognazza, Nicola Martino, Elisabetta Colombo et al.

    Pages 189-202

12. Probing the Lateral Diffusion of Individual Neurotransmitter Receptors

    • Enrica Maria Petrini, Andrea Barberis

    Pages 203-219

How can we obtain tools able to process and exchange information at the molecular scale? In order to do this, it is necessary to activate and detect single molecules under controlled conditions. This book focuses on the generation of biologically-inspired molecular devices. These devices are based on the developments of new photonic tools able to activate and stimulate single molecule machines. Additionally, new light sensitive molecules can be selectively activated by photonic tools. These technological innovations will provide a way to control activation of single light-sensitive molecules, allowing the investigation of molecular computation in a biological environment.

• Biological Sensors
• Light-sensitive Molecules
• Molecular Devices
• Near-field Optical Microscopy
• Photonics
• Plasmon Polariton
• Single Molecule Computation
• Single-molecule Tracking
• Super-resolution Microscopy
• Synaptic Computation

• Department of Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, University of Genoa The Italian Institute of Technology, Genoa, Italy

  Fabio Benfenati

• Nanostructures Department, The Italian Institute of Technology, Genoa, Italy

  Enzo Di Fabrizio

• Neuroscience Area, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi, Trieste, Italy

  Vincent Torre

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