Force measurements with optical tweezers inside living cells

The force exerted by optical tweezers can be measured by tracking the momentum changes of the trapping beam, a method which is more general and powerful than traditional calibration techniques as it is based on first principles, but which has not been brought to its full potential yet, probably due to practical difficulties when combined with high-NA optical traps, such as the necessity to capture a large fraction of the scattered light. We show that it is possible to measure forces on arbitrary biological objects inside cells without an in situ calibration, using this approach. The instrument can be calibrated by measuring three scaling parameters that are exclusively determined by the design of the system, thus obtaining a conversion factor from volts to piconewtons that is theoretically independent of the physical properties of the sample and its environment. We prove that this factor keeps valid inside cells as it shows good agreement with other calibration methods developed in recent years for viscoelastic media. Finally, we apply the method to measuring the stall forces of kinesin and dynein in living A549 cells.Publisher PD

HoloTrap: Interactive hologram design for multiple dynamic optical trapping

This work presents an application that generates real-time holograms to be displayed on a holographic optical tweezers setup; a technique that allows the manipulation of particles in the range from micrometres to nanometres. The software is written in Java, and uses random binary masks to generate the holograms. It allows customization of several parameters that are dependent on the experimental setup, such as the specific characteristics of the device displaying the hologram, or the presence of aberrations. We evaluate the software's performance and conclude that real-time interaction is achieved. We give our experimental results from manipulating 5 micron-diametre microspheres using the program.Comment: 17 pages, 6 figure

Design strategies for optimizing holographic optical tweezers setups

We provide a detailed account of the construction of a system of holographic optical tweezers. While much information is available on the design, alignment and calibration of other optical trapping configurations, those based on holography are relatively poorly described. Inclusion of a spatial light modulator in the setup gives rise to particular design trade-offs and constraints, and the system benefits from specific optimization strategies, which we discuss.Comment: 16 pages, 15 figure

Identification of a novel locus on chromosome 2q13, which predisposes to clinical vertebral fractures independently of bone density.

OBJECTIVES: To identify genetic determinants of susceptibility to clinical vertebral fractures, which is an important complication of osteoporosis. METHODS: Here we conduct a genome-wide association study in 1553 postmenopausal women with clinical vertebral fractures and 4340 controls, with a two-stage replication involving 1028 cases and 3762 controls. Potentially causal variants were identified using expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) data from transiliac bone biopsies and bioinformatic studies. RESULTS: A locus tagged by rs10190845 was identified on chromosome 2q13, which was significantly associated with clinical vertebral fracture (P=1.04×10-9) with a large effect size (OR 1.74, 95% CI 1.06 to 2.6). Bioinformatic analysis of this locus identified several potentially functional SNPs that are associated with expression of the positional candidate genes TTL (tubulin tyrosine ligase) and SLC20A1 (solute carrier family 20 member 1). Three other suggestive loci were identified on chromosomes 1p31, 11q12 and 15q11. All these loci were novel and had not previously been associated with bone mineral density or clinical fractures. CONCLUSION: We have identified a novel genetic variant that is associated with clinical vertebral fractures by mechanisms that are independent of BMD. Further studies are now in progress to validate this association and evaluate the underlying mechanism

A mutation in p62 protein (p. R321C), associated to Paget's disease of bone, causes a blockade of autophagy and an activation of NF-kB pathway

Paget's disease of bone (PDB) is a bone disorder characterized by an increase in bone turnover in a disorganized way with a large increase in bone resorption followed by bone formation. The most important known genetic factor predisposing to PDB is mutation in Sequestosome1 (SQSTM1) gene. We have studied the prevalence of SQSTM1 mutations and examined genotype-phenotype correlations in a Spanish cohort of PDB patients. Also, we have characterized three PDB patients that carry the c.961C>T SQSTM1 gene mutation that it is localized in exon 6 of SQSTM1 gene and it causes the p. R321C mutation. This mutation has been reported in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia but in our knowledge this is the first time that p62 p. R321C mutation is associated to PDB. We show that p62 p.R321C mutation could induce blockage of autophagy and cell proliferation through NF-kB pathway. These results reinforce the hypothesis of autophagy involvement in Paget's disease of bone.This work was supported by grants from Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness) (ISC IIII-FEDER: PI10/00219 and PI13/01741).Peer reviewe

Artificially-induced organelles are optimal targets for optical trapping experiments in living cells

Optical trapping supplies information on the structural, kinetic or rheological properties of inner constituents of the cell. However, the application of significant forces to intracellular objects is notoriously difficult due to a combination of factors, such as the small difference between the refractive indices of the target structures and the cytoplasm. Here we discuss the possibility of artificially inducing the formation of spherical organelles in the endoplasmic reticulum, which would contain densely packed engineered proteins, to be used as optimized targets for optical trapping experiments. The high index of refraction and large size of our organelles provide a firm grip for optical trapping and thereby allow us to exert large forces easily within safe irradiation limits. This has clear advantages over alternative probes, such as subcellular organelles or internalized synthetic beads.This research was partly funded by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science (FIS2010-16104, BFU-2009-07186 and BFU2012-33932) as well as by the regional authorities of Catalonia – ACC1Ó (VALTEC G614828324059231). C. L.-Q. acknowledges an APIF grant from the University of Barcelona and a A. F. an FI grant from the Generalitat de Catalunya (regional authorities of Catalonia).Peer reviewe

Media 1: Artificially-induced organelles are optimal targets for optical trapping experiments in living cells

Originally published in Biomedical Optics Express on 01 July 2014 (boe-5-7-1993

Estudio de las deleciones de los genes GSTM1 y GSTT1 y del polimorfismo Ile105Val del gen GSTP1 en pacientes con enfermedad ósea de Paget

Fundamento: La enfermedad ósea de Paget (EOP) es un trastorno focal del hueso con aumento el número, tamaño y actividad de los osteoclastos. Algunos datos epidemiológicos apoyan la teoría de su relación con agentes ambientales tóxicos o infecciosos. Su interacción con algunas alteraciones genéticas predisponentes conducirían a la EOP. Las glutatión-S-transferasas (GST) intervienen en la metabolización de toxinas, al catalizar el ataque nucleofílico del sustrato fisiológico, glutatión reducido o GSH (g-Glu-Cys-Gly) sobre el centro electrófilo de un gran número de estructuras tóxicas. Estudiamos si la variabilidad de los genes GSTM1, GSTP1 y GSTT1 se relaciona con el riesgo a desarrollar EOP.Pacientes y métodos: Analizamos a 148 pacientes diagnosticados de EOP y a 207 individuos controles pareados en sexo y edad sin antecedentes de alteraciones óseas. Con DNA genómico obtenido de sangre periférica se estudió la presencia-ausencia de deleción en los genes GSTM1 y GSTT1, mediante PCR multiplex. El estudio del polimorfismo Ile105Val del gen GSTP1 se llevó a cabo mediante PCR y posterior digestión con la enzima de restricción BsmaI. Se analizó la distribución de genotipos mediante el test chi-cuadrado de Pearson. Cuando se encontraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas, realizamos una regresión logística multivariante para conocer el riesgo que puede generar la presencia de un determinado genotipo. Utilizamos el programa SPSS 21.0. Se consideraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas aquéllas con valores de p<0,05. Resultados: Encontramos diferencias en la distribución de la presencia-ausencia de deleción en el gen GSTM1; no ser portador de la deleción o serlo en heterocigosis en el gen GSTM1 confiere un menor riesgo a desarrollar EOP (OR=0,56, IC 95%: 0,36-0,87; p=0,011). En el estudio de los genes GSTT1 y GSTP1 no hubo diferencias significativas. Conclusión: La actividad detoxificadora disminuye cuando se heredan las dos copias delecionadas del gen GSTM1 al disminuir la actividad enzimática; se ha asociado con una mayor susceptibilidad para algunos tumores, hepatopatía alcohólica y otros problemas inflamatorios. No conocemos descripción de su asociación con la EOP. En los individuos portadores del gen GSTM1 delecionado en homocigosis se observa con más frecuencia EOP. Este hecho podría explicar los hallazgos epidemiológicos que asocian la EOP a la exposición a determinados agentes ambientales