Maria Mukhina, UMD Department of Physics
Seeing in vivo forces – new methods for intracellular force mapping and their applications to the global mechanics of large subcellular machines
Speaker: Maria Mukhina, UMD Department of Physics
Host: Arpita Upadhyaya
Abstract:
The bigger question that inspires my work is how the production, sensing, and transduction of mechanical forces at the molecular level relates to the global mechanics of chromosomes and, more broadly, of large subcellular machines. It is very hard, if not impossible, to reconstruct the genome in vitro. Therefore, we need new approaches to quantify and visualize intracellular forces with nanoscale precision, over micron-scale distances, and in their physiological context. My work aims to apply nanotechnologies to measure forces acting within and among chromosomes, with a focus on chromosome-wide mechanical patterning and its contributions to genome function.
In this talk, I will discuss two nanosensors, which I am developing to enable quantitative luminescent imaging of mechanical effects in situ. The first sensor is based on the phenomenon of mechanoluminescence, i.e., emission of light triggered by mechanical deformation. Since no photoexcitation is needed, this approach is free of autofluorescent background and phototoxicity. The second sensor represents a dynamic DNA nanostructure, which changes the color of photoexcited luminescence in response to the applied force. When attached to the chromosomes, these sensors report a five-dimensional (F,x,y,z,t) map of bending, compressive, and tensile intracellular forces. I will discuss the application of the sensors to elucidate how cells synchronize and orchestrate global changes to ensure accurate segregation of chromosome copies in preparation for cell division.
Finally, I will put my work into a broader context by outlining how intracellular force mapping can provide the basis for understanding the roles direct mechanical patterning, without any biochemical intermediates, plays in the operation of large subcellular machines in health and disease.
Seminars start at 4:00 pm, and refreshments will be served at 3:45 pm. All seminars are held in the Conference Room (1116) of the Institute for Physical Science and Technology (IPST) Building (Bldg #085) unless otherwise noted.