Development of transmission super-resolution microscope and visualization of early steps of photosynthesis

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26610133
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Biological physics/Chemical physics/Soft matter physics
• Research Institution: Osaka City University
• Principal Investigator: SUGISAKI Mitsuru 大阪市立大学, 大学院理学研究科, 准教授 (20360042)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): HASHIMOTO HIDEKI 関西学院大学, 理工学部, 教授 (50222211) ; FUJII RITSUKO 大阪市立大学, 複合先端研究機構, 准教授 (80351740) ; KOSUMI DAISUKE 熊本大学, パルスパワー科学研究所, 准教授 (70613149)
• Research Collaborator: FUNAKOSHI RYOUHEI 大阪市立大学, 大学院理学研究科, 大学院生 ; EMURA HIDETOSHI 大阪市立大学, 大学院理学研究科, 大学院生
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 顕微鏡法 / 光合成

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A new methodology to observe super-resolution microscopic images using unstained specimens has been investigated. Here we focus our attention on the early steps of photosynthesis; the super-resolution microscope developed in this project was adjusted thus that the highest sensitivity can be attained in the near-infrared region. The optical properties of typical photosynthetic pigments, especially ultrafast phenomena and optical nonlinearity, have been investigated since these phenomena should be prominent in the optical measurements using high-resolution microscopes. It was found that very strong anti-Stokes fluorescence peaks appear from chlorophyll molecules. The ultrafast optical response of carotenoid molecules has also been investigated by comparing the experimental results with theoretical calculations.

Free Research Field

生体物性物理学