Rudolf Rigler - Böcker

This book surveys recent advances related to the application of single molecule techniques in various fields of science. The topics, each described by leading experts in the field, range from single molecule experiments in quantum optics and solid-state physics to analogous investigations in physical chemistry and biophysics. A unifying theme of all chapters is the power of single molecule techniques to unravel fluctuations and heterogeneities usually hidden in the ensemble average of complex systems. The concept for the book originated from a gathering of some of the world's leading scientists at the Nobel Conference in Sweden.

The investigation of molecules as individuals has grown rapidly in recent years, and in the process has uncovered molecular properties not normally accessible by ensemble experiments. In particular, the direct characterization of biologically important molecules such as enzymes, molecular motors, or receptors and entire signaling complexes in action, for example in a live biological cell, yielded un- pected insights. Common approaches for studying single molecules include the electrical detection of ion channels in membranes, the measurement of the dynamics of (bio)chemical reactions between individual molecules, the imaging of individual molecules by scanning probe techniques or by fluorescence correlation spectr- copy, and the direct monitoring of single molecules by optical microscopies, to mention a few. The application of these techniques in physics, chemistry, and bi- ogy has opened new areas of nanotechnology. This book provides a representative selection of recent developments in the rapidly evolving field of single molecule techniques of importance in life sciences and will have future impact on the quan- tative description of biological processes. The editors of this book hope that the chapters, written by leading scientists in the field, will attract students and scientists from different disciplines, provide them with an authentic insight into this young field of research, allow them to evaluate experimental methods and results, and thereby give them support for their own research. Lausanne Rudolf Rigler September 2007 Horst Vogel v Contents 1 Nanophotonics and Single Molecules. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 W. E. Moerner, P. James Schuck, David P.

By selecting the ?rst week of June 2008 for the Nobel Symposium "Single Molecular Spectroscopy in Chemistry, Physics and Biology", Rudolf Rigler, Jerker Widengren and Astrid Grasl .. und have once again won the top prize for Meeting Organizers, providing us with a Mediterranean climate on top of the warm hospitality that is unique to Sweden. The S? anga Sab .. y Conference Center was an ideal place to spend this wonderful week, and the comfort of this beautiful place blended perfectly with the high calibre of the scienti?c programme. It was a special privilege for me to be able to actively participate in this meeting on a ?eld that is in many important ways complementary to myownresearch. Iwasimpressedbytheinterdisciplinarywaysinwhichsingle molecule spectroscopy has evolved and is currently pursued, with ingredients originating from physics, all branches of chemistry and a wide range of b- logical and biomedical research. A beautiful concert by Semmy Stahlhammer and Johan Ull' en further extended the interdisciplinary character of the s- posium.I would like to combine thanks to Rudolf, Jerker and Astrid with a glance into a future of other opportunities to enjoy top-levelscience combined with warm hospitality in the Swedish tradition. Z.. urich, Kurt Wuth .. rich April 2009 Participants of the Nobel-Symposium 138: First row: Sarah Unterko?er, Anders Liljas, Xiao-Dong Su, Birgitta Rigler, Carlos Bus- mante, Toshio Yanagida, Steven Block, Xiaowei Zhuang, Sunney Xie. Second row: Ivan Scheblykin, Lars Thelander, Petra Schwille, Watt W.

The investigation of molecules as individuals has grown rapidly in recent years, and in the process has uncovered molecular properties not normally accessible by ensemble experiments. In particular, the direct characterization of biologically important molecules such as enzymes, molecular motors, or receptors and entire signaling complexes in action, for example in a live biological cell, yielded un- pected insights. Common approaches for studying single molecules include the electrical detection of ion channels in membranes, the measurement of the dynamics of (bio)chemical reactions between individual molecules, the imaging of individual molecules by scanning probe techniques or by fluorescence correlation spectr- copy, and the direct monitoring of single molecules by optical microscopies, to mention a few. The application of these techniques in physics, chemistry, and bi- ogy has opened new areas of nanotechnology. This book provides a representative selection of recent developments in the rapidly evolving field of single molecule techniques of importance in life sciences and will have future impact on the quan- tative description of biological processes. The editors of this book hope that the chapters, written by leading scientists in the field, will attract students and scientists from different disciplines, provide them with an authentic insight into this young field of research, allow them to evaluate experimental methods and results, and thereby give them support for their own research. Lausanne Rudolf Rigler September 2007 Horst Vogel v Contents 1 Nanophotonics and Single Molecules. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 W. E. Moerner, P. James Schuck, David P.

By selecting the ?rst week of June 2008 for the Nobel Symposium "Single Molecular Spectroscopy in Chemistry, Physics and Biology", Rudolf Rigler, Jerker Widengren and Astrid Grasl .. und have once again won the top prize for Meeting Organizers, providing us with a Mediterranean climate on top of the warm hospitality that is unique to Sweden. The S? anga Sab .. y Conference Center was an ideal place to spend this wonderful week, and the comfort of this beautiful place blended perfectly with the high calibre of the scienti?c programme. It was a special privilege for me to be able to actively participate in this meeting on a ?eld that is in many important ways complementary to myownresearch. Iwasimpressedbytheinterdisciplinarywaysinwhichsingle molecule spectroscopy has evolved and is currently pursued, with ingredients originating from physics, all branches of chemistry and a wide range of b- logical and biomedical research. A beautiful concert by Semmy Stahlhammer and Johan Ull' en further extended the interdisciplinary character of the s- posium.I would like to combine thanks to Rudolf, Jerker and Astrid with a glance into a future of other opportunities to enjoy top-levelscience combined with warm hospitality in the Swedish tradition. Z.. urich, Kurt Wuth .. rich April 2009 Participants of the Nobel-Symposium 138: First row: Sarah Unterko?er, Anders Liljas, Xiao-Dong Su, Birgitta Rigler, Carlos Bus- mante, Toshio Yanagida, Steven Block, Xiaowei Zhuang, Sunney Xie. Second row: Ivan Scheblykin, Lars Thelander, Petra Schwille, Watt W.

This is a collection of papers presented and discussed at the first EBSA workshop held at Saltsj6baden outside stockholm in Sweden, July 6-10, 1986. The common theme of these papers is dynamics of biomolecules, and how the dynamics depends on the molecular structure and organi­ zation, and connects to and determines the biological function. This is a rapidly expanding field of research which combines many different aspects of molecular bio­ physics. Much material is new and presented for the first time. Even if the work so far has been of the kind that is usually called basic research, practical applications are clearly indicated in some articles, and are waiting around the corner in several other cases. At the workshop only one third of the time was used for the formal presentations and two thirds for discussion. To this should also be added discussions during the poster sessions. During these lively and unrecorded discussions fresh viewpoints emerged and new ideas were created. Ad­ mittedly, our knowledge at present is only fragmentary but when pieces of the puzzle are brought together at a workshop or in a publication of this kind more extended and sometimes unexpected contours and shapes become vi­ sible. It is our hope that this rapid publication of camera-ready manuscripts will transfer some of the spi­ rit at the workshop to the reader, and in his or her institute or laboratory initiate further discussions, bring forward more ideas and start new experimental ap­ roaches.