TweeTERS | Coupling of Optical tweezers with Tip-enhanced Raman Spectroscopy for single-molecule investigation of supramolecular systems

Summary
Quantitative information on the dynamics and mechanistic principles behind supramolecular systems can be investigated in the single-molecule regime by measuring the nanometer displacements resulting from the application of picoNewton forces in optical trapping (OT) experiments. In particular, the mechanical strength of non-covalent interactions can be quantified when studying the reversible breaking/formation of hydrogen bonds on individual host-guest systems or the switching of a macrocycle between binding stations in a molecular shuttle. However, the fundamental chemical mechanisms behind the obtained real-time operational kinetics are not accessible with OT experiments and fundamental questions about the physicochemical processes underlying real-operation remain unanswered.
The goal of this project is to merge OT for single-molecule optical force microscopy experiments with tip-enhaced Raman spectroscopy (TERS). TERS is a powerfull nearfield-based techinque based on the coupling of Raman spectroscopy and scanning probe microscopy. It provides chemical characterization with single molecule sensitivity and few-nm spatial resolution. Since Raman spectroscopy is sensitive to molecular species, inter and intra molecular interactions and orientations; by combining OT-optical force microscopy with TERS, we will access the underlying physicochemical processes triggering specific shuttling events in molecular motors and other types of supramolecular systems. In particular, we aim to create a hybrid tool that can disentangle the relation between mechanical, conformational and chemical properties of individual synthetic supramolecular systems and the non-covalent interactions governing their behavior, with single-molecule sensitivity and spatial resolution in the range of 10 nm. TweeTERS will lead to a major technological improvement in the single-molecule manipulation field and in particular, in the nearly un-explored field of single-molecule supra-molecular chemistry.
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More information & hyperlinks
Web resources: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/892667
Start date: 01-10-2020
End date: 01-04-2023
Total budget - Public funding: 160 932,48 Euro - 160 932,00 Euro
Cordis data

Original description

Quantitative information on the dynamics and mechanistic principles behind supramolecular systems can be investigated in the single-molecule regime by measuring the nanometer displacements resulting from the application of picoNewton forces in optical trapping (OT) experiments. In particular, the mechanical strength of non-covalent interactions can be quantified when studying the reversible breaking/formation of hydrogen bonds on individual host-guest systems or the switching of a macrocycle between binding stations in a molecular shuttle. However, the fundamental chemical mechanisms behind the obtained real-time operational kinetics are not accessible with OT experiments and fundamental questions about the physicochemical processes underlying real-operation remain unanswered.
The goal of this project is to merge OT for single-molecule optical force microscopy experiments with tip-enhaced Raman spectroscopy (TERS). TERS is a powerfull nearfield-based techinque based on the coupling of Raman spectroscopy and scanning probe microscopy. It provides chemical characterization with single molecule sensitivity and few-nm spatial resolution. Since Raman spectroscopy is sensitive to molecular species, inter and intra molecular interactions and orientations; by combining OT-optical force microscopy with TERS, we will access the underlying physicochemical processes triggering specific shuttling events in molecular motors and other types of supramolecular systems. In particular, we aim to create a hybrid tool that can disentangle the relation between mechanical, conformational and chemical properties of individual synthetic supramolecular systems and the non-covalent interactions governing their behavior, with single-molecule sensitivity and spatial resolution in the range of 10 nm. TweeTERS will lead to a major technological improvement in the single-molecule manipulation field and in particular, in the nearly un-explored field of single-molecule supra-molecular chemistry.

Status

CLOSED

Call topic

MSCA-IF-2019

Update Date

28-04-2024
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Horizon 2020
H2020-EU.1. EXCELLENT SCIENCE
H2020-EU.1.3. EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
H2020-EU.1.3.2. Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
H2020-MSCA-IF-2019
MSCA-IF-2019