The lipid phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) forms nanoscopic clusters in cell plasma membranes; however, the processes determining PIP2 mobility and thus its spatial patterns are not fully understood. Using super-resolution imaging of living cells, we find that PIP2 is tightly colocalized with and modulated by overexpression of the influenza viral protein hemagglutinin (HA). Within and near clusters, HA and PIP2 follow a similar spatial dependence, which can be described by an HA-dependent potential gradient; PIP2 molecules move as if they are attracted to the center of clusters by a radial force of 0.079 5 0.002 pN in HAb2 cells. The measured clustering and dynamics of PIP2 are inconsistent with the unmodified forms of the raft, tether, and fence models. Rather, we found that the spatial PIP2 distributions and how they change in time are explained via a novel, to our knowledge, dynamic mechanism: a radial gradient of PIP2 binding sites that are themselves mobile. This model may be useful for understanding other biological membrane domains whose distributions display gradients in density while maintaining their mobility.

Multi-colour localization microscopy has enabled sub-diffraction studies of colocalization between multiple biological species and quantification of their correlation at length scales previously inaccessible with conventional fluorescence microscopy. However, bleed-through, or misidentification of probe species, creates false colocalization and artificially increases certain types of correlation between two imaged species, affecting the reliability of information provided by colocalization and quantified correlation. Despite the potential risk of these artefacts of bleed-through, neither the effect of bleed-through on correlation nor methods of its correction in correlation analyses has been systematically studied at typical rates of bleed-through reported to affect multi-colour imaging. Here, we present a reliable method of bleed-through correction applicable to image rendering and correlation analysis of multi-colour localization microscopy. Application of our bleed-through correction shows our method accurately corrects the artificial increase in both types of correlations studied (Pearson coefficient and pair correlation), at all rates of bleed-through tested, in all types of correlations examined. In particular, anti-correlation could not be quantified without our bleed-through correction, even at rates of bleed-through as low as 2%. Demonstrated with dichroic-based multi-colour FPALM here, our presented method of bleed-through correction can be applied to all types of localization microscopy (PALM, STORM, dSTORM, GSDIM, etc.), including both simultaneous and sequential multi-colour modalities, provided the rate of bleed-through can be reliably determined.

Biological membrane organization mediates numerous cellular functions and has also been connected with an immense number of human diseases. However, until recently, experimental methodologies have been unable to directly visualize the nanoscale details of biological membranes, particularly in intact living cells. Numerous models explaining membrane organization have been proposed, but testing those models has required indirect methods; the desire to directly image proteins and lipids in living cell membranes is a strong motivation for the advancement of technology. The development of super-resolution microscopy has provided powerful tools for quantification of membrane organization at the level of individual proteins and lipids, and many of these tools are compatible with living cells. Previously inaccessible questions are now being addressed, and the field of membrane biology is developing rapidly. This chapter discusses how the development of super-resolution microscopy has led to fundamental advances in the field of biological membrane organization. We summarize the history and some models explaining how proteins are organized in cell membranes, and give an overview of various super-resolution techniques and methods of quantifying super-resolution data. We discuss the application of super-resolution techniques to membrane biology in general, and also with specific reference to the fields of actin and actin-binding proteins, virus infection, mitochondria, immune cell biology, and phosphoinositide signaling. Finally, we present our hopes and expectations for the future of super-resolution microscopy in the field of membrane biology.

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JC polyomavirus (JCPyV) causes a lifelong persistent infection in the kidney in the majority of the population. In severely immunocompromised individuals, JCPyV can become reactivated, spread in the central nervous system, and infect glial cells, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes which are necessary for myelin production. The viral infection and cytolytic destruction of glial cells leads to the development of the fatal demyelinating disease progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), for which there are currently no approved treatment options. In order to develop effective antiviral therapies, it is essential to define the virus–host cell interactions that drive infection and the virus–receptor interactions that are major regulators of tissue tropism and viral disease outcomes. Following attachment to sialic acid receptors, JCPyV requires the serotonin 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT2) receptors to mediate internalization. However, the mechanism by which JCPyV utilizes 5-HT2 receptors to invade host cells is poorly understood. Using super-resolution fluorescence photoactivation localization microscopy (FPALM), we have determined that JCPyV localizes with 5-HT2 receptors at timepoints consistent with viral entry. Furthermore, we have determined that the 5-HT2 receptor-associated scaffolding proteins beta-arrestin, adaptor protein complex 2 (AP2) and dynamin are required for viral internalization through a clathrin-mediated endocytosis pathway. Additionally, we have identified a beta-arrestin-binding motif in the intracellular loop of the 5-HT2A receptor that is critical for JCPyV entry and infection. These findings highlight the importance of viral receptors in regulating viral infection and illuminate potential targets for antiviral treatment.