Equipment
Fluorescence anisotropy
Time-resolved fluorescence anisotropy is used to obtain information about molecular rotation and homo-FRET between proteins.
The rotational dynamics are determined by e.g. the shape of the protein and its aggregation state, or the viscosity of the medium surrounding the fluorescent molecule.
Rotations and/or energy transfer typically take place on a timescale similar to fluorescence. So, by measuring the fluorescence anisotropy with time resolved fluorescence it is possible to determine rotational correlation times and homo-FRET efficiencies. Our time-correlated single photon counting (TCSPC) set-up is equipped with polarization optics to enable time resolved fluorescence anisotropy experiments.