iMAX FRET (Information Maximized FRET) for multipoint single-molecule structural analysis

Understanding the structure of biomolecules is vital for deciphering their characteristics and roles in biological systems. While current structural analysis techniques like nuclear magnetic resonance and X-ray crystallography excel in many aspects, they fall short in capturing comprehensive single-molecule information. To address this limitation and to better capture the heterogeneity and dynamic range of biomolecular reactions, there is a need for single-molecule structural analysis tools. To achieve this, we introduce iMAX FRET, a one-pot FRET-based single-molecule method integrated with geometrical 3D reconstruction, offering comprehensive ab initio structural analysis. Through the stochastic exchange of fluorescent weak binders, iMAX FRET allows simultaneous assessment of multiple spatial coordinates on a biomolecule within a few minutes of time to generate distinct FRET fingerprints for 3D structural profiling. We demonstrate a mathematical approach for de novo structural prediction using iMAX data, opening avenues for native biomolecule analysis. Furthermore, this method facilitates the investigation of conformational changes in individual molecules, illuminating single-molecule structural dynamics. Our technique has the potential to emerge as a powerful approach to advance our understanding of biomolecular structures.