抗原变异可使得多种致病微生物易于逃避宿主免疫应答。表达在感染红细胞表面的恶性疟原虫红细胞表面蛋白1（PfPMP1）与感染红细胞、内皮细胞、树突状细胞以及胎盘的单个或多个受体作用，在黏附及免疫逃避中起关键的作用。每个单倍体基因组var基因家族编码约60种成员，通过启动转录不同的var基因变异体为抗原变异提供了分子基础。

疟原虫var基因转换速率变化导致抗原变异[英]／Paul H, Robert P, Christodoulou Z, et al//Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A

Optical detection and spectroscopy of single molecules and single nanoparticles have been achieved at room temperature with the use of surface-enhanced Raman scattering. Individual silver colloidal nanoparticles were screened from a large heterogeneous population for special size-dependent properties and were then used to amplify the spectroscopic signatures of adsorbed molecules. For single rhodamine 6G molecules adsorbed on the selected nanoparticles, the intrinsic Raman enhancement factors were on the order of 10 14 to 10 15 , much larger than the ensemble-averaged values derived from conventional measurements. This enormous enhancement leads to vibrational Raman signals that are more intense and more stable than single-molecule fluorescence.

http://science.sciencemag.org/content/sci/275/5303/1102.full.pdf

Probing Single Molecules and Single Nanoparticles by Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering

Fundamentals of Plasmonics.- Electromagnetics of Metals.- Surface Plasmon Polaritons at Metal / Insulator Interfaces.- Excitation of Surface Plasmon Polaritons at Planar Interfaces.- Imaging Surface Plasmon Polariton Propagation.- Localized Surface Plasmons.- Electromagnetic Surface Modes at Low Frequencies.- Applications.- Plasmon Waveguides.- Transmission of Radiation Through Apertures and Films.- Enhancement of Emissive Processes and Nonlinearities.- Spectroscopy and Sensing.- Metamaterials and Imaging with Surface Plasmon Polaritons.- Concluding Remarks.

/pdf/plasmonics-fundamentals-and-applications-4syb9877sr.pdf

Plasmonics: Fundamentals and Applications

Quantum cryptography could well be the first application of quantum mechanics at the individual quanta level. The very fast progress in both theory and experiments over the recent years are reviewed, with emphasis on open questions and technological issues.

Quantum Cryptography

Signaling Recognition Events with Fluorescent Sensors and Switches.

Efficient collection and detection of fluorescence coupled with careful minimization of background from impurities and Raman scattering now enable routine optical microscopy and study of single molecules in complex condensed matter environments. This ultimate method for unraveling ensemble averages leads to the observation of new effects and to direct measurements of stochastic fluctuations. Experiments at cryogenic temperatures open new directions in molecular spectroscopy, quantum optics, and solid-state dynamics. Room-temperature investigations apply several techniques (polarization microscopy, single-molecule imaging, emission time dependence, energy transfer, lifetime studies, and the like) to a growing array of biophysical problems where new insight may be gained from direct observations of hidden static and dynamic inhomogeneity.

https://science.sciencemag.org/content/sci/283/5408/1670.full.pdf

Illuminating single molecules in condensed matter.

Experiments clearly prove that narrow peaks in the fluorescence-excitation spectrum of a pentacene-doped p-terphenyl crystal stem from single molecules. This claim is supported by the distribution, width, and height of the peaks, as well as by the correlation of the emitted light and the sudden drops and surges of the emission of certain peaks. We attribute these to the hole burning of a single molecule. These results show the feasibility of the optical study of a single molecule and its local environment.

Single pentacene molecules detected by fluorescence excitation in a p-terphenyl crystal.

Ambient optical detection of labeled molecules is limited for fluorescent dyes by photobleaching and for semiconducting nanoparticles by “blinking” effects. Because nanometer-sized metal particles do not optically bleach, they may be useful optical labels if suitable detection signals can be found. We demonstrate far-field optical detection of gold colloids down to diameters of 2.5 nanometers with a photothermal method that combines high-frequency modulation and polarization interference contrast. The photothermal image is immune to the effects of scattering background, which limits particle imaging through Rayleigh scattering to diameters larger than 40 nanometers.

https://science.sciencemag.org/content/sci/297/5584/1160.full.pdf

Photothermal imaging of nanometer-sized metal particles among scatterers.

The concept of the photon, central to Einstein's explanation of the photoelectric effect, is exactly 100 years old. Yet, while photons have been detected individually for more than 50 years, devices producing individual photons on demand have only appeared in the last few years. New concepts for single-photon sources, or 'photon guns', have originated from recent progress in the optical detection, characterization and manipulation of single quantum objects. Single emitters usually deliver photons one at a time. This so-called antibunching of emitted photons can arise from various mechanisms, but ensures that the probability of obtaining two or more photons at the same time remains negligible. We briefly recall basic concepts in quantum optics and discuss potential applications of single-photon states to optical processing of quantum information: cryptography, computing and communication. A photon gun's properties are significantly improved by coupling it to a resonant cavity mode, either in the Purcell or strong-coupling regimes. We briefly recall early production of single photons with atomic beams, and the operation principles of macroscopic parametric sources, which are used in an overwhelming majority of quantum-optical experiments. We then review the photophysical and spectroscopic properties and compare the advantages and weaknesses of various single nanometre-scale objects used as single-photon sources: atoms or ions in the gas phase and, in condensed matter, organic molecules, defect centres, semiconductor nanocrystals and heterostructures. As new generations of sources are developed, coupling to cavities and nano-fabrication techniques lead to improved characteristics, delivery rates and spectral ranges. Judging from the brisk pace of recent progress, we expect single photons to soon proceed from demonstrations to applications and to bring with them the first practical uses of quantum information.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0034-4885/68/5/R04/pdf

Single-photon sources

Existing methods for the optical detection of single molecules require the molecules to absorb light to produce fluorescence or direct absorption signals. This limits the range of species that can be detected, because most molecules are purely refractive. Metal nanoparticles or dielectric resonators can be used to detect non-absorbing molecules because local changes in the refractive index produce a resonance shift. However, current approaches only detect single molecules when the resonance shift is amplified by a highly polarizable label or by a localized precipitation reaction on the surface of a nanoparticle. Without such amplification, single-molecule events can only be identified in a statistical way. Here, we report the plasmonic detection of single molecules in real time without the need for labelling or amplification. Our sensor consists of a single gold nanorod coated with biotin receptors, and the binding of single proteins is detected by monitoring the plasmon resonance of the nanorod with a sensitive photothermal assay. The sensitivity of our device is ∼700 times higher than state-of-the-art plasmon sensors and is intrinsically limited by spectral diffusion of the surface plasmon resonance.

Michel Orrit

Papers

Illuminating single molecules in condensed matter.

Single pentacene molecules detected by fluorescence excitation in a p-terphenyl crystal.

Photothermal imaging of nanometer-sized metal particles among scatterers.

Single-photon sources

Optical detection of single non-absorbing molecules using the surface plasmon resonance of a gold nanorod.