ABSTRACT
Highly sensitive instruments and selective analytical methods permit the detection of single molecules. Single molecule detection allows for the investigation of individual states rather than ensemble averages during environmental sensing. The detection of very small numbers of targets in complicated biological samples such as markers associated with genetic mutations may signal the onset of diseases such as cancers. The operating principles of single molecule detection using optical methods based on florescence are introduced in this chapter. The measurement of fluorescence and parameters effecting fluorescence, including molecular structure and temperature, are summarized. Practical issues such as signal-to-noise ratio for single molecule detection are discussed. Applications discussed include DNA sequencing and DNA fragment sizing, single molecule electrophoresis, and biomolecular dynamics.
