Reverse Bleed-through revisted

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Farid Jalali Farid Jalali
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Reverse Bleed-through revisted

Search the CONFOCAL archive at http://listserv.acsu.buffalo.edu/cgi-bin/wa?S1=confocal
Hello Group,
In January there was a post and comments regarding Cy3 photobleaching of DAPI and I have re-read them trying to come up with an explanation for something I was shown today on my system. A user has fixed cells stained with DAPI, stably expressing GFP, and targets stained indirectly with Alexa 555 and Alexa 647. We are seeing what seems to be the Alexa 555 signal in the GFP channel. We are illuminating with an EXFO Hg lamp,  and using the Semrock Quad-band Sedat filter set. The excitation, emission and dichroic mirror specs from the Semrock website are provided below. A small amount of Alexa 555 is excited by the GFP excitation indicated below, but the cut-off on the GFP EM should preclude any Alexa 555 EM getting through. I am not sure if I am interpreting the Mol Probes Spectraviewer correctly and therefore I am asking the group for thoughts. We are obtaining what appears to be Alexa 555 signal in the GFP channel at very long exposure times (400ms) and high gain (>3800 on a scale max'ing at 4095) on a Photometrics Cascade II EM-CCD, imaging in widefield.
Apologies if this seems to be an amateurish question, but I can't seem to figure it out.

Thanks very much all.
Cheers
Farid

Filter Average Transmission Center Wavelengths Bandwidths *
 DAPI EX
> 85% 387 nm 11 nm
 GFP EX
> 90% 485 nm 20 nm
 Alexa555 EX
> 90% 560 nm 25 nm
 Alexa647 EX
> 90% 650 nm 13 nm
 DAPI EM
> 90% 440 nm 40 nm
 GFP EM
> 90% 525 nm 30 nm
 Alexa555 EM
> 90% 607 nm 36 nm
 Alexa647 EM

> 90%

684 nm 24 nm
  Average Reflection Reflection Bands Transmission Bands
 Dichroic > 95%
> 95%
> 95%
> 95%
381 - 392 nm
475 - 495 nm
547 - 572 nm
643 - 656 nm
420 - 460 nm
510 - 531 nm
589 - 623 nm
677 - 722 nm
--
Farid Jalali MSc
Senior Research Technician- Lab Manager
Applied Molecular Oncology/ Princess Margaret Hospital
STTARR Innovation Facility/ Radiation Medicine Program
Toronto, Canada
416-946-4501 X4351 (Princess Margaret Hospital)
416-581-7754 STTARR at MaRS Building
416-581-7791 STTARR Microscopy Suit
Aryeh Weiss Aryeh Weiss
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Re: Reverse Bleed-through revisted

Search the CONFOCAL archive at
http://listserv.acsu.buffalo.edu/cgi-bin/wa?S1=confocal

Farid Jalali wrote:

>  We are seeing what seems to be the Alexa 555
> signal in the GFP channel. We are illuminating with an EXFO Hg lamp,  
> and using the Semrock Quad-band Sedat filter set. The excitation,
> emission and dichroic mirror specs from the Semrock website are provided
> below. A small amount of Alexa 555 is excited by the GFP excitation
> indicated below, but the cut-off on the GFP EM should preclude any Alexa
> 555 EM getting through. I am not sure if I am interpreting the Mol
> Probes Spectraviewer correctly and therefore I am asking the group for
> thoughts. We are obtaining what appears to be Alexa 555 signal in the
> GFP channel at very long exposure times (400ms) and high gain (>3800 on
> a scale max'ing at 4095) on a Photometrics Cascade II EM-CCD, imaging in
> widefield.

When you excite a longer wavelength fluorophore with a short wavelength, you can
get emission from the short wavelength "tail" of the emission spectrum. The
various spectrum viewer show the spectra on a linear scale, so it looks like
there is no emission, but that is not necessarily the case. In many cases, the
spectral data are not provided so far from the peaks, but again, that does not
mean that there is absolutely nothing. You are detecting at very high gain, and
perhaps you have strong staining with the alexa555.

If you want to test this, you can run spectra of alexa555 in a high quality
spectrofluorometer, and acquire the emission spectrum with 485nm excitation.

--aryeh
--
Aryeh Weiss
School of Engineering
Bar Ilan University
Ramat Gan 52900 Israel

Ph:  972-3-5317638
FAX: 972-3-7384050
Glen MacDonald-2 Glen MacDonald-2
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Re: Reverse Bleed-through revisted

In reply to this post by Farid Jalali
Search the CONFOCAL archive at
http://listserv.acsu.buffalo.edu/cgi-bin/wa?S1=confocal

Farid,
As Aryeh says, check the spectra.  You can't rely on the stated maxima  
to judge  bleedthrough or cross talk.  If you check EGFP and Alexa555  
on a spectra viewer, like at Molecular Probes, you will see a small  
overlap from the blue side of the A555 excitation curve and your  
exciter filter.  Small, but enough to generate enough photons to be a  
problem when sufficiently amplified by long exposures with a cranked  
up EMCCD. You are amplifying everything, regardless of the source.

  I'd suggest switching to Alexa568, unless you can either cut  
exposure time or gain to minimize the problem, or move to a blue-
shifted excitation for the GFP.

Regards,
Glen


On Jul 31, 2008, at 7:47 PM, Farid Jalali wrote:

> Search the CONFOCAL archive at http://listserv.acsu.buffalo.edu/cgi-bin/wa?S1=confocal
> Hello Group,
> In January there was a post and comments regarding Cy3  
> photobleaching of DAPI and I have re-read them trying to come up  
> with an explanation for something I was shown today on my system. A  
> user has fixed cells stained with DAPI, stably expressing GFP, and  
> targets stained indirectly with Alexa 555 and Alexa 647. We are  
> seeing what seems to be the Alexa 555 signal in the GFP channel. We  
> are illuminating with an EXFO Hg lamp,  and using the Semrock Quad-
> band Sedat filter set. The excitation, emission and dichroic mirror  
> specs from the Semrock website are provided below. A small amount of  
> Alexa 555 is excited by the GFP excitation indicated below, but the  
> cut-off on the GFP EM should preclude any Alexa 555 EM getting  
> through. I am not sure if I am interpreting the Mol Probes  
> Spectraviewer correctly and therefore I am asking the group for  
> thoughts. We are obtaining what appears to be Alexa 555 signal in  
> the GFP channel at very long exposure times (400ms) and high gain  
> (>3800 on a scale max'ing at 4095) on a Photometrics Cascade II EM-
> CCD, imaging in widefield.
> Apologies if this seems to be an amateurish question, but I can't  
> seem to figure it out.
>
> Thanks very much all.
> Cheers
> Farid
>
> Filter
> Average Transmission
> Center Wavelengths
> Bandwidths *
>  DAPI EX
> > 85%
> 387 nm
> 11 nm
>  GFP EX
> > 90%
> 485 nm
> 20 nm
>  Alexa555 EX
> > 90%
> 560 nm
> 25 nm
>  Alexa647 EX
> > 90%
> 650 nm
> 13 nm
>  DAPI EM
> > 90%
> 440 nm
> 40 nm
>  GFP EM
> > 90%
> 525 nm
> 30 nm
>  Alexa555 EM
> > 90%
> 607 nm
> 36 nm
>  Alexa647 EM
> > 90%
>
> 684 nm
> 24 nm
>
> Average Reflection
> Reflection Bands
> Transmission Bands
>  Dichroic
> > 95%
> > 95%
> > 95%
> > 95%
> 381 - 392 nm
> 475 - 495 nm
> 547 - 572 nm
> 643 - 656 nm
> 420 - 460 nm
> 510 - 531 nm
> 589 - 623 nm
> 677 - 722 nm
> --
> Farid Jalali MSc
> Senior Research Technician- Lab Manager
> Applied Molecular Oncology/ Princess Margaret Hospital
> STTARR Innovation Facility/ Radiation Medicine Program
> Toronto, Canada
> 416-946-4501 X4351 (Princess Margaret Hospital)
> 416-581-7754 STTARR at MaRS Building
> 416-581-7791 STTARR Microscopy Suit



Glen MacDonald
Core for Communication Research
Virginia Merrill Bloedel Hearing Research Center
Box 357923
University of Washington
Seattle, WA 98195-7923  USA
(206) 616-4156
[hidden email]

******************************************************************************
The box said "Requires WindowsXP or better", so I bought a Macintosh.
******************************************************************************
Greg Martin-8 Greg Martin-8
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Re: Reverse Bleed-through revisted

Search the CONFOCAL archive at
http://listserv.acsu.buffalo.edu/cgi-bin/wa?S1=confocal

Hey Folks --

    This has been a common problem with Cy3 as well, even without
particularly sensitive cameras.  I've learned and teach that regardless of
what the spectra say, it's always best to actually do the experiment and see
what you get with a single label viewed in the "wrong" channel using
exposure and scaling appropriate to that channel.

Be peace!  Greg.

Greg Martin
Keck Microscopy Facility
University of Washington
Box 357290
Seattle, WA 98195-7290
206-685-8784 (office)
425-344-2632 (cell)
www.depts.washington.edu/keck
----- Original Message -----
From: "Glen MacDonald" <[hidden email]>
To: <[hidden email]>
Sent: Friday, August 01, 2008 9:10 AM
Subject: Re: Reverse Bleed-through revisted


> Search the CONFOCAL archive at
> http://listserv.acsu.buffalo.edu/cgi-bin/wa?S1=confocal
>
> Farid,
> As Aryeh says, check the spectra.  You can't rely on the stated maxima  to
> judge  bleedthrough or cross talk.  If you check EGFP and Alexa555  on a
> spectra viewer, like at Molecular Probes, you will see a small  overlap
> from the blue side of the A555 excitation curve and your  exciter filter.
> Small, but enough to generate enough photons to be a  problem when
> sufficiently amplified by long exposures with a cranked  up EMCCD. You are
> amplifying everything, regardless of the source.
>
>  I'd suggest switching to Alexa568, unless you can either cut  exposure
> time or gain to minimize the problem, or move to a blue- shifted
> excitation for the GFP.
>
> Regards,
> Glen
>
>
> On Jul 31, 2008, at 7:47 PM, Farid Jalali wrote:
>
>> Search the CONFOCAL archive at
>> http://listserv.acsu.buffalo.edu/cgi-bin/wa?S1=confocal
>> Hello Group,
>> In January there was a post and comments regarding Cy3  photobleaching of
>> DAPI and I have re-read them trying to come up  with an explanation for
>> something I was shown today on my system. A  user has fixed cells stained
>> with DAPI, stably expressing GFP, and  targets stained indirectly with
>> Alexa 555 and Alexa 647. We are  seeing what seems to be the Alexa 555
>> signal in the GFP channel. We  are illuminating with an EXFO Hg lamp,
>> and using the Semrock Quad- band Sedat filter set. The excitation,
>> emission and dichroic mirror  specs from the Semrock website are provided
>> below. A small amount of  Alexa 555 is excited by the GFP excitation
>> indicated below, but the  cut-off on the GFP EM should preclude any Alexa
>> 555 EM getting  through. I am not sure if I am interpreting the Mol
>> Probes  Spectraviewer correctly and therefore I am asking the group for
>> thoughts. We are obtaining what appears to be Alexa 555 signal in  the
>> GFP channel at very long exposure times (400ms) and high gain  (>3800 on
>> a scale max'ing at 4095) on a Photometrics Cascade II EM- CCD, imaging in
>> widefield.
>> Apologies if this seems to be an amateurish question, but I can't  seem
>> to figure it out.
>>
>> Thanks very much all.
>> Cheers
>> Farid
>>
>> Filter
>> Average Transmission
>> Center Wavelengths
>> Bandwidths *
>>  DAPI EX
>> > 85%
>> 387 nm
>> 11 nm
>>  GFP EX
>> > 90%
>> 485 nm
>> 20 nm
>>  Alexa555 EX
>> > 90%
>> 560 nm
>> 25 nm
>>  Alexa647 EX
>> > 90%
>> 650 nm
>> 13 nm
>>  DAPI EM
>> > 90%
>> 440 nm
>> 40 nm
>>  GFP EM
>> > 90%
>> 525 nm
>> 30 nm
>>  Alexa555 EM
>> > 90%
>> 607 nm
>> 36 nm
>>  Alexa647 EM
>> > 90%
>>
>> 684 nm
>> 24 nm
>>
>> Average Reflection
>> Reflection Bands
>> Transmission Bands
>>  Dichroic
>> > 95%
>> > 95%
>> > 95%
>> > 95%
>> 381 - 392 nm
>> 475 - 495 nm
>> 547 - 572 nm
>> 643 - 656 nm
>> 420 - 460 nm
>> 510 - 531 nm
>> 589 - 623 nm
>> 677 - 722 nm
>> --
>> Farid Jalali MSc
>> Senior Research Technician- Lab Manager
>> Applied Molecular Oncology/ Princess Margaret Hospital
>> STTARR Innovation Facility/ Radiation Medicine Program
>> Toronto, Canada
>> 416-946-4501 X4351 (Princess Margaret Hospital)
>> 416-581-7754 STTARR at MaRS Building
>> 416-581-7791 STTARR Microscopy Suit
>
>
>
> Glen MacDonald
> Core for Communication Research
> Virginia Merrill Bloedel Hearing Research Center
> Box 357923
> University of Washington
> Seattle, WA 98195-7923  USA
> (206) 616-4156
> [hidden email]
>
> ******************************************************************************
> The box said "Requires WindowsXP or better", so I bought a Macintosh.
> ******************************************************************************
>
Knecht, David Knecht, David
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Re: Reverse Bleed-through revisted

In reply to this post by Farid Jalali
Search the CONFOCAL archive at http://listserv.acsu.buffalo.edu/cgi-bin/wa?S1=confocal It looks to me like you are getting the early tail of the emission of Alexa 555 through your GFP filer.  You have a 525/30, which cuts off around 550, but the Alexa emission starts up around 538nm..  You could do as others suggested, but if you already have samples stained, you could switch to a narrower GFP filter, such as the Chroma 41020 which cuts off around 520 and should eliminate the problem.  Dave

On Jul 31, 2008, at 10:47 PM, Farid Jalali wrote:

Search the CONFOCAL archive at http://listserv.acsu.buffalo.edu/cgi-bin/wa?S1=confocal
Hello Group,
In January there was a post and comments regarding Cy3 photobleaching of DAPI and I have re-read them trying to come up with an explanation for something I was shown today on my system. A user has fixed cells stained with DAPI, stably expressing GFP, and targets stained indirectly with Alexa 555 and Alexa 647. We are seeing what seems to be the Alexa 555 signal in the GFP channel. We are illuminating with an EXFO Hg lamp,  and using the Semrock Quad-band Sedat filter set. The excitation, emission and dichroic mirror specs from the Semrock website are provided below. A small amount of Alexa 555 is excited by the GFP excitation indicated below, but the cut-off on the GFP EM should preclude any Alexa 555 EM getting through. I am not sure if I am interpreting the Mol Probes Spectraviewer correctly and therefore I am asking the group for thoughts. We are obtaining what appears to be Alexa 555 signal in the GFP channel at very long exposure times (400ms) and high gain (>3800 on a scale max'ing at 4095) on a Photometrics Cascade II EM-CCD, imaging in widefield.
Apologies if this seems to be an amateurish question, but I can't seem to figure it out.

Thanks very much all.
Cheers
Farid

Filter Average Transmission Center Wavelengths Bandwidths *
 DAPI EX
> 85% 387 nm 11 nm
 GFP EX
> 90% 485 nm 20 nm
 Alexa555 EX
> 90% 560 nm 25 nm
 Alexa647 EX
> 90% 650 nm 13 nm
 DAPI EM
> 90% 440 nm 40 nm
 GFP EM
> 90% 525 nm 30 nm
 Alexa555 EM
> 90% 607 nm 36 nm
 Alexa647 EM

> 90%

684 nm 24 nm
  Average Reflection Reflection Bands Transmission Bands
 Dichroic > 95%
> 95%
> 95%
> 95%
381 - 392 nm
475 - 495 nm
547 - 572 nm
643 - 656 nm
420 - 460 nm
510 - 531 nm
589 - 623 nm
677 - 722 nm
--
Farid Jalali MSc
Senior Research Technician- Lab Manager
Applied Molecular Oncology/ Princess Margaret Hospital
STTARR Innovation Facility/ Radiation Medicine Program
Toronto, Canada
416-946-4501 X4351 (Princess Margaret Hospital)
416-581-7754 STTARR at MaRS Building
416-581-7791 STTARR Microscopy Suit

Dr. David Knecht    
Department of Molecular and Cell Biology
Co-head Flow Cytometry and Confocal Microscopy Facility
U-3125
91 N. Eagleville Rd.
University of Connecticut
Storrs, CT 06269
860-486-2200
860-486-4331 (fax)


Farid Jalali Farid Jalali
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Re: Reverse Bleed-through revisted

Search the CONFOCAL archive at http://listserv.acsu.buffalo.edu/cgi-bin/wa?S1=confocal
Hello Group,
Thanks very much to you all for the helpful thoughts and comments. Much appreciated. This user was un-necessarily using a long exposure time and gain to pick up very very weak GFP signal. This bleedthrough is not something that I have ever seen or documented on my system. Good thing to be aware of as well a point to reinforce to users.

Thanks again group.
Cheers
Farid


On Sat, Aug 2, 2008 at 1:54 PM, David Knecht ATT <[hidden email]> wrote:
It looks to me like you are getting the early tail of the emission of Alexa 555 through your GFP filer.  You have a 525/30, which cuts off around 550, but the Alexa emission starts up around 538nm..  You could do as others suggested, but if you already have samples stained, you could switch to a narrower GFP filter, such as the Chroma 41020 which cuts off around 520 and should eliminate the problem.  Dave

On Jul 31, 2008, at 10:47 PM, Farid Jalali wrote:

Hello Group,
In January there was a post and comments regarding Cy3 photobleaching of DAPI and I have re-read them trying to come up with an explanation for something I was shown today on my system. A user has fixed cells stained with DAPI, stably expressing GFP, and targets stained indirectly with Alexa 555 and Alexa 647. We are seeing what seems to be the Alexa 555 signal in the GFP channel. We are illuminating with an EXFO Hg lamp,  and using the Semrock Quad-band Sedat filter set. The excitation, emission and dichroic mirror specs from the Semrock website are provided below. A small amount of Alexa 555 is excited by the GFP excitation indicated below, but the cut-off on the GFP EM should preclude any Alexa 555 EM getting through. I am not sure if I am interpreting the Mol Probes Spectraviewer correctly and therefore I am asking the group for thoughts. We are obtaining what appears to be Alexa 555 signal in the GFP channel at very long exposure times (400ms) and high gain (>3800 on a scale max'ing at 4095) on a Photometrics Cascade II EM-CCD, imaging in widefield.
Apologies if this seems to be an amateurish question, but I can't seem to figure it out.

Thanks very much all.
Cheers
Farid

Filter Average Transmission Center Wavelengths Bandwidths *
 DAPI EX
> 85% 387 nm 11 nm
 GFP EX
> 90% 485 nm 20 nm
 Alexa555 EX
> 90% 560 nm 25 nm
 Alexa647 EX
> 90% 650 nm 13 nm
 DAPI EM
> 90% 440 nm 40 nm
 GFP EM
> 90% 525 nm 30 nm
 Alexa555 EM
> 90% 607 nm 36 nm
 Alexa647 EM

> 90%

684 nm 24 nm
  Average Reflection Reflection Bands Transmission Bands
 Dichroic > 95%
> 95%
> 95%
> 95%
381 - 392 nm
475 - 495 nm
547 - 572 nm
643 - 656 nm
420 - 460 nm
510 - 531 nm
589 - 623 nm
677 - 722 nm
--
Farid Jalali MSc
Senior Research Technician- Lab Manager
Applied Molecular Oncology/ Princess Margaret Hospital
STTARR Innovation Facility/ Radiation Medicine Program
Toronto, Canada
416-946-4501 X4351 (Princess Margaret Hospital)
416-581-7754 STTARR at MaRS Building
416-581-7791 STTARR Microscopy Suit

Dr. David Knecht    
Department of Molecular and Cell Biology
Co-head Flow Cytometry and Confocal Microscopy Facility
U-3125
91 N. Eagleville Rd.
University of Connecticut
Storrs, CT 06269
860-486-2200
860-486-4331 (fax)





--
Farid Jalali MSc
Senior Research Technician- Lab Manager
Applied Molecular Oncology/ Princess Margaret Hospital
STTARR Innovation Facility/ Radiation Medicine Program
Toronto, Canada
416-946-4501 X4351 (Princess Margaret Hospital)
416-581-7754 STTARR at MaRS Building
416-581-7791 STTARR Microscopy Suite