A 6-nm ultra-photostable DNA Fluorocube for fluorescence imaging

Photobleaching limits extended imaging of fluorescent biological samples. Here, we developed DNA origami-based “Fluorocubes” that are similar in size to the green fluorescent protein (GFP), have single-point attachment to proteins, have a 50-fold higher photobleaching lifetime and emit 40-fold more photons than single organic dyes. We demonstrate that DNA Fluorocubes provide outstanding tools for single-molecule imaging, allowing the tracking of single motor proteins for >800 steps with nanometer precision.