Force spectroscopy

Force spectroscopy is a set of techniques for the study of the interactions and the binding forces between individual molecules.[1][2] These methods can be used to measure the mechanical properties of single polymer molecules or proteins, or individual chemical bonds. The name "force spectroscopy", although widely used in the scientific community, is somewhat misleading, because there is no true matter-radiation interaction.[3]

Techniques that can be used to perform force spectroscopy include atomic force microscopy,[2] optical tweezers,[4] magnetic tweezers, acoustic force spectroscopy,[5] microneedles,[6] and biomembranes.[7]

Force spectroscopy measures the behavior of a molecule under stretching or torsional mechanical force. In this way a great deal has been learned in recent years about the mechanochemical coupling in the enzymes responsible for muscle contraction, transport in the cell, energy generation (F1-ATPase), DNA replication and transcription (polymerases), DNA unknotting and unwinding (topoisomerases and helicases).[8]

As a single-molecule technique, as opposed to typical ensemble spectroscopies, it allows a researcher to determine properties of the particular molecule under study. In particular, rare events such as conformational change, which are masked in an ensemble, may be observed.

  1. ^ Neuman KC, Nagy A (June 2008). "Single-molecule force spectroscopy: optical tweezers, magnetic tweezers and atomic force microscopy". Nature Methods. 5 (6): 491–505. doi:10.1038/nmeth.1218. PMC 3397402. PMID 18511917.
  2. ^ a b Hoffmann T, Dougan L (July 2012). "Single molecule force spectroscopy using polyproteins". Chemical Society Reviews. 41 (14): 4781–4796. doi:10.1039/c2cs35033e. PMID 22648310.
  3. ^ Bizzarri AR, Cannistraro S (25 January 2012). Dynamic Force Spectroscopy and Biomolecular Recognition. CRC Press. pp. 1–. ISBN 978-1-4398-6237-7.
  4. ^ Jagannathan B, Marqusee S (November 2013). "Protein folding and unfolding under force". Biopolymers. 99 (11): 860–869. doi:10.1002/bip.22321. PMC 4065244. PMID 23784721.
  5. ^ Sitters G, Kamsma D, Thalhammer G, Ritsch-Marte M, Peterman EJ, Wuite GJ (January 2015). "Acoustic force spectroscopy". Nature Methods. 12 (1): 47–50. doi:10.1038/nmeth.3183. PMID 25419961. S2CID 12886472.
  6. ^ Kishino A, Yanagida T (July 1988). "Force measurements by micromanipulation of a single actin filament by glass needles". Nature. 334 (6177): 74–76. Bibcode:1988Natur.334...74K. doi:10.1038/334074a0. PMID 3386748. S2CID 4274023.
  7. ^ Evans E, Ritchie K, Merkel R (June 1995). "Sensitive force technique to probe molecular adhesion and structural linkages at biological interfaces". Biophysical Journal. 68 (6): 2580–2587. Bibcode:1995BpJ....68.2580E. doi:10.1016/S0006-3495(95)80441-8. PMC 1282168. PMID 7647261.
  8. ^ Mohapatra S, Lin CT, Feng XA, Basu A, Ha T (January 2020). "Single-Molecule Analysis and Engineering of DNA Motors". Chemical Reviews. 120 (1): 36–78. doi:10.1021/acs.chemrev.9b00361. PMID 31661246. S2CID 204974046.