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Single-Molecule DNA Stretching Using Optical Tweezers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 March 2018

Joost van Mameren ,
Anna Wozniak  and
Sid Ragona
Joost van Mameren
Affiliation:
JPK Instruments, Berlin, Germany
Anna Wozniak
Affiliation:
JPK Instruments, Berlin, Germany
Sid Ragona*
Affiliation:
Ragona Scientific, Pittsford, NY
*
[email protected]

Extract

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The advent of techniques to mechanically manipulate single (bio)molecules has sparked large efforts to precisely study the mechanical and elastic properties of proteins, protein fibers, DNA, RNA, etc. Two widely used techniques in this area are atomic force microscopy (AFM) and optical tweezers. Optical tweezers complement AFM at the lower end of the force regime: forces of typically a few hundred picoNewtons down to fractions of a picoNewton can be assessed using optical tweezers. This has allowed for, among other things, the precise measurement of forces and displacements exerted by individual motor proteins. In this report, we focus on the use of optical tweezers for force spectroscopy on single DNA molecules, and on the range of applications that this technique offers to learn not only about DNA itself, but also about the mechanics and thermodynamics of protein-DNA interaction.

Type
Research Article
Information
Microscopy Today , Volume 17 , Issue 1 , January 2009 , pp. 42 - 43
Copyright
Copyright © Microscopy Society of America 2009

Footnotes

Note: This article was first published in the 4th issue of JPK's regular electronic newsletter.

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