Title
DNA molecular handles for single-molecule protein-folding studies by optical tweezers.
Date Issued
01 January 2011
Access level
metadata only access
Resource Type
book part
Author(s)
Cecconi C.
Shank E.A.
Marqusee S.
Universidad de Módena y Reggio Emilia
Publisher(s)
Humana Press Inc.
Abstract
In this chapter, we describe a method that extends the use of optical tweezers to the study of the folding mechanism of single protein molecules. This method entails the use of DNA molecules as molecular handles to manipulate individual proteins between two polystyrene beads. The DNA molecules function as spacers between the protein and the beads, and keep the interactions between the tethering surfaces to a minimum. The handles can have different lengths, be attached to any pair of exposed cysteine residues, and be used to manipulate both monomeric and polymeric proteins. By changing the position of the cysteine residues on the protein surface, it is possible to apply the force to different portions of the protein and along different molecular axes. Circular dichroism and enzymatic activity studies have revealed that for many proteins, the handles do not significantly affect the folding behavior and the structure of the tethered protein. This method makes it possible to study protein folding in the physiologically relevant low-force regime of optical tweezers and enables us to monitor processes - such as refolding events and fluctuations between different molecular conformations - that could not be detected in previous force spectroscopy experiments.
Start page
255
End page
271
Volume
749
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Bioquímica, Biología molecular Física atómica, molecular y química
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-84855167915
PubMed ID
Resource of which it is part
Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)
ISSN of the container
10643745
Sources of information: Directorio de Producción Científica Scopus