The physics of pulling polyproteins: a review of single molecule force spectroscopy using the AFM to study protein unfolding - PubMed Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2016 Jul;79(7):076601.
doi: 10.1088/0034-4885/79/7/076601. Epub 2016 Jun 16.

The physics of pulling polyproteins: a review of single molecule force spectroscopy using the AFM to study protein unfolding

Affiliations
Free article
Review

The physics of pulling polyproteins: a review of single molecule force spectroscopy using the AFM to study protein unfolding

Megan L Hughes et al. Rep Prog Phys. 2016 Jul.
Free article

Abstract

One of the most exciting developments in the field of biological physics in recent years is the ability to manipulate single molecules and probe their properties and function. Since its emergence over two decades ago, single molecule force spectroscopy has become a powerful tool to explore the response of biological molecules, including proteins, DNA, RNA and their complexes, to the application of an applied force. The force versus extension response of molecules can provide valuable insight into its mechanical stability, as well as details of the underlying energy landscape. In this review we will introduce the technique of single molecule force spectroscopy using the atomic force microscope (AFM), with particular focus on its application to study proteins. We will review the models which have been developed and employed to extract information from single molecule force spectroscopy experiments. Finally, we will end with a discussion of future directions in this field.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

Cited by

Publication types

LinkOut - more resources