The transmembrane protein KpOmpA anchoring the outer membrane of Klebsiella pneumoniae unfolds and refolds in response to tensile load

Single-Molecule Force Spectroscopy of Membrane Protein Folding

Single-molecule force spectroscopy is a unique method that can probe the structural changes of single proteins at a high spatiotemporal resolution while mechanically manipulating them over a wide force range. Here, we review the current understanding of membrane protein folding learned by using the force spectroscopy approach. Membrane protein folding in lipid bilayers is one of the most complex biological processes in which diverse lipid molecules and chaperone proteins are intricately involved. The approach of single protein forced unfolding in lipid bilayers has produced important findings and insights into membrane protein folding. This review provides an overview of the forced unfolding approach, including recent achievements and technical advances. Progress in the methods can reveal more interesting cases of membrane protein folding and clarify general mechanisms and principles.

Unfolding and identification of membrane proteins in situ

Single-molecule force spectroscopy (SMFS) uses the cantilever tip of an AFM to apply a force able to unfold a single protein. The obtained force-distance curve encodes the unfolding pathway, and from its analysis it is possible to characterize the folded domains. SMFS has been mostly used to study the unfolding of purified proteins, in solution or reconstituted in a lipid bilayer. Here, we describe a pipeline for analyzing membrane proteins based on SMFS, that involves the isolation of the plasma membrane of single cells and the harvesting of force-distance curves directly from it. We characterized and identified the embedded membrane proteins combining, within a Bayesian framework, the information of the shape of the obtained curves, with the information from Mass Spectrometry and proteomic databases. The pipeline was tested with purified/reconstituted proteins and applied to five cell types where we classified the unfolding of their most abundant membrane proteins. We validated our pipeline by overexpressing 4 constructs, and this allowed us to gather structural insights of the identified proteins, revealing variable elements in the loop regions. Our results set the basis for the investigation of the unfolding of membrane proteins in situ, and for performing proteomics from a membrane fragment.

Not sorcery after all: Roles of multiple charged residues in membrane insertion of gasdermin-A3

Gasdermins execute programmatory cell death, known as pyroptosis, by forming medium-sized membrane pores. Recently, the molecular structure of those pores as well as the diversity in their shape and size have been revealed by cryoTEM and atomic force microscopy, respectively. Even though a growth of smaller to larger oligomers and reshaping from slits to rings could be documented, the initiation of the gasdermin pore formation remains a mystery. In one hypothesis, gasdermin monomers insert into membranes before associating into oligomeric pores. In the other hypothesis, gasdermin oligomers preassemble on the membrane surface prior to membrane insertion. Here, by studying the behavior of monomeric membrane-inserted gasdermin-A3 (GSDMA3), we unveil that a monomeric gasdermin prefers the membrane-adsorbed over the membrane-inserted state. Our results thus support the hypothesis of oligomers preassembling on the membrane surface before membrane penetration. At the same time, our simulations of small membrane-inserted arcs of GSDMA3 suggest that the inserting oligomer can be small and does not have to comprise a full ring of approximately 26–30 subunits. Moreover, our simulations have revealed an astonishingly large impact of salt-bridge formation and protein surroundings on the transmembrane passage of charged residues, reducing the energetic cost by up to 53% as compared to their free forms. The here observed free energy barrier of mere 5.6 kcal/mol for the membrane insertion of monomeric GSDMA3 explains the surprising ability of gasdermins to spontaneously self-insert into cellular membranes.

Monitoring the antibiotic darobactin modulating the β-barrel assembly factor BamA

The β-barrel assembly machinery (BAM) complex is an essential component of Escherichia coli that inserts and folds outer membrane proteins (OMPs). The natural antibiotic compound darobactin inhibits BamA, the central unit of BAM. Here, we employ dynamic single-molecule force spectroscopy (SMFS) to better understand the structure-function relationship of BamA and its inhibition by darobactin. The five N-terminal polypeptide transport (POTRA) domains show low mechanical, kinetic, and energetic stabilities. In contrast, the structural region linking the POTRA domains to the transmembrane β-barrel exposes the highest mechanical stiffness and lowest kinetic stability within BamA, thus indicating a mechano-functional role. Within the β-barrel, the four N-terminal β-hairpins H1-H4 expose the highest mechanical stabilities and stiffnesses, while the four C-terminal β-hairpins H5-H6 show lower stabilities and higher flexibilities. This asymmetry within the β-barrel suggests that substrates funneling into the lateral gate formed by β-hairpins H1 and H8 can force the flexible C-terminal β-hairpins to change conformations.

Architects of their own environment: How membrane proteins shape the Gram-negative cell envelope

Gram-negative bacteria are surrounded by a complex multilayered cell envelope, consisting of an inner and an outer membrane, and separated by the aqueous periplasm, which contains a thin peptidoglycan cell wall. These bacteria employ an arsenal of highly specialized membrane protein machineries to ensure the correct assembly and maintenance of the membranes forming the cell envelope. Here, we review the diverse protein systems, which perform these functions in Escherichia coli, such as the folding and insertion of membrane proteins, the transport of lipoproteins and lipopolysaccharide within the cell envelope, the targeting of phospholipids, and the regulation of mistargeted envelope components. Some of these protein machineries have been known for a long time, yet still hold surprises. Others have only recently been described and some are still missing pieces or yet remain to be discovered.

Single-Molecule Force Spectroscopy of Protein Folding

The use of force probes to induce unfolding and refolding of single molecules through the application of mechanical tension, known as single-molecule force spectroscopy (SMFS), has proven to be a powerful tool for studying the dynamics of protein folding. Here we provide an overview of what has been learned about protein folding using SMFS, from small, single-domain proteins to large, multi-domain proteins. We highlight the ability of SMFS to measure the energy landscapes underlying folding, to map complex pathways for native and non-native folding, to probe the mechanisms of chaperones that assist with native folding, to elucidate the effects of the ribosome on co-translational folding, and to monitor the folding of membrane proteins.

Imaging and Force Spectroscopy of Single Transmembrane Proteins with the Atomic Force Microscope

The atomic force microscope (AFM) has opened avenues and provided opportunities to investigate biological soft matter and processes ranging from nanometer (nm) to millimeter (mm). The high temporal (millisecond) and spatial (nanometer) resolutions of the AFM are suited for studying many biological processes in their native conditions. The AFM cantilever-aptly termed as a "lab on a tip"-can be used as an imaging tool as well as a handle to manipulate single bonds and proteins. Recent examples have convincingly established AFM as a tool to study the mechanical properties and monitor processes of single proteins and cells with high sensitivity, thus affording insight into important mechanistic details. This chapter specifically focuses on practical and analytical protocols of single-molecule AFM methodologies related to high-resolution imaging and single-molecule force spectroscopy of transmembrane proteins in a lipid bilayer (reconstituted or native). Both these techniques are operator oriented, and require specialized working knowledge of the instrument, theory and practical skills.

Mechanical Unfolding and Refolding of Single Membrane Proteins by Atomic Force Microscopy

Atomic force microscopy (AFM)-based single-molecule force spectroscopy allows direct physical manipulation of single membrane proteins under near-physiological conditions. It can be applied to study mechanical properties and molecular interactions as well as unfolding and folding pathways of membrane proteins. Here, we describe the basic procedure to study membrane proteins by single-molecule force spectroscopy and discuss general requirements of the experimental setup as well as common pitfalls typically encountered when working with membrane proteins in AFM.

The OmpA Gene of Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. glycines is Involved in Pathogenesis of Pustule Disease on Soybean

The goal of this study was to elucidate the role of the outer membrane protein A (ompA) gene of Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. glycines in bacterial pustule pathogenesis of soybean. An ompA mutant of X. axonopodis pv. glycines KU-P-SW005 was shown to significantly decrease cellulase, pectate lyase, and polysaccharide production. The production of these proteins in the ompA mutant was approximately five times lower than that of the wildtype. The ompA mutant also exhibited modified biofilm development. More importantly, the mutant reduced disease severity to the soybean. Ten days after inoculation, the virulence rating of the susceptible soybean cv. SJ4 inoculated with the ompA mutant was 11.23%, compared with 87.98% for the complemented ompA mutant. Production of cellulase, pectate lyase, polysaccharide was restored, biofilm, and pustule numbers were restored in the complemented ompA mutant that did not differ from the wild type. Taken together, these data suggest that OmpA-mediated invasion plays an important role in protein secretion during pathogenesis to soybean.

Single-Molecule Force Spectroscopy of Transmembrane β-Barrel Proteins

Single-molecule force spectroscopy (SMFS) has been widely applied to study the mechanical unfolding and folding of transmembrane proteins. Here, we review the recent progress in characterizing bacterial and human transmembrane β-barrel proteins by SMFS. First, we describe the mechanical unfolding of transmembrane β-barrels, which follows a general mechanism dictated by the sequential unfolding and extraction of individual β-strands and β-hairpins from membranes. Upon force relaxation, the unfolded polypeptide can insert stepwise into the membrane as single β-strands or β-hairpins to fold as the native β-barrel. The refolding can be followed at a high spatial and temporal resolution, showing that small β-barrels are able to fold without assistance, whereas large and complex β-barrels require chaperone cofactors. Applied in the dynamic mode, SMFS can quantify the kinetic and mechanical properties of single β-hairpins and reveal complementary insight into the membrane protein structure and function relationship. We further outline the challenges that SMFS experiments must overcome for a comprehensive understanding of the folding and function of transmembrane β-barrel proteins.

POTRA Domains, Extracellular Lid, and Membrane Composition Modulate the Conformational Stability of the β Barrel Assembly Factor BamA

The core component BamA of the β barrel assembly machinery (BAM) adopts several conformations, which are thought to facilitate the insertion and folding of β barrel proteins into the bacterial outer membrane. Which factors alter the stability of these conformations remains to be quantified. Here, we apply single-molecule force spectroscopy to characterize the mechanical properties of BamA from Escherichia coli. In contrast to the N-terminal periplasmic polypeptide-transport-associated (POTRA) domains, the C-terminal transmembrane β barrel domain of BamA is mechanically much more stable. Exposed to mechanical stress this β barrel stepwise unfolds β hairpins until unfolding has been completed. Thereby, the mechanical stabilities of β barrel and β hairpins are modulated by the POTRA domains, the membrane composition and the extracellular lid closing the β barrel. We anticipate that these differences in stability, which are caused by factors contributing to BAM function, promote conformations of the BamA β barrel required to insert and fold outer membrane proteins.

Protein-enriched outer membrane vesicles as a native platform for outer membrane protein studies

Most studies characterizing the folding, structure, and function of membrane proteins rely on solubilized or reconstituted samples. Whereas solubilized membrane proteins lack the functionally important lipid membrane, reconstitution embeds them into artificial lipid bilayers, which lack characteristic features of cellular membranes including lipid diversity, composition and asymmetry. Here, we utilize outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) released from Escherichia coli to study outer membrane proteins (Omps) in the native membrane environment. Enriched in the native membrane of the OMV we characterize the assembly, folding, and structure of OmpG, FhuA, Tsx, and BamA. Comparing Omps in OMVs to those reconstituted into artificial lipid membranes, we observe different unfolding pathways for some Omps. This observation highlights the importance of the native membrane environment to maintain the native structure and function relationship of Omps. Our fast and easy approach paves the way for functional and structural studies of Omps in the native membrane.

Johannes Thoma et al. overexpress outer membrane proteins (Omps) in Escherichia coli and collect the expelled outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) to study Omp assembly, folding and structure. They find that Omps in OMVs show different unfolding pathways compared to Omps reconstituted in artificial lipid membranes.

Structural Heterogeneity of CNGA1 Channels Revealed by Electrophysiology and Single-Molecule Force Spectroscopy

The determination at atomic resolution of the three-dimensional molecular structure of membrane proteins such as receptors and several ion channels has been a major breakthrough in structural biology. The molecular structure of several members of the superfamily of voltage-gated ionic channels such as K⁺ and Na⁺ is now available. However, despite several attempts, the molecular structure at atomic resolution of the full cyclic nucleotide-gated (CNG) ion channel, although a member of the same superfamily of voltage-gated ion channels, has not been obtained yet, neither by X-ray crystallography nor by electron cryomicroscopy (cryo-EM). It is possible that CNG channels have a high structural heterogeneity, making difficult crystallization and single-particle analysis. To address this issue, we have combined single-molecule force spectroscopy (SMFS) and electrophysiological experiments to characterize the structural heterogeneity of CNGA1 channels expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes. The unfolding of the cytoplasmic domain had force peaks, occurring with a probability from 0.2 to 0.96. Force peaks during the unfolding of the transmembrane domain had a probability close to 1, but the distribution of the increase in contour length between two successive force peaks had multiple maxima differing by tens of nanometers. Concomitant electrophysiological experiments showed that the rundown in mutant channels S399C is highly variable and that the effect of thiol reagents when specific residues were mutated was consistent with a dynamic structural heterogeneity. These results show that CNGA1 channels have a wide spectrum of native conformations that are difficult to detect with X-ray crystallography and cryo-EM.

YidC assists the stepwise and stochastic folding of membrane proteins

How chaperones, insertases and translocases facilitate insertion and folding of complex cytoplasmic proteins into cellular membranes is not fully understood. Here we utilize single-molecule force spectroscopy to observe YidC, a transmembrane chaperone and insertase, sculpting the folding trajectory of the polytopic α-helical membrane protein lactose permease (LacY). In the absence of YidC, unfolded LacY inserts individual structural segments into the membrane; however, misfolding dominates the process so that folding cannot be completed. YidC prevents LacY from misfolding by stabilizing the unfolded state from which LacY inserts structural segments stepwise into the membrane until folding is completed. During stepwise insertion, YidC and the membrane together stabilize the transient folds. Remarkably, the order of insertion of structural segments is stochastic, indicating that LacY can fold along variable pathways toward the native structure. Since YidC is essential in membrane protein biogenesis and LacY is a model for the major facilitator superfamily, our observations have general relevance.

From Chaperones to the Membrane with a BAM!

Outer membrane proteins (OMPs) play a central role in the integrity of the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. Unfolded OMPs (uOMPs) transit across the periplasm, and subsequent folding and assembly are crucial for biogenesis. Chaperones and the essential β-barrel assembly machinery (BAM) complex facilitate these processes. In vitro studies suggest that some chaperones sequester uOMPs in internal cavities during their periplasmic transit to prevent deleterious aggregation. Upon reaching the outer membrane, the BAM complex acts catalytically to accelerate uOMP folding. Complementary in vivo experiments have revealed the localization and activity of the BAM complex in living cells. Completing an understanding of OMP biogenesis will require a holistic view of the interplay among the individual components discussed here.

Molecular Plasticity of the Human Voltage-Dependent Anion Channel Embedded Into a Membrane

The voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC) regulates the flux of metabolites and ions across the outer mitochondrial membrane. Regulation of ion flow involves conformational transitions in VDAC, but the nature of these changes has not been resolved to date. By combining single-molecule force spectroscopy with nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy we show that the β barrel of human VDAC embedded into a membrane is highly flexible. Its mechanical flexibility exceeds by up to one order of magnitude that determined for β strands of other membrane proteins and is largest in the N-terminal part of the β barrel. Interaction with Ca(2+), a key regulator of metabolism and apoptosis, considerably decreases the barrel's conformational variability and kinetic free energy in the membrane. The combined data suggest that physiological VDAC function depends on the molecular plasticity of its channel.

Impact of holdase chaperones Skp and SurA on the folding of β-barrel outer-membrane proteins

Chaperones increase the folding yields of soluble proteins by suppressing misfolding and aggregation, but how they modulate the folding of integral membrane proteins is not well understood. Here we use single-molecule force spectroscopy and NMR spectroscopy to observe the periplasmic holdase chaperones SurA and Skp shaping the folding trajectory of the large β-barrel outer-membrane receptor FhuA from Escherichia coli. Either chaperone prevents FhuA from misfolding by stabilizing a dynamic, unfolded state, thus allowing the substrate to search for structural intermediates. During this search, the SurA-chaperoned FhuA polypeptide inserts β-hairpins into the membrane in a stepwise manner until the β-barrel is folded. The membrane acts as a free-energy sink for β-hairpin insertion and physically separates transient folds from chaperones. This stabilization of dynamic unfolded states and the trapping of folding intermediates funnel the FhuA polypeptide toward the native conformation.

Single-molecule force spectroscopy of membrane proteins from membranes freely spanning across nanoscopic pores

Single-molecule force spectroscopy (SMFS) provides detailed insight into the mechanical (un)folding pathways and structural stability of membrane proteins. So far, SMFS could only be applied to membrane proteins embedded in native or synthetic membranes adsorbed to solid supports. This adsorption causes experimental limitations and raises the question to what extent the support influences the results obtained by SMFS. Therefore, we introduce here SMFS from native purple membrane freely spanning across nanopores. We show that correct analysis of the SMFS data requires extending the worm-like chain model, which describes the mechanical stretching of a polypeptide, by the cubic extension model, which describes the bending of a purple membrane exposed to mechanical stress. This new experimental and theoretical approach allows to characterize the stepwise (un)folding of the membrane protein bacteriorhodopsin and to assign the stability of single and grouped secondary structures. The (un)folding and stability of bacteriorhodopsin shows no significant difference between freely spanning and directly supported purple membranes. Importantly, the novel experimental SMFS setup opens an avenue to characterize any protein from freely spanning cellular or synthetic membranes.

Conformational rearrangements in the transmembrane domain of CNGA1 channels revealed by single-molecule force spectroscopy

Cyclic nucleotide-gated (CNG) channels are activated by binding of cyclic nucleotides. Although structural studies have identified the channel pore and selectivity filter, conformation changes associated with gating remain poorly understood. Here we combine single-molecule force spectroscopy (SMFS) with mutagenesis, bioinformatics and electrophysiology to study conformational changes associated with gating. By expressing functional channels with SMFS fingerprints in Xenopus laevis oocytes, we were able to investigate gating of CNGA1 in a physiological-like membrane. Force spectra determined that the S4 transmembrane domain is mechanically coupled to S5 in the open state, but S3 in the closed state. We also show there are multiple pathways for the unfolding of the transmembrane domains, probably caused by a different degree of α-helix folding. This approach demonstrates that CNG transmembrane domains have dynamic structure and establishes SMFS as a tool for probing conformational change in ion channels.

Cyclic nucleotide gated channels are activated after binding cyclic nucleotides. Here, using single molecule force spectroscopy, the authors reveal that cyclic nucleotide binding causes conformational changes and tighter coupling of the S4 helix to the pore forming domain.

Model for coupled insertion and folding of membrane-spanning proteins

Current understanding of the forces directing the folding of integral membrane proteins is very limited compared to the detailed picture available for water-soluble proteins. While mechanistic studies of the folding process in vitro have been conducted for only a small number of membrane proteins, the available evidence indicates that their folding process is thermodynamically driven like that of soluble proteins. In vivo, however, the majority of integral membrane proteins are installed in membranes by dedicated machinery, suggesting that the cellular systems may act to facilitate and regulate the spontaneous physical process of folding. Both the in vitro folding process and the in vivo pathway must navigate an energy landscape dominated by the energetically favorable burial of hydrophobic segments in the membrane interior and the opposition to folding due to the need for passage of polar segments across the membrane. This manuscript describes a simple, exactly solvable model which incorporates these essential features of membrane protein folding. The model is used to compare the folding time under conditions which depict both the in vitro and in vivo pathways. It is proposed that the cellular complexes responsible for insertion of membrane proteins act by lowering the energy barrier for passage of polar regions through the membrane, thereby allowing the chain to more rapidly achieve the folded state.

Substrate-induced changes in the structural properties of LacY

The lactose permease (LacY) of Escherichia coli, a paradigm for the major facilitator superfamily, catalyzes the coupled stoichiometric translocation of a galactopyranoside and an H(+) across the cytoplasmic membrane. To catalyze transport, LacY undergoes large conformational changes that allow alternating access of sugar- and H(+)-binding sites to either side of the membrane. Despite strong evidence for an alternating access mechanism, it remains unclear how H(+)- and sugar-binding trigger the cascade of interactions leading to alternating conformational states. Here we used dynamic single-molecule force spectroscopy to investigate how substrate binding induces this phenomenon. Galactoside binding strongly modifies kinetic, energetic, and mechanical properties of the N-terminal 6-helix bundle of LacY, whereas the C-terminal 6-helix bundle remains largely unaffected. Within the N-terminal 6-helix bundle, the properties of helix V, which contains residues critical for sugar binding, change most radically. Particularly, secondary structures forming the N-terminal domain exhibit mechanically brittle properties in the unbound state, but highly flexible conformations in the substrate-bound state with significantly increased lifetimes and energetic stability. Thus, sugar binding tunes the properties of the N-terminal domain to initiate galactoside/H(+) symport. In contrast to wild-type LacY, the properties of the conformationally restricted mutant Cys154→Gly do not change upon sugar binding. It is also observed that the single mutation of Cys154→Gly alters intramolecular interactions so that individual transmembrane helices manifest different properties. The results support a working model of LacY in which substrate binding induces alternating conformational states and provides insight into their specific kinetic, energetic, and mechanical properties.

The complete genome sequence of 'Candidatus Liberibacter americanus', associated with Citrus huanglongbing

Liberibacter spp. form a Rhizobiaceae clade of phloem-limited pathogens of limited host range. Two obligately parasitic species have been sequenced: 'Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus', which causes citrus huanglongbing (HLB) worldwide, and 'Ca. L. solanacearum', which causes potato "zebra chip" disease. A third (proposed) species, Liberibacter crescens, was isolated from mountain papaya, grown in axenic culture, and sequenced. In an effort to identify common host determinants, the complete genomic DNA sequence of a second HLB species, 'Ca. L. americanus' strain 'São Paulo' was determined. The circular genome of 1,195,201 bp had an average 31.12% GC content and 983 predicted protein encoding genes, 800 (81.4%) of which had a predicted function. There were 658 genes common to all sequenced Liberibacter spp. and only 8 genes common to 'Ca. L. americanus' and 'Ca. L. asiaticus' but not found in 'Ca. L. solanacearum'. Surprisingly, most of the lipopolysaccharide biosynthetic genes were missing from the 'Ca. L. americanus' genome, as well as OmpA and a key regulator of flagellin, all indicating a 'Ca. L. americanus' strategy of avoiding production of major pathogen-associated molecular patterns present in 'Ca. L. asiaticus' and 'Ca. L. solanacearum'. As with 'Ca. L. asiaticus', one of two 'Ca. L. americanus' prophages replicated as an excision plasmid and carried potential lysogenic conversion genes that appeared fragmentary or degenerated in 'Ca. L. solanacearum'.

Xanthomonas albilineans OmpA1 appears to be functionally modular and both the OMC and C-like domains are necessary for leaf scald disease of sugarcane

Several EZ-Tn5 insertions in gene locus XALc_0557 (OmpA1) of the sugarcane leaf scald pathogen Xanthomonas albilineans XaFL07-1 were previously found to strongly affect pathogenicity and endophytic stalk colonization. XALc_0557 has a predicted OmpA N-terminal outer membrane channel (OMC) domain and an OmpA C-like domain. Further analysis of mutant M468, with an EZ-Tn5 insertion in the upstream OMC domain coding region, revealed impaired epiphytic and endophytic leaf survival, impaired resistance to sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), structural defects in the outer membrane (OM), and hyperproduction of OM vesicles. Cloned full-length XALc_0557 complemented M468 for all phenotypes tested, including pathogenicity, resistance to SDS, and ability to survive both endophytically and epiphytically. Another construct, pCT47.3, which expressed only the C-like domain of XALc_0557, restored resistance to SDS in M468 but failed to complement any other mutant phenotype, indicating that the C-like domain functioned independently of the OMC domain to help maintain OM integrity. pCT47.3 also complemented pathogenicity, resistance to SDS, and stalk colonization in mutant M1152, which carries an EZ-Tn5 insert in the C-like coding region, indicating that both predicted domains are modular and necessary but neither is sufficient for X. albilineans pathogenicity, endophytic survival in, and epiphytic survival on sugarcane.

Tracking unfolding and refolding reactions of single proteins using atomic force microscopy methods

During the last two decades single-molecule manipulation techniques such as atomic force microscopy (AFM) has risen to prominence through their unique capacity to provide fundamental information on the structure and function of biomolecules. Here we describe the use of single-molecule AFM to track protein unfolding and refolding pathways, enzymatic catalysis and the effects of osmolytes and chaperones on protein stability and folding. We will outline the principles of operation for two different AFM pulling techniques: length clamp and force-clamp and discuss prominent applications. We provide protocols for the construction of polyproteins which are amenable for AFM experiments, the preparation of different coverslips, choice and calibration of AFM cantilevers. We also discuss the selection criteria for AFM recordings, the calibration of AFM cantilevers, protein sample preparations and analysis of the obtained data.