1
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Bauer MS, Gruber S, Hausch A, Melo MCR, Gomes PSFC, Nicolaus T, Milles LF, Gaub HE, Bernardi RC, Lipfert J. Single-molecule force stability of the SARS-CoV-2-ACE2 interface in variants-of-concern. NATURE NANOTECHNOLOGY 2024; 19:399-405. [PMID: 38012274 DOI: 10.1038/s41565-023-01536-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Mutations in SARS-CoV-2 have shown effective evasion of population immunity and increased affinity to the cellular receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). However, in the dynamic environment of the respiratory tract, forces act on the binding partners, which raises the question of whether not only affinity but also force stability of the SARS-CoV-2-ACE2 interaction might be a selection factor for mutations. Using magnetic tweezers, we investigate the impact of amino acid substitutions in variants of concern (Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta) and on force-stability and bond kinetic of the receptor-binding domain-ACE2 interface at a single-molecule resolution. We find a higher affinity for all of the variants of concern (>fivefold) compared with the wild type. In contrast, Alpha is the only variant of concern that shows higher force stability (by 17%) compared with the wild type. Using molecular dynamics simulations, we rationalize the mechanistic molecular origins of this increase in force stability. Our study emphasizes the diversity of contributions to the transmissibility of variants and establishes force stability as one of the several factors for fitness. Understanding fitness advantages opens the possibility for the prediction of probable mutations, allowing a rapid adjustment of therapeutics, vaccines and intervention measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magnus S Bauer
- Department of Physics and Center for NanoScience (CeNS), LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Sophia Gruber
- Department of Physics and Center for NanoScience (CeNS), LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Adina Hausch
- Department of Physics and Center for NanoScience (CeNS), LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- Center for Protein Assemblies, TUM School of Natural Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | | | | | - Thomas Nicolaus
- Department of Physics and Center for NanoScience (CeNS), LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Lukas F Milles
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Hermann E Gaub
- Department of Physics and Center for NanoScience (CeNS), LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | | | - Jan Lipfert
- Department of Physics and Center for NanoScience (CeNS), LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
- Department of Physics and Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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2
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Mierke CT. Magnetic tweezers in cell mechanics. Methods Enzymol 2024; 694:321-354. [PMID: 38492957 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2023.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
The chapter provides an overview of the applications of magnetic tweezers in living cells. It discusses the advantages and disadvantages of magnetic tweezers technology with a focus on individual magnetic tweezers configurations, such as electromagnetic tweezers. Solutions to the disadvantages identified are also outlined. The specific role of magnetic tweezers in the field of mechanobiology, such as mechanosensitivity, mechano-allostery and mechanotransduction are also emphasized. The specific usage of magnetic tweezers in mechanically probing cells via specific cell surface receptors, such as mechanosensitive channels is discussed and why mechanical probing has revealed the opening and closing of the channels. Finally, the future direction of magnetic tweezers is presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Tanja Mierke
- Faculty of Physics and Earth System Sciences, Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics, Biological Physics Division, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany.
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3
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Dulin D. An Introduction to Magnetic Tweezers. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2694:375-401. [PMID: 37824014 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3377-9_18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
Magnetic tweezers are a single-molecule force and torque spectroscopy technique that enable the mechanical interrogation in vitro of biomolecules, such as nucleic acids and proteins. They use a magnetic field originating from either permanent magnets or electromagnets to attract a magnetic particle, thus stretching the tethering biomolecule. They nicely complement other force spectroscopy techniques such as optical tweezers and atomic force microscopy (AFM) as they operate as a very stable force clamp, enabling long-duration experiments over a very broad range of forces spanning from 10 fN to 1 nN, with 1-10 milliseconds time and sub-nanometer spatial resolution. Their simplicity, robustness, and versatility have made magnetic tweezers a key technique within the field of single-molecule biophysics, being broadly applied to study the mechanical properties of, e.g., nucleic acids, genome processing molecular motors, protein folding, and nucleoprotein filaments. Furthermore, magnetic tweezers allow for high-throughput single-molecule measurements by tracking hundreds of biomolecules simultaneously both in real-time and at high spatiotemporal resolution. Magnetic tweezers naturally combine with surface-based fluorescence spectroscopy techniques, such as total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy, enabling correlative fluorescence and force/torque spectroscopy on biomolecules. This chapter presents an introduction to magnetic tweezers including a description of the hardware, the theory behind force calibration, its spatiotemporal resolution, combining it with other techniques, and a (non-exhaustive) overview of biological applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Dulin
- LaserLaB Amsterdam and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
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4
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Wang YJ, Valotteau C, Aimard A, Villanueva L, Kostrz D, Follenfant M, Strick T, Chames P, Rico F, Gosse C, Limozin L. Combining DNA scaffolds and acoustic force spectroscopy to characterize individual protein bonds. Biophys J 2023; 122:2518-2530. [PMID: 37290437 PMCID: PMC10323022 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2023.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Single-molecule data are of great significance in biology, chemistry, and medicine. However, new experimental tools to characterize, in a multiplexed manner, protein bond rupture under force are still needed. Acoustic force spectroscopy is an emerging manipulation technique which generates acoustic waves to apply force in parallel on multiple microbeads tethered to a surface. We here exploit this configuration in combination with the recently developed modular junctured-DNA scaffold that has been designed to study protein-protein interactions at the single-molecule level. By applying repetitive constant force steps on the FKBP12-rapamycin-FRB complex, we measure its unbinding kinetics under force at the single-bond level. Special efforts are made in analyzing the data to identify potential pitfalls. We propose a calibration method allowing in situ force determination during the course of the unbinding measurement. We compare our results with well-established techniques, such as magnetic tweezers, to ensure their accuracy. We also apply our strategy to study the force-dependent rupture of a single-domain antibody with its antigen. Overall, we get a good agreement with the published parameters that have been obtained at zero force and population level. Thus, our technique offers single-molecule precision for multiplexed measurements of interactions of biotechnological and medical interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Jian Wang
- Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, INSERM, Laboratoire Adhesion et Inflammation, Turing Centre for Living systems, Marseille, France.
| | - Claire Valotteau
- Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, INSERM, Laboratoire Adhesion et Inflammation, Turing Centre for Living systems, Marseille, France
| | - Adrien Aimard
- Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, INSERM, Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Centre de Recherche en Cancerologie de Marseille, Marseille, France
| | - Lorenzo Villanueva
- Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, INSERM, Laboratoire Adhesion et Inflammation, Turing Centre for Living systems, Marseille, France
| | - Dorota Kostrz
- Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure, ENS, CNRS, INSERM, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Maryne Follenfant
- Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure, ENS, CNRS, INSERM, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Terence Strick
- Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure, ENS, CNRS, INSERM, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Patrick Chames
- Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, INSERM, Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Centre de Recherche en Cancerologie de Marseille, Marseille, France
| | - Felix Rico
- Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, INSERM, Laboratoire Adhesion et Inflammation, Turing Centre for Living systems, Marseille, France
| | - Charlie Gosse
- Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure, ENS, CNRS, INSERM, PSL Research University, Paris, France.
| | - Laurent Limozin
- Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, INSERM, Laboratoire Adhesion et Inflammation, Turing Centre for Living systems, Marseille, France.
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5
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Yanagi I, Akahori R, Takeda KI. Dwell Time Prolongation and Identification of Single Nucleotides Passing through a Solid-State Nanopore by Using Ammonium Sulfate Aqueous Solution. ACS OMEGA 2023; 8:21285-21292. [PMID: 37332803 PMCID: PMC10268630 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c02703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
The ionic current blockades when poly(dT)60 or dNTPs passed through SiN nanopores in an aqueous solution containing (NH4)2SO4 were investigated. The dwell time of poly(dT)60 in the nanopores in an aqueous solution containing (NH4)2SO4 was significantly longer compared to that in an aqueous solution that did not contain (NH4)2SO4. This dwell time prolongation effect due to the aqueous solution containing (NH4)2SO4 was also confirmed when dCTP passed through the nanopores. In addition, when the nanopores were fabricated via dielectric breakdown in the aqueous solution containing (NH4)2SO4, the dwell time prolongation effect for dCTP still occurred even after the aqueous solution was displaced with the aqueous solution without (NH4)2SO4. Furthermore, we measured the ionic current blockades when the four types of dNTPs passed through the same nanopore, and the four types of dNTPs could be statistically identified according to their current blockade values.
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Affiliation(s)
- Itaru Yanagi
- Center
for Exploratory Research, Research & Development Group, Hitachi, Ltd., 1-280, Higashi-koigakubo, Kokubunji, Tokyo 185-8603, Japan
| | - Rena Akahori
- Center
for Technology Innovation - Healthcare, Research & Development
Group, Hitachi, Ltd., 1-280, Higashi-koigakubo, Kokubunji, Tokyo 185-8603, Japan
| | - Ken-ichi Takeda
- Center
for Technology Innovation - Healthcare, Research & Development
Group, Hitachi, Ltd., 1-280, Higashi-koigakubo, Kokubunji, Tokyo 185-8603, Japan
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6
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Zhang C, Tian F, Lu Y, Yuan B, Tan ZJ, Zhang XH, Dai L. Twist-diameter coupling drives DNA twist changes with salt and temperature. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabn1384. [PMID: 35319990 PMCID: PMC8942373 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abn1384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
DNA deformations upon environmental changes, e.g., salt and temperature, play crucial roles in many biological processes and material applications. Here, our magnetic tweezers experiments observed that the increase in NaCl, KCl, or RbCl concentration leads to substantial DNA overwinding. Our simulations and theoretical calculation quantitatively explain the salt-induced twist change through the mechanism: More salt enhances the screening of interstrand electrostatic repulsion and hence reduces DNA diameter, which is transduced to twist increase through twist-diameter coupling. We determined that the coupling constant is 4.5 ± 0.8 kBT/(degrees∙nm) for one base pair. The coupling comes from the restraint of the contour length of DNA backbone. On the basis of this coupling constant and diameter-dependent DNA conformational entropy, we predict the temperature dependence of DNA twist Δωbp/ΔT ≈ -0.01 degree/°C, which agrees with our and previous experimental results. Our analysis suggests that twist-diameter coupling is a common driving force for salt- and temperature-induced DNA twist changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, The Institute for Advanced Studies, State Key Laboratory of Virology, Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Fujia Tian
- Department of Physics, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Ying Lu
- Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Bing Yuan
- Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory, Dongguan, Guangdong 523808, China
| | - Zhi-Jie Tan
- School of Physics and Technology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Xing-Hua Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, The Institute for Advanced Studies, State Key Laboratory of Virology, Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Liang Dai
- Department of Physics, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China
- Shenzhen Research Institute, City University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen 518057, China
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7
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Abstract
Single-molecule magnetic tweezers deliver magnetic force and torque to single target molecules, permitting the study of dynamic changes in biomolecular structures and their interactions. Because the magnetic tweezer setups can generate magnetic fields that vary slowly over tens of millimeters-far larger than the nanometer scale of the single molecule events being observed-this technique can maintain essentially constant force levels during biochemical experiments while generating a biologically meaningful force on the order of 1-100 pN. When using bead-tether constructs to pull on single molecules, smaller magnetic beads and shorter submicrometer tethers improve dynamic response times and measurement precision. In addition, employing high-speed cameras, stronger light sources, and a graphics programming unit permits true high-resolution single-molecule magnetic tweezers that can track nanometer changes in target molecules on a millisecond or even submillisecond time scale. The unique force-clamping capacity of the magnetic tweezer technique provides a way to conduct measurements under near-equilibrium conditions and directly map the energy landscapes underlying various molecular phenomena. High-resolution single-molecule magnetic tweezers can thus be used to monitor crucial conformational changes in single-protein molecules, including those involved in mechanotransduction and protein folding. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Biochemistry, Volume 91 is June 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyun-Kyu Choi
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering and Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Hyun Gyu Kim
- School of Biological Sciences and Institute for Molecular Biology and Genetics, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea;
| | - Min Ju Shon
- Department of Physics and School of Interdisciplinary Bioscience and Bioengineering, Pohang University of Science & Technology (POSTECH), Pohang, South Korea;
| | - Tae-Young Yoon
- School of Biological Sciences and Institute for Molecular Biology and Genetics, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea;
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8
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Shrestha P, Yang D, Tomov TE, MacDonald JI, Ward A, Bergal HT, Krieg E, Cabi S, Luo Y, Nathwani B, Johnson-Buck A, Shih WM, Wong WP. Single-molecule mechanical fingerprinting with DNA nanoswitch calipers. NATURE NANOTECHNOLOGY 2021; 16:1362-1370. [PMID: 34675411 PMCID: PMC8678201 DOI: 10.1038/s41565-021-00979-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2020] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Decoding the identity of biomolecules from trace samples is a longstanding goal in the field of biotechnology. Advances in DNA analysis have substantially affected clinical practice and basic research, but corresponding developments for proteins face challenges due to their relative complexity and our inability to amplify them. Despite progress in methods such as mass spectrometry and mass cytometry, single-molecule protein identification remains a highly challenging objective. Towards this end, we combine DNA nanotechnology with single-molecule force spectroscopy to create a mechanically reconfigurable DNA nanoswitch caliper capable of measuring multiple coordinates on single biomolecules with atomic resolution. Using optical tweezers, we demonstrate absolute distance measurements with ångström-level precision for both DNA and peptides, and using multiplexed magnetic tweezers, we demonstrate quantification of relative abundance in mixed samples. Measuring distances between DNA-labelled residues, we perform single-molecule fingerprinting of synthetic and natural peptides, and show discrimination, within a heterogeneous population, between different posttranslational modifications. DNA nanoswitch calipers are a powerful and accessible tool for characterizing distances within nanoscale complexes that will enable new applications in fields such as single-molecule proteomics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prakash Shrestha
- Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Darren Yang
- Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Toma E Tomov
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - James I MacDonald
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Andrew Ward
- Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hans T Bergal
- Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Biophysics Program, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Elisha Krieg
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Serkan Cabi
- Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yi Luo
- Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Bhavik Nathwani
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alexander Johnson-Buck
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
- Biophysics Program, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - William M Shih
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Wesley P Wong
- Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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9
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Liang J, Li J, Zhong Z, Rujiralai T, Ma J. Quantifying the force in flow-cell based single-molecule stretching experiments. NANOSCALE 2021; 13:15916-15927. [PMID: 34522927 DOI: 10.1039/d1nr04748e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The flow-cell based single-molecule manipulation technique has found many applications in the study of DNA mechanics and protein-DNA interactions. However, the force in these experiments has not been fully characterized and is usually limited to a moderate force regime (<25 pN). In this work, using the "tethered-bead" assay, the hydrodynamic drag of DNA has been quantitatively evaluated based on a "bead-spring chain" model. The force derived from the Brownian motion of the bead thus contains both contributions from this equivalent hydrodynamic drag of DNA and the pulling force from the tethered bead. Next, using flow-cell based DNA pulling experiments, the linear relationship between the flow rate and total hydrodynamic force on the bead-DNA system has been demonstrated to be valid over a wide force range (0-110 pN). Consequently, the force can be directly converted from the flow rate by a linear factor that can be calibrated either by the bead's Brownian motion at low flow rates or using DNA overstretching transition. Furthermore, the hydrodynamic force and torque due to the shear flow on the bead as well as the equivalent stretching force on DNA are calculated based on theoretical models with the hydrodynamic drag on DNA also considered. The calculated force-extension curves show a good agreement with the measured ones. These results offer important insights into the force in flow-cell based single-molecule stretching experiments and provide a foundation for establishing flow-cells as a simple, low-cost, yet flexible and precise tool for single-molecule force measurements over a wide force range.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jialun Liang
- School of Physics, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, Guangdong, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, Guangdong, China
| | - Jiaxi Li
- School of Physics, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, Guangdong, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhensheng Zhong
- School of Physics, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, Guangdong, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, Guangdong, China
| | - Thitima Rujiralai
- Division of Physical Science, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla, 90112, Thailand
| | - Jie Ma
- School of Physics, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, Guangdong, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, Guangdong, China
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10
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Si W, Yang H, Wu G, Zhang Y, Sha J. Velocity control of protein translocation through a nanopore by tuning the fraction of benzenoid residues. NANOSCALE 2021; 13:15352-15361. [PMID: 34498657 DOI: 10.1039/d1nr04492c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Protein sequencing is essential to unveil the mechanism of cellular processes that govern the function of living organisms, and which play a crucial role in the field of drug design and molecular diagnostics. Nanopores have been proved to be effective tools in single molecule sensing, but the fast translocation speed of a peptide through a nanopore is one of the major obstacles that hinders the development of nanopore-based protein sequencing. In this work, by using molecular dynamics simulations (MDS) it is found that the peptide containing more hydrophobic residues permeates slower through a molybdenum disulfide nanopore, which originates from the strong interaction between the membrane surface and the hydrophobic residues. The binding affinity is remarkable especially for benzenoid residues as they contain a hydrophobic aromatic ring that is composed of relatively non-polar C-C and C-H bonds. By tuning the fraction of benzenoid residues of the peptide, the velocity of the protein translocation through the nanopore is well controlled. The peptide with all the hydrophobic residues being benzenoid residues is found to translocate through the nanopore almost ten times slower than the one without any benzenoid residues, which is beneficial for gathering adequate information for precise amino acid identification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Si
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, School of Mechanical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211100, China.
| | - Haojie Yang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, School of Mechanical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211100, China.
| | - Gensheng Wu
- School of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Yin Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, School of Mechanical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211100, China.
| | - Jingjie Sha
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, School of Mechanical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211100, China.
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11
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Dos Santos Á, Fili N, Pearson DS, Hari-Gupta Y, Toseland CP. High-throughput mechanobiology: Force modulation of ensemble biochemical and cell-based assays. Biophys J 2021; 120:631-641. [PMID: 33453266 PMCID: PMC7896026 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2020.12.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2020] [Revised: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Mechanobiology is focused on how the physical forces and mechanical properties of proteins, cells, and tissues contribute to physiology and disease. Although the response of proteins and cells to mechanical stimuli is critical for function, the tools to probe these activities are typically restricted to single-molecule manipulations. Here, we have developed a novel microplate reader assay to encompass mechanical measurements with ensemble biochemical and cellular assays, using a microplate lid modified with magnets. This configuration enables multiple static magnetic tweezers to function simultaneously across the microplate, thereby greatly increasing throughput. We demonstrate the broad applicability and versatility through in vitro and in cellulo approaches. Overall, our methodology allows, for the first time (to our knowledge), ensemble biochemical and cell-based assays to be performed under force in high-throughput format. This approach substantially increases the availability of mechanobiology measurements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ália Dos Santos
- Department of Oncology and Metabolism, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Natalia Fili
- Department of Oncology and Metabolism, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - David S Pearson
- School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, United Kingdom
| | - Yukti Hari-Gupta
- School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher P Toseland
- Department of Oncology and Metabolism, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom.
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12
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Abraham Punnoose J, Hayden A, Zhou L, Halvorsen K. Wi-Fi Live-Streaming Centrifuge Force Microscope for Benchtop Single-Molecule Experiments. Biophys J 2020; 119:2231-2239. [PMID: 33121943 PMCID: PMC7732769 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2020.10.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Revised: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to apply controlled forces to individual molecules has been revolutionary in shaping our understanding of biophysics in areas as diverse as dynamic bond strength, biological motor operation, and DNA replication. However, the methodology to perform single-molecule experiments remains relatively inaccessible because of cost and complexity. In 2010, we introduced the centrifuge force microscope (CFM) as a platform for accessible and high-throughput single-molecule experimentation. The CFM consists of a rotating microscope with which prescribed centrifugal forces can be applied to microsphere-tethered biomolecules. In this work, we develop and demonstrate a next-generation Wi-Fi CFM that offers unprecedented ease of use and flexibility in design. The modular CFM unit fits within a standard benchtop centrifuge and connects by Wi-Fi to an external computer for live control and streaming at near gigabit speeds. The use of commercial wireless hardware allows for flexibility in programming and provides a streamlined upgrade path as Wi-Fi technology advances. To facilitate ease of use, detailed build and setup instructions, as well as LabVIEW-based control software and MATLAB-based analysis software, are provided. We demonstrate the instrument’s performance by analysis of force-dependent dissociation of short DNA duplexes of 7, 8, and 9 bp. We showcase the sensitivity of the approach by resolving distinct dissociation kinetic rates for a 7 bp duplex in which one G-C basepair is mutated to an A-T basepair.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Lifeng Zhou
- RNA Institute, SUNY at Albany, Albany, New York
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13
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Si W, Yu M, Wu G, Chen C, Sha J, Zhang Y, Chen Y. A Nanoparticle-DNA Assembled Nanorobot Powered by Charge-Tunable Quad-Nanopore System. ACS NANO 2020; 14:15349-15360. [PMID: 33151055 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c05779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Molecular machines hold keys to performing intrinsic functions in living cells so that the organisms can work properly, and unveiling the mechanism of functional molecule machines as well as elucidating the dynamic process of interaction with their surrounding environment is an attractive pharmaceutical target for human health. Due to the limitations of searching and exploring all possible motors in human bodies, designing and constructing functional nanorobots is vital for meeting the fast-rising demand of revealing life science and related diagnostics. Here, we theoretically designed a nanoparticle-DNA assembled nanorobot that can move along a solid-state membrane surface. The nanorobot is composed of a nanoparticle and four single-stranded DNAs. Our molecular dynamics simulations show that electroosmosis could be the main power driving the movement of a nanorobot. After the DNA strands were one-to-one captured by the nanopores in the membrane, by tuning the surface charge density of each nanopore, we have theoretically shown that the electroosmosis coupled with electrophoresis can be used to drive the movement of the nanorobot in desired directions along the graphene membrane surface. It is believed that the well-controlled nanorobot will lead to many exciting applications, such as cargo delivery, nanomanipulation, and so on, if it is implemented in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Si
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
| | - Meng Yu
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
| | - Gensheng Wu
- School of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Chang Chen
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
| | - Jingjie Sha
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
| | - Yin Zhang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
| | - Yunfei Chen
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
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14
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Brouwer TB, Hermans N, van Noort J. Multiplexed Nanometric 3D Tracking of Microbeads Using an FFT-Phasor Algorithm. Biophys J 2020; 118:2245-2257. [PMID: 32053775 PMCID: PMC7202940 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2020.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2019] [Revised: 01/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Many single-molecule biophysical techniques rely on nanometric tracking of microbeads to obtain quantitative information about the mechanical properties of biomolecules such as chromatin fibers. Their three-dimensional (3D) position can be resolved by holographic analysis of the diffraction pattern in wide-field imaging. Fitting this diffraction pattern to Lorenz-Mie scattering theory yields the bead's position with nanometer accuracy in three dimensions but is computationally expensive. Real-time multiplexed bead tracking therefore requires a more efficient tracking method, such as comparison with previously measured diffraction patterns, known as look-up tables. Here, we introduce an alternative 3D phasor algorithm that provides robust bead tracking with nanometric localization accuracy in a z range of over 10 μm under nonoptimal imaging conditions. The algorithm is based on a two-dimensional cross correlation using fast Fourier transforms with computer-generated reference images, yielding a processing rate of up to 10,000 regions of interest per second. We implemented the technique in magnetic tweezers and tracked the 3D position of over 100 beads in real time on a generic CPU. The accuracy of 3D phasor tracking was extensively tested and compared to a look-up table approach using Lorenz-Mie simulations, avoiding experimental uncertainties. Its easy implementation, efficiency, and robustness can improve multiplexed biophysical bead-tracking applications, especially when high throughput is required and image artifacts are difficult to avoid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas B Brouwer
- Biological and Soft Matter Physics, Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Nicolaas Hermans
- Biological and Soft Matter Physics, Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - John van Noort
- Biological and Soft Matter Physics, Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands.
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15
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Dahal N, Nowitzke J, Eis A, Popa I. Binding-Induced Stabilization Measured on the Same Molecular Protein Substrate Using Single-Molecule Magnetic Tweezers and Heterocovalent Attachments. J Phys Chem B 2020; 124:3283-3290. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.0c00167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Narayan Dahal
- Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 3135 North Maryland Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53211, United States
| | - Joel Nowitzke
- Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 3135 North Maryland Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53211, United States
| | - Annie Eis
- Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 3135 North Maryland Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53211, United States
| | - Ionel Popa
- Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 3135 North Maryland Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53211, United States
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16
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Martinac B, Nikolaev YA, Silvani G, Bavi N, Romanov V, Nakayama Y, Martinac AD, Rohde P, Bavi O, Cox CD. Cell membrane mechanics and mechanosensory transduction. CURRENT TOPICS IN MEMBRANES 2020; 86:83-141. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctm.2020.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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Abstract
Single-molecule techniques have been used successfully to visualize real-time enzymatic activities, revealing transient complex properties and heterogeneity of various biological events. Especially, conventional force spectroscopy including optical tweezers and magnetic tweezers has been widely used to monitor change in DNA length by enzymes with high spatiotemporal resolutions of ~ nanometers and ~ milliseconds. However, DNA metabolism results from coordination of a number of components during the processes, requiring efficient monitoring of a complex of proteins catalyzing DNA substrates. In this min-review, we will introduce a simple and multiplexed single-molecule assay to detect DNA substrates catalyzed by enzymes with high-throughput data collection. We conclude with a perspective of possible directions that enhance capability of the assay to reveal complex biological events with higher resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryanggeun Lee
- Department of Physics, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang 37673, Korea
| | - Keunsang Yang
- School of Interdisciplinary Bioscience and Bioengineering, POSTECH, Pohang 37673, Korea
| | - Jong-Bong Lee
- Department of Physics, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang 37673, Korea
- School of Interdisciplinary Bioscience and Bioengineering, POSTECH, Pohang 37673, Korea
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18
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Multiplexed protein force spectroscopy reveals equilibrium protein folding dynamics and the low-force response of von Willebrand factor. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:18798-18807. [PMID: 31462494 PMCID: PMC6754583 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1901794116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Single-molecule force spectroscopy has provided unprecedented insights into protein folding, force regulation, and function. So far, the field has relied primarily on atomic force microscope and optical tweezers assays that, while powerful, are limited in force resolution, throughput, and require feedback for constant force measurements. Here, we present a modular approach based on magnetic tweezers (MT) for highly multiplexed protein force spectroscopy. Our approach uses elastin-like polypeptide linkers for the specific attachment of proteins, requiring only short peptide tags on the protein of interest. The assay extends protein force spectroscopy into the low force (<1 pN) regime and enables parallel and ultra-stable measurements at constant forces. We present unfolding and refolding data for the small, single-domain protein ddFLN4, commonly used as a molecular fingerprint in force spectroscopy, and for the large, multidomain dimeric protein von Willebrand factor (VWF) that is critically involved in primary hemostasis. For both proteins, our measurements reveal exponential force dependencies of unfolding and refolding rates. We directly resolve the stabilization of the VWF A2 domain by Ca2+ and discover transitions in the VWF C domain stem at low forces that likely constitute the first steps of VWF's mechano-activation. Probing the force-dependent lifetime of biotin-streptavidin bonds, we find that monovalent streptavidin constructs with specific attachment geometry are significantly more force stable than commercial, multivalent streptavidin. We expect our modular approach to enable multiplexed force-spectroscopy measurements for a wide range of proteins, in particular in the physiologically relevant low-force regime.
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19
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Shon MJ, Rah SH, Yoon TY. Submicrometer elasticity of double-stranded DNA revealed by precision force-extension measurements with magnetic tweezers. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2019; 5:eaav1697. [PMID: 31206015 PMCID: PMC6561745 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aav1697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2018] [Accepted: 05/03/2019] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Submicrometer elasticity of double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) governs nanoscale bending of DNA segments and their interactions with proteins. Single-molecule force spectroscopy, including magnetic tweezers (MTs), is an important tool for studying DNA mechanics. However, its application to short DNAs under 1 μm is limited. We developed an MT-based method for precise force-extension measurements in the 100-nm regime that enables in situ correction of the error in DNA extension measurement, and normalizes the force variability across beads by exploiting DNA hairpins. The method reduces the lower limit of tractable dsDNA length down to 198 base pairs (bp) (67 nm), an order-of-magnitude improvement compared to conventional tweezing experiments. Applying this method and the finite worm-like chain model we observed an essentially constant persistence length across the chain lengths studied (198 bp to 10 kbp), which steeply depended on GC content and methylation. This finding suggests a potential sequence-dependent mechanism for short-DNA elasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Ju Shon
- School of Biological Sciences and Institute for Molecular Biology and Genetics, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea
- Corresponding author. (T.-Y.Y.); (M.J.S.)
| | - Sang-Hyun Rah
- Department of Physics, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, South Korea
| | - Tae-Young Yoon
- School of Biological Sciences and Institute for Molecular Biology and Genetics, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea
- Department of Physics, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, South Korea
- Corresponding author. (T.-Y.Y.); (M.J.S.)
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20
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Burnham DR, Kose HB, Hoyle RB, Yardimci H. The mechanism of DNA unwinding by the eukaryotic replicative helicase. Nat Commun 2019; 10:2159. [PMID: 31089141 PMCID: PMC6517413 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-09896-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2018] [Accepted: 04/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Accurate DNA replication is tightly regulated in eukaryotes to ensure genome stability during cell division and is performed by the multi-protein replisome. At the core an AAA+ hetero-hexameric complex, Mcm2-7, together with GINS and Cdc45 form the active replicative helicase Cdc45/Mcm2-7/GINS (CMG). It is not clear how this replicative ring helicase translocates on, and unwinds, DNA. We measure real-time dynamics of purified recombinant Drosophila melanogaster CMG unwinding DNA with single-molecule magnetic tweezers. Our data demonstrates that CMG exhibits a biased random walk, not the expected unidirectional motion. Through building a kinetic model we find CMG may enter up to three paused states rather than unwinding, and should these be prevented, in vivo fork rates would be recovered in vitro. We propose a mechanism in which CMG couples ATP hydrolysis to unwinding by acting as a lazy Brownian ratchet, thus providing quantitative understanding of the central process in eukaryotic DNA replication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel R Burnham
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Hazal B Kose
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Rebecca B Hoyle
- School of Mathematical Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Hasan Yardimci
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK.
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21
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Zhang C, Fu H, Yang Y, Zhou E, Tan Z, You H, Zhang X. The Mechanical Properties of RNA-DNA Hybrid Duplex Stretched by Magnetic Tweezers. Biophys J 2018; 116:196-204. [PMID: 30635125 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2018.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2018] [Revised: 12/05/2018] [Accepted: 12/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA can anneal to its DNA template to generate an RNA-DNA hybrid (RDH) duplex and a displaced DNA strand, termed R-loop. RDH duplex occupies up to 5% of the mammalian genome and plays important roles in many biological processes. The functions of RDH duplex are affected by its mechanical properties, including the elasticity and the conformation transitions. The mechanical properties of RDH duplex, however, are still unclear. In this work, we studied the mechanical properties of RDH duplex using magnetic tweezers in comparison with those of DNA and RNA duplexes with the same sequences. We report that the contour length of RDH duplex is ∼0.30 nm/bp, and the stretching modulus of RDH duplex is ∼660 pN, neither of which is sensitive to NaCl concentration. The persistence length of RDH duplex depends on NaCl concentration, decreasing from ∼63 nm at 1 mM NaCl to ∼49 nm at 500 mM NaCl. Under high tension of ∼60 pN, the end-opened RDH duplex undergoes two distinct overstretching transitions; at high salt in which the basepairs are stable, it undergoes the nonhysteretic transition, leading to a basepaired elongated structure, whereas at low salt, it undergoes a hysteretic peeling transition, leading to the single-stranded DNA strand under force and the single-stranded RNA strand coils. The peeled RDH is difficult to reanneal back to the duplex conformation, which may be due to the secondary structures formed in the coiled single-stranded RNA strand. These results help us understand the full picture of the structures and mechanical properties of nucleic acid duplexes in solution and provide a baseline for studying the interaction of RDH with proteins at the single-molecule level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, the Institute for Advanced Studies, State Key Laboratory of Virology, Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Hang Fu
- College of Life Sciences, the Institute for Advanced Studies, State Key Laboratory of Virology, Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yajun Yang
- College of Life Sciences, the Institute for Advanced Studies, State Key Laboratory of Virology, Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Erchi Zhou
- College of Life Sciences, the Institute for Advanced Studies, State Key Laboratory of Virology, Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhijie Tan
- School of Physics and Technology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Huijuan You
- School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xinghua Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, the Institute for Advanced Studies, State Key Laboratory of Virology, Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
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22
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Si W, Zhang Y, Sha J, Chen Y. Controllable and reversible DNA translocation through a single-layer molybdenum disulfide nanopore. NANOSCALE 2018; 10:19450-19458. [PMID: 30311618 DOI: 10.1039/c8nr05830j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
A challenge that remains to be solved in the high-throughput and low-cost nanopore DNA sequencing is that DNA translocates through the nanopore too quickly to be sequenced with enough accuracy. Here, we present a proof of principle study of slowing down DNA translocation across the molybdenum disulfide nanopore and even reversing its translocation direction by adjusting the proportion of molybdenum atoms to sulfur atoms at the nanopore boundary. When the proportion is smaller than 0.17, the electro-osmotic flow moves in the opposite direction to the electric force exerted on the DNA molecule and the more sulfur atoms at the nanopore boundary, the stronger the electro-osmotic flow is. For the nanopore with the proportion equal to 0.17, the electro-osmotic force exerted on DNA is smaller than the electrophoretic force, DNA can be captured and its translocation speed was found to be almost three times smaller than the speed through nanopores with the proportion larger than 0.27. However, for nanopores with the proportion smaller than 0.08, DNA would even be pushed away and prevented from entering the nanopore so that its translocation direction would be reversed. The theoretical study performed here provides a new means for controlling DNA transport dynamics in both translocation velocity and direction, which would facilitate better and cheaper nanopore DNA sequencing in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Si
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, School of Mechanical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China.
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23
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Ostrofet E, Papini FS, Dulin D. Correction-free force calibration for magnetic tweezers experiments. Sci Rep 2018; 8:15920. [PMID: 30374099 PMCID: PMC6206022 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-34360-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2018] [Accepted: 10/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Magnetic tweezers are a powerful technique to perform high-throughput and high-resolution force spectroscopy experiments at the single-molecule level. The camera-based detection of magnetic tweezers enables the observation of hundreds of magnetic beads in parallel, and therefore the characterization of the mechanochemical behavior of hundreds of nucleic acids and enzymes. However, magnetic tweezers experiments require an accurate force calibration to extract quantitative data, which is limited to low forces if the deleterious effect of the finite camera open shutter time (τsh) is not corrected. Here, we provide a simple method to perform correction-free force calibration for high-throughput magnetic tweezers at low image acquisition frequency (fac). By significantly reducing τsh to at least 4-fold the characteristic times of the tethered magnetic bead, we accurately evaluated the variance of the magnetic bead position along the axis parallel to the magnetic field, estimating the force with a relative error of ~10% (standard deviation), being only limited by the bead-to-bead difference. We calibrated several magnets - magnetic beads configurations, covering a force range from ~50 fN to ~60 pN. In addition, for the presented configurations, we provide a table with the mathematical expressions that describe the force as a function of the magnets position.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugen Ostrofet
- Junior Research Group 2, Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research, Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Hartmannstr. 14, 91052, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Flávia Stal Papini
- Junior Research Group 2, Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research, Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Hartmannstr. 14, 91052, Erlangen, Germany
| | - David Dulin
- Junior Research Group 2, Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research, Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Hartmannstr. 14, 91052, Erlangen, Germany.
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Yang H, Li Z, Si W, Lin K, Ma J, Li K, Sun L, Sha J, Chen Y. Identification of Single Nucleotides by a Tiny Charged Solid-State Nanopore. J Phys Chem B 2018; 122:7929-7935. [PMID: 30047733 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.8b06056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Discrimination of single nucleotides by a nanopore remains a challenge because of the minor difference among the four types of single nucleotides. Here, the blockade currents induced by the translocation of single nucleotides through a 1.8 nm diameter silicon nitride nanopore have been measured. It is found that the single nucleotides are driven through the nanopore by an electroosmotic flow instead of electrophoretic force when a bias voltage is applied. The blockade currents for the four types of single nucleotides are unique and differentiable, following the order of the nucleotide volume. Also, the dwell time for each single nucleotide can last for several hundred microseconds with the advantage of the electroosmotic flow, which is helpful for single nucleotide identification. The dwell-time distributions are found to obey the first-passage time distribution from the 1D Fokker-Planck equation, from which the velocity and diffusion constant of each nucleotide can be deduced. Interestingly, the larger nucleotide is found to translocate faster than the smaller one inside the nanopore because the larger nucleotide has a larger surface area, which may produce larger drag force induced by the electroosmotic flow, which is validated by molecular dynamics simulations.
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25
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Kar A, Jones N, Arat NÖ, Fishel R, Griffith JD. Long repeating (TTAGGG) n single-stranded DNA self-condenses into compact beaded filaments stabilized by G-quadruplex formation. J Biol Chem 2018; 293:9473-9485. [PMID: 29674319 PMCID: PMC6005428 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra118.002158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2018] [Revised: 04/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Conformations adopted by long stretches of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) are of central interest in understanding the architecture of replication forks, R loops, and other structures generated during DNA metabolism in vivo This is particularly so if the ssDNA consists of short nucleotide repeats. Such studies have been hampered by the lack of defined substrates greater than ∼150 nt and the absence of high-resolution biophysical approaches. Here we describe the generation of very long ssDNA consisting of the mammalian telomeric repeat (5'-TTAGGG-3') n , as well as the interrogation of its structure by EM and single-molecule magnetic tweezers (smMT). This repeat is of particular interest because it contains a run of three contiguous guanine residues capable of forming G quartets as ssDNA. Fluorescent-dye exclusion assays confirmed that this G-strand ssDNA forms ubiquitous G-quadruplex folds. EM revealed thick bead-like filaments that condensed the DNA ∼12-fold. The bead-like structures were 5 and 8 nm in diameter and linked by thin filaments. The G-strand ssDNA displayed initial stability to smMT force extension that ultimately released in steps that were multiples ∼28 nm at forces between 6 and 12 pN, well below the >20 pN required to unravel G-quadruplexes. Most smMT steps were consistent with the disruption of the beads seen by EM. Binding by RAD51 distinctively altered the force extension properties of the G-strand ssDNA, suggesting a stochastic G-quadruplex-dependent condensation model that is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anirban Kar
- From the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
| | - Nathan Jones
- the Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio 43210
- the Interdisciplinary Biophysics Graduate Program, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, and
| | - N Özlem Arat
- From the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
- the Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Richard Fishel
- the Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio 43210,
- the Interdisciplinary Biophysics Graduate Program, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, and
| | - Jack D Griffith
- From the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599,
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26
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Dulin D, Arnold JJ, van Laar T, Oh HS, Lee C, Perkins AL, Harki DA, Depken M, Cameron CE, Dekker NH. Signatures of Nucleotide Analog Incorporation by an RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase Revealed Using High-Throughput Magnetic Tweezers. Cell Rep 2018; 21:1063-1076. [PMID: 29069588 PMCID: PMC5670035 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2017.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2017] [Revised: 09/20/2017] [Accepted: 10/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA viruses pose a threat to public health that is exacerbated by the dearth of antiviral therapeutics. The RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) holds promise as a broad-spectrum, therapeutic target because of the conserved nature of the nucleotide-substrate-binding and catalytic sites. Conventional, quantitative, kinetic analysis of antiviral ribonucleotides monitors one or a few incorporation events. Here, we use a high-throughput magnetic tweezers platform to monitor the elongation dynamics of a prototypical RdRp over thousands of nucleotide-addition cycles in the absence and presence of a suite of nucleotide analog inhibitors. We observe multiple RdRp-RNA elongation complexes; only a subset of which are competent for analog utilization. Incorporation of a pyrazine-carboxamide nucleotide analog, T-1106, leads to RdRp backtracking. This analysis reveals a mechanism of action for this antiviral ribonucleotide that is corroborated by cellular studies. We propose that induced backtracking represents a distinct mechanistic class of antiviral ribonucleotides. Several unique conformational states of an elongating RdRp exist Only one conformation incorporates nucleotide analogs with therapeutic potential An analog thought to be a chain terminator actually promotes RdRp backtracking Distinctive behavior of backtrack-inducing analog on virus variants in cell culture
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Affiliation(s)
- David Dulin
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Van der Maasweg 9, 2629 HZ Delft, the Netherlands; Junior Research Group 2, Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research, Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Hartmannstr. 14, 91052 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Jamie J Arnold
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Theo van Laar
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Van der Maasweg 9, 2629 HZ Delft, the Netherlands
| | - Hyung-Suk Oh
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Cheri Lee
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Angela L Perkins
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Daniel A Harki
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Martin Depken
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Van der Maasweg 9, 2629 HZ Delft, the Netherlands.
| | - Craig E Cameron
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
| | - Nynke H Dekker
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Van der Maasweg 9, 2629 HZ Delft, the Netherlands.
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27
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Kriegel F, Vanderlinden W, Nicolaus T, Kardinal A, Lipfert J. Measuring Single-Molecule Twist and Torque in Multiplexed Magnetic Tweezers. Methods Mol Biol 2018; 1814:75-98. [PMID: 29956228 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-8591-3_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Magnetic tweezers permit application of precisely calibrated stretching forces to nucleic acid molecules tethered between a surface and superparamagnetic beads. In addition, magnetic tweezers can control the tethers' twist. Here, we focus on recent extensions of the technique that expand the capabilities of conventional magnetic tweezers by enabling direct measurements of single-molecule torque and twist. Magnetic torque tweezers (MTT) still control the DNA or RNA tether's twist, but directly measure molecular torque by monitoring changes in the equilibrium rotation angle upon overwinding and underwinding of the tether. In freely orbiting magnetic tweezers (FOMT), one end of the tether is allowed to rotate freely, while still applying stretching forces and monitoring rotation angle. Both MTT and FOMT have provided unique insights into the mechanical properties, structural transitions, and interactions of DNA and RNA. Here, we provide step-by-step protocols to carry out FOMT and MTT measurements. In particular, we focus on multiplexed measurements, i.e., measurements that record data for multiple nucleic acid tethers at the same time, to improve statistics and to facilitate the observation of rare events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franziska Kriegel
- Department of Physics, Nanosystems Initiative Munich, and Center for Nanoscience, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Willem Vanderlinden
- Department of Physics, Nanosystems Initiative Munich, and Center for Nanoscience, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.,Division of Molecular Imaging and Photonics, Department of Chemistry, KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Thomas Nicolaus
- Department of Physics, Nanosystems Initiative Munich, and Center for Nanoscience, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Angelika Kardinal
- Department of Physics, Nanosystems Initiative Munich, and Center for Nanoscience, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Jan Lipfert
- Department of Physics, Nanosystems Initiative Munich, and Center for Nanoscience, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
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28
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Eeftens JM, Bisht S, Kerssemakers J, Kschonsak M, Haering CH, Dekker C. Real-time detection of condensin-driven DNA compaction reveals a multistep binding mechanism. EMBO J 2017; 36:3448-3457. [PMID: 29118001 PMCID: PMC5709735 DOI: 10.15252/embj.201797596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2017] [Revised: 10/18/2017] [Accepted: 10/19/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Condensin, a conserved member of the SMC protein family of ring-shaped multi-subunit protein complexes, is essential for structuring and compacting chromosomes. Despite its key role, its molecular mechanism has remained largely unknown. Here, we employ single-molecule magnetic tweezers to measure, in real time, the compaction of individual DNA molecules by the budding yeast condensin complex. We show that compaction can proceed in large steps, driving DNA molecules into a fully condensed state against forces of up to 2 pN. Compaction can be reversed by applying high forces or adding buffer of high ionic strength. While condensin can stably bind DNA in the absence of ATP, ATP hydrolysis by the SMC subunits is required for rendering the association salt insensitive and for the subsequent compaction process. Our results indicate that the condensin reaction cycle involves two distinct steps, where condensin first binds DNA through electrostatic interactions before using ATP hydrolysis to encircle the DNA topologically within its ring structure, which initiates DNA compaction. The finding that both binding modes are essential for its DNA compaction activity has important implications for understanding the mechanism of chromosome compaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorine M Eeftens
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Shveta Bisht
- Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit, Structural and Computational Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jacob Kerssemakers
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Marc Kschonsak
- Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit, Structural and Computational Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christian H Haering
- Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit, Structural and Computational Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Cees Dekker
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands
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29
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Kriegel F, Ermann N, Forbes R, Dulin D, Dekker NH, Lipfert J. Probing the salt dependence of the torsional stiffness of DNA by multiplexed magnetic torque tweezers. Nucleic Acids Res 2017; 45:5920-5929. [PMID: 28460037 PMCID: PMC5449586 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkx280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2017] [Accepted: 04/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The mechanical properties of DNA fundamentally constrain and enable the storage and transmission of genetic information and its use in DNA nanotechnology. Many properties of DNA depend on the ionic environment due to its highly charged backbone. In particular, both theoretical analyses and direct single-molecule experiments have shown its bending stiffness to depend on salt concentration. In contrast, the salt-dependence of the twist stiffness of DNA is much less explored. Here, we employ optimized multiplexed magnetic torque tweezers to study the torsional stiffness of DNA under varying salt conditions as a function of stretching force. At low forces (<3 pN), the effective torsional stiffness is ∼10% smaller for high salt conditions (500 mM NaCl or 10 mM MgCl2) compared to lower salt concentrations (20 mM NaCl and 100 mM NaCl). These differences, however, can be accounted for by taking into account the known salt dependence of the bending stiffness. In addition, the measured high-force (6.5 pN) torsional stiffness values of C = 103 ± 4 nm are identical, within experimental errors, for all tested salt concentration, suggesting that the intrinsic torsional stiffness of DNA does not depend on salt.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franziska Kriegel
- Department of Physics, Nanosystems Initiative Munich, and Center for Nanoscience, LMU Munich, Amalienstrasse 54, 80799 Munich, Germany
| | - Niklas Ermann
- Department of Physics, Nanosystems Initiative Munich, and Center for Nanoscience, LMU Munich, Amalienstrasse 54, 80799 Munich, Germany
| | - Ruaridh Forbes
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Van der Maasweg 9, 2629 HZ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - David Dulin
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Van der Maasweg 9, 2629 HZ Delft, The Netherlands.,Junior Research Group 2, Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Hartmannstrasse 14, 91052 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Nynke H Dekker
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Van der Maasweg 9, 2629 HZ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Jan Lipfert
- Department of Physics, Nanosystems Initiative Munich, and Center for Nanoscience, LMU Munich, Amalienstrasse 54, 80799 Munich, Germany
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30
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Burnham DR, Nijholt B, De Vlaminck I, Quan J, Yusufzai T, Dekker C. Annealing helicase HARP closes RPA-stabilized DNA bubbles non-processively. Nucleic Acids Res 2017; 45:4687-4695. [PMID: 28334870 PMCID: PMC5416776 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkx147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2016] [Accepted: 02/27/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
We investigate the mechanistic nature of the Snf2 family protein HARP, mutations of which are responsible for Schimke immuno-osseous dysplasia. Using a single-molecule magnetic tweezers assay, we construct RPA-stabilized DNA bubbles within torsionally constrained DNA to investigate the annealing action of HARP on a physiologically relevant substrate. We find that HARP closes RPA-stabilized bubbles in a slow reaction, taking on the order of tens of minutes for ∼600 bp of DNA to be re-annealed. The data indicate that DNA re-anneals through the removal of RPA, which is observed as clear steps in the bubble-closing traces. The dependence of the closing rate on both ionic strength and HARP concentration indicates that removal of RPA occurs via an association-dissociation mechanism where HARP does not remain associated with the DNA. The enzyme exhibits classical Michaelis–Menten kinetics and acts cooperatively with a Hill coefficient of 3 ± 1. Our work also allows the determination of some important features of RPA-bubble structures at low supercoiling, including the existence of multiple bubbles and that RPA molecules are mis-registered on the two strands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel R Burnham
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Delft, 2629 HZ, The Netherlands
| | - Bas Nijholt
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Delft, 2629 HZ, The Netherlands
| | - Iwijn De Vlaminck
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Delft, 2629 HZ, The Netherlands
| | - Jinhua Quan
- Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Timur Yusufzai
- Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Cees Dekker
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Delft, 2629 HZ, The Netherlands
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31
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Single molecule high-throughput footprinting of small and large DNA ligands. Nat Commun 2017; 8:304. [PMID: 28824174 PMCID: PMC5563512 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-00379-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2016] [Accepted: 06/20/2017] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Most DNA processes are governed by molecular interactions that take place in a sequence-specific manner. Determining the sequence selectivity of DNA ligands is still a challenge, particularly for small drugs where labeling or sequencing methods do not perform well. Here, we present a fast and accurate method based on parallelized single molecule magnetic tweezers to detect the sequence selectivity and characterize the thermodynamics and kinetics of binding in a single assay. Mechanical manipulation of DNA hairpins with an engineered sequence is used to detect ligand binding as blocking events during DNA unzipping, allowing determination of ligand selectivity both for small drugs and large proteins with nearly base-pair resolution in an unbiased fashion. The assay allows investigation of subtle details such as the effect of flanking sequences or binding cooperativity. Unzipping assays on hairpin substrates with an optimized flat free energy landscape containing all binding motifs allows determination of the ligand mechanical footprint, recognition site, and binding orientation. Mapping the sequence specificity of DNA ligands remains a challenge, particularly for small drugs. Here the authors develop a parallelized single molecule magnetic tweezers approach using engineered DNA hairpins that can detect sequence selectivity, thermodynamics and kinetics of binding for small drugs and large proteins.
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32
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CENP-A and H3 Nucleosomes Display a Similar Stability to Force-Mediated Disassembly. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0165078. [PMID: 27820823 PMCID: PMC5098787 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0165078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2016] [Accepted: 10/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Centromere-specific nucleosomes are a central feature of the kinetochore complex during mitosis, in which microtubules exert pulling and pushing forces upon the centromere. CENP-A nucleosomes have been assumed to be structurally unique, thereby providing resilience under tension relative to their H3 canonical counterparts. Here, we directly test this hypothesis by subjecting CENP-A and H3 octameric nucleosomes, assembled on random or on centromeric DNA sequences, to varying amounts of applied force by using single-molecule magnetic tweezers. We monitor individual disassembly events of CENP-A and H3 nucleosomes. Regardless of the DNA sequence, the force-mediated disassembly experiments for CENP-A and H3 nucleosomes demonstrate similar rupture forces, life time residency and disassembly steps. From these experiments, we conclude that CENP-A does not, by itself, contribute unique structural features to the nucleosome that lead to a significant resistance against force-mediated disruption. The data present insights into the mechanistic basis for how CENP-A nucleosomes might contribute to the structural foundation of the centromere in vivo.
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33
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Dulin D, Cui TJ, Cnossen J, Docter MW, Lipfert J, Dekker NH. High Spatiotemporal-Resolution Magnetic Tweezers: Calibration and Applications for DNA Dynamics. Biophys J 2016; 109:2113-25. [PMID: 26588570 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2015.10.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2015] [Revised: 10/05/2015] [Accepted: 10/13/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The observation of biological processes at the molecular scale in real time requires high spatial and temporal resolution. Magnetic tweezers are straightforward to implement, free of radiation or photodamage, and provide ample multiplexing capability, but their spatiotemporal resolution has lagged behind that of other single-molecule manipulation techniques, notably optical tweezers and AFM. Here, we present, to our knowledge, a new high-resolution magnetic tweezers apparatus. We systematically characterize the achievable spatiotemporal resolution for both incoherent and coherent light sources, different types and sizes of beads, and different types and lengths of tethered molecules. Using a bright coherent laser source for illumination and tracking at 6 kHz, we resolve 3 Å steps with a 1 s period for surface-melted beads and 5 Å steps with a 0.5 s period for double-stranded-dsDNA-tethered beads, in good agreement with a model of stochastic bead motion in the magnetic tweezers. We demonstrate how this instrument can be used to monitor the opening and closing of a DNA hairpin on millisecond timescales in real time, together with attendant changes in the hairpin dynamics upon the addition of deoxythymidine triphosphate. Our approach opens up the possibility of observing biological events at submillisecond timescales with subnanometer resolution using camera-based detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Dulin
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands.
| | - Tao Ju Cui
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Jelmer Cnossen
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Margreet W Docter
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Jan Lipfert
- Department of Physics, Nanosystems Initiative Munich and Center for Nanoscience, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Nynke H Dekker
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands.
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34
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Popa I, Rivas-Pardo JA, Eckels EC, Echelman DJ, Badilla CL, Valle-Orero J, Fernández JM. A HaloTag Anchored Ruler for Week-Long Studies of Protein Dynamics. J Am Chem Soc 2016; 138:10546-53. [PMID: 27409974 PMCID: PMC5510598 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.6b05429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Under physiological conditions, protein oxidation and misfolding occur with very low probability and on long times scales. Single-molecule techniques provide the ability to distinguish between properly folded and damaged proteins that are otherwise masked in ensemble measurements. However, at physiological conditions these rare events occur with a time constant of several hours, inaccessible to current single-molecule approaches. Here we present a magnetic-tweezers-based technique that allows, for the first time, the study of folding of single proteins during week-long experiments. This technique combines HaloTag anchoring, sub-micrometer positioning of magnets, and an active correction of the focal drift. Using this technique and protein L as a molecular template, we generate a magnet law by correlating the distance between the magnet and the measuring paramagnetic bead with unfolding/folding steps. We demonstrate that, using this magnet law, we can accurately measure the dynamics of proteins over a wide range of forces, with minimal dispersion from bead to bead. We also show that the force calibration remains invariant over week-long experiments applied to the same single proteins. The approach demonstrated in this Article opens new, exciting ways to examine proteins on the "human" time scale and establishes magnetic tweezers as a valuable technique to study low-probability events that occur during protein folding under force.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ionel Popa
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University , 1212 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, New York 10027, United States
| | - Jaime Andrés Rivas-Pardo
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University , 1212 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, New York 10027, United States
| | - Edward C Eckels
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University , 1212 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, New York 10027, United States
| | - Daniel J Echelman
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University , 1212 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, New York 10027, United States
| | - Carmen L Badilla
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University , 1212 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, New York 10027, United States
| | - Jessica Valle-Orero
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University , 1212 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, New York 10027, United States
| | - Julio M Fernández
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University , 1212 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, New York 10027, United States
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35
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Jones ND, Lopez MA, Hanne J, Peake MB, Lee JB, Fishel R, Yoder KE. Retroviral intasomes search for a target DNA by 1D diffusion which rarely results in integration. Nat Commun 2016; 7:11409. [PMID: 27108531 PMCID: PMC4848512 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms11409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2015] [Accepted: 03/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Retroviruses must integrate their linear viral cDNA into the host genome for a productive infection. Integration is catalysed by the retrovirus-encoded integrase (IN), which forms a tetramer or octamer complex with the viral cDNA long terminal repeat (LTR) ends termed an intasome. IN removes two 3'-nucleotides from both LTR ends and catalyses strand transfer of the recessed 3'-hydroxyls into the target DNA separated by 4-6 bp. Host DNA repair restores the resulting 5'-Flap and single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) gap. Here we have used multiple single molecule imaging tools to determine that the prototype foamy virus (PFV) retroviral intasome searches for an integration site by one-dimensional (1D) rotation-coupled diffusion along DNA. Once a target site is identified, the time between PFV strand transfer events is 470 ms. The majority of PFV intasome search events were non-productive. These observations identify new dynamic IN functions and suggest that target site-selection limits retroviral integration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan D Jones
- Department of Molecular Virology, Immunology and Medical Genetics, The Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA.,The Interdisciplinary Biophysics Graduate Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
| | - Miguel A Lopez
- Department of Molecular Virology, Immunology and Medical Genetics, The Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
| | - Jeungphill Hanne
- Department of Molecular Virology, Immunology and Medical Genetics, The Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
| | - Mitchell B Peake
- Department of Molecular Virology, Immunology and Medical Genetics, The Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
| | - Jong-Bong Lee
- Department of Physics, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang 790-784, Korea.,Interdisciplinary Bioscience and Bioengineering, POSTECH, Pohang 790-784, Korea
| | - Richard Fishel
- Department of Molecular Virology, Immunology and Medical Genetics, The Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA.,The Interdisciplinary Biophysics Graduate Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA.,Department of Physics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
| | - Kristine E Yoder
- Department of Molecular Virology, Immunology and Medical Genetics, The Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
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36
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Abstract
In all organisms, DNA molecules are tightly compacted into a dynamic 3D nucleoprotein complex. In bacteria, this compaction is governed by the family of nucleoid-associated proteins (NAPs). Under conditions of stress and starvation, an NAP called Dps (DNA-binding protein from starved cells) becomes highly up-regulated and can massively reorganize the bacterial chromosome. Although static structures of Dps-DNA complexes have been documented, little is known about the dynamics of their assembly. Here, we use fluorescence microscopy and magnetic-tweezers measurements to resolve the process of DNA compaction by Dps. Real-time in vitro studies demonstrated a highly cooperative process of Dps binding characterized by an abrupt collapse of the DNA extension, even under applied tension. Surprisingly, we also discovered a reproducible hysteresis in the process of compaction and decompaction of the Dps-DNA complex. This hysteresis is extremely stable over hour-long timescales despite the rapid binding and dissociation rates of Dps. A modified Ising model is successfully applied to fit these kinetic features. We find that long-lived hysteresis arises naturally as a consequence of protein cooperativity in large complexes and provides a useful mechanism for cells to adopt unique epigenetic states.
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37
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Duboc C, Graves ET, Strick TR. Simple calibration of TIR field depth using the supercoiling response of DNA. Methods 2016; 105:56-61. [PMID: 27038746 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2016.03.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2016] [Accepted: 03/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The combination of single-molecule fluorescence and nanomanipulation techniques into a single experimental platform enables one to carry out correlative analysis of the composition and the activity of complex, multicomponent molecular systems. Here we describe implementation and calibration of such a combined system allowing simultaneous single-molecule force spectroscopy and fluorescence imaging of proteins acting on the DNA using magnetic trapping coupled with fluorescence excitation based on a Total Internal Reflection (TIR), or evanescent, field. We propose a simple and robust in situ method for calibration of the TIR field depth against the mechanical properties of nanomanipulated DNA, and which is made possible by the fact that the magnetic bead used to trap and nanomanipulate DNA and measure its conformation also exhibits autofluorescence in the TIR field. Indeed, the fact that the bead size is on the 1-micron scale does not preclude sensitive probing of an intensity field which decays exponentially on the 0.1micron-scale. We demonstrate the usefulness of this approach by mapping out TIR field depth as a function of the angle of incidence of the illuminating laser at the glass-water interface and showing that one recovers the expected theoretical relationship between field depth and angle of incidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille Duboc
- Institut Jacques Monod, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, University of Paris Diderot and Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Evan T Graves
- Institut Jacques Monod, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, University of Paris Diderot and Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Terence R Strick
- Institut Jacques Monod, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, University of Paris Diderot and Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France; Ecole Normale Supérieure, Institut de Biologie de l'ENS (iBENS), INSERM, CNRS, PSL Research University, Paris, France.
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38
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Untangling reaction pathways through modern approaches to high-throughput single-molecule force-spectroscopy experiments. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2015; 34:116-22. [PMID: 26434413 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2015.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2015] [Revised: 08/06/2015] [Accepted: 08/10/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Single-molecule experiments provide a unique means for real-time observation of the activity of individual biomolecular machines. Through such techniques, insights into the mechanics of for example, polymerases, helicases, and packaging motors have been gleaned. Here we describe the recent advances in single-molecule force spectroscopy instrumentation that have facilitated high-throughput acquisition at high spatiotemporal resolution. The large datasets attained by such methods can capture rare but important events, and contain information regarding stochastic behaviors covering many orders of magnitude in time. We further discuss analysis of such data sets, and with a special focus on the pause states described in the general literature on RNA polymerase pausing we compare and contrast the signatures of different reaction pathways.
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39
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Eeftens JM, van der Torre J, Burnham DR, Dekker C. Copper-free click chemistry for attachment of biomolecules in magnetic tweezers. BMC BIOPHYSICS 2015; 8:9. [PMID: 26413268 PMCID: PMC4582843 DOI: 10.1186/s13628-015-0023-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2015] [Accepted: 09/16/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Single-molecule techniques have proven to be an excellent approach for quantitatively studying DNA-protein interactions at the single-molecule level. In magnetic tweezers, a force is applied to a biopolymer that is anchored between a glass surface and a magnetic bead. Whereas the relevant force regime for many biological processes is above 20pN, problems arise at these higher forces, since the molecule of interest can detach from the attachment points at the surface or the bead. Whereas many recipes for attachment of biopolymers have been developed, most methods do not suffice, as the molecules break at high force, or the attachment chemistry leads to nonspecific cross reactions with proteins. RESULTS Here, we demonstrate a novel attachment method using copper-free click chemistry, where a DBCO-tagged DNA molecule is bound to an azide-functionalized surface. We use this new technique to covalently attach DNA to a flow cell surface. We show that this technique results in covalently linked tethers that are torsionally constrained and withstand very high forces (>100pN) in magnetic tweezers. CONCLUSIONS This novel anchoring strategy using copper-free click chemistry allows to specifically and covalently link biomolecules, and conduct high-force single-molecule experiments. Excitingly, this advance opens up the possibility for single-molecule experiments on DNA-protein complexes and molecules that are taken directly from cell lysate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorine M Eeftens
- Department of Bionanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Jaco van der Torre
- Department of Bionanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Daniel R Burnham
- Department of Bionanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Cees Dekker
- Department of Bionanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft, The Netherlands
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40
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Le S, Liu R, Lim CT, Yan J. Uncovering mechanosensing mechanisms at the single protein level using magnetic tweezers. Methods 2015; 94:13-8. [PMID: 26318089 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2015.08.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2015] [Revised: 08/01/2015] [Accepted: 08/25/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Mechanosensing of the micro-environments has been shown to be essential for cell survival, growth, differentiation and migration. The mechanosensing pathways are mediated by a set of mechanosensitive proteins located at focal adhesion and cell-cell adherens junctions as well as in the cytoskeleton network. Here we review the applications of magnetic tweezers on elucidating the molecular mechanisms of the mechanosensing proteins. The scope of this review includes the principles of the magnetic tweezers technology, theoretical analysis of force-dependent stability and interaction of mechanosensing proteins, and recent findings obtained using magnetic tweezers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shimin Le
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117411, Singapore; Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117542, Singapore; Centre for Bioimaging Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117546, Singapore
| | - Ruchuan Liu
- Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117542, Singapore; College of Physics, Chongqing University, Chongqing 401331, China
| | - Chwee Teck Lim
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117411, Singapore; Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117575, Singapore; Department of Mechanical Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117575, Singapore.
| | - Jie Yan
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117411, Singapore; Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117542, Singapore; Centre for Bioimaging Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117546, Singapore.
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41
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Muñoz R, Aguilar Sandoval F, Wilson CAM, Melo F. Pulling on super paramagnetic beads with micro cantilevers: single molecule mechanical assay application. Phys Biol 2015. [PMID: 26200136 DOI: 10.1088/1478-3975/12/4/046011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
This paper demonstrates that it is possible to trap and release a super paramagnetic micro bead by fixing three super paramagnetic micro beads in a triangular array at the sensitive end of a micro cantilever, and by simply switching on/off an external magnetic field. To provide evidence of this principle we trap a micro bead that is attached to the free end of single DNA molecule and that has been previously fixed at the other end to a glass surface, using the standard sample preparation protocol of magnetic tweezers assays. The switching process is reversible which preserves the integrity of the tethered molecule, and a local force applied over the tethered bead excludes the neighbouring beads from the magnetic trap. We have developed a quadrature phase interferometer which is able to perform under fluid environments to accurately measure small deflections, which permits the exploration of DNA elasticity. Our results agree with measurements from magnetic tweezer assays performed under similar conditions. Furthermore, compared to the magnetic tweezer methodology, the combination of the magnetic trap with a suitable measurement system for cantilever deflection, allows for the exploration of a wide range of forces using a local method that has an improved temporal resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romina Muñoz
- Departamento de Física, Facultad de Ciencia, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Av. Ecuador 3493, Estación Central, Santiago, Chile
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42
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van Oene MM, Dickinson LE, Pedaci F, Köber M, Dulin D, Lipfert J, Dekker NH. Biological magnetometry: torque on superparamagnetic beads in magnetic fields. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2015; 114:218301. [PMID: 26066460 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.114.218301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Superparamagnetic beads are widely used in biochemistry and single-molecule biophysics, but the nature of the anisotropy that enables the application of torques remains controversial. To quantitatively investigate the torques experienced by superparamagnetic particles, we use a biological motor to rotate beads in a magnetic field and demonstrate that the underlying potential is π periodic. In addition, we tether a bead to a single DNA molecule and show that the angular trap stiffness increases nonlinearly with magnetic field strength. Our results indicate that the superparamagnetic beads' anisotropy derives from a nonuniform intrabead distribution of superparamagnetic nanoparticles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maarten M van Oene
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Lorentzweg 1, 2628 CJ Delft, Netherlands
| | - Laura E Dickinson
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Lorentzweg 1, 2628 CJ Delft, Netherlands
| | - Francesco Pedaci
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Lorentzweg 1, 2628 CJ Delft, Netherlands
- Department of Single-Molecule Biophysics, Centre de Biochimie Structurale, UMR 5048 CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Mariana Köber
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Lorentzweg 1, 2628 CJ Delft, Netherlands
| | - David Dulin
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Lorentzweg 1, 2628 CJ Delft, Netherlands
| | - Jan Lipfert
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Lorentzweg 1, 2628 CJ Delft, Netherlands
- Department of Physics, Nanosystems Initiative Munich, and Center for NanoScience, Ludwig-Maximilian-University, Amalienstrasse 54, 80799 Munich, Germany
| | - Nynke H Dekker
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Lorentzweg 1, 2628 CJ Delft, Netherlands
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43
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Meng H, Andresen K, van Noort J. Quantitative analysis of single-molecule force spectroscopy on folded chromatin fibers. Nucleic Acids Res 2015; 43:3578-90. [PMID: 25779043 PMCID: PMC4402534 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkv215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2014] [Accepted: 03/03/2015] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Single-molecule techniques allow for picoNewton manipulation and nanometer accuracy measurements of single chromatin fibers. However, the complexity of the data, the heterogeneity of the composition of individual fibers and the relatively large fluctuations in extension of the fibers complicate a structural interpretation of such force-extension curves. Here we introduce a statistical mechanics model that quantitatively describes the extension of individual fibers in response to force on a per nucleosome basis. Four nucleosome conformations can be distinguished when pulling a chromatin fiber apart. A novel, transient conformation is introduced that coexists with single wrapped nucleosomes between 3 and 7 pN. Comparison of force-extension curves between single nucleosomes and chromatin fibers shows that embedding nucleosomes in a fiber stabilizes the nucleosome by 10 kBT. Chromatin fibers with 20- and 50-bp linker DNA follow a different unfolding pathway. These results have implications for accessibility of DNA in fully folded and partially unwrapped chromatin fibers and are vital for understanding force unfolding experiments on nucleosome arrays.
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Affiliation(s)
- He Meng
- Biological and Soft Matter Physics, Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Kurt Andresen
- Department of Physics, Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, PA 17325, USA
| | - John van Noort
- Biological and Soft Matter Physics, Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
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44
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Constructing a magnetic tweezers to monitor RNA translocation at the single-molecule level. Methods Mol Biol 2015; 1259:257-73. [PMID: 25579591 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-2214-7_16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Single-molecule methods have become an invaluable tool in the investigation of the mechanisms of nucleic-acid motors. Magnetic tweezers is a single-molecule manipulation technique that permits the real-time measurement of enzyme activities on single nucleic-acid molecules at high-resolution, high-throughput, and inherently constant force. Here, we describe several aspects of the implementation of magnetic tweezers, with special emphasis on the construction of a simple magnetic trap and, in particular, on the detailed description of image analysis methods to measure the extension changes in nucleic-acid molecules induced by protein activity. Finally, we carefully describe the steps involved in performing a full magnetic tweezers experiment.
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45
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Yu Z, Dulin D, Cnossen J, Köber M, van Oene MM, Ordu O, Berghuis BA, Hensgens T, Lipfert J, Dekker NH. A force calibration standard for magnetic tweezers. THE REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS 2014; 85:123114. [PMID: 25554279 DOI: 10.1063/1.4904148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
To study the behavior of biological macromolecules and enzymatic reactions under force, advances in single-molecule force spectroscopy have proven instrumental. Magnetic tweezers form one of the most powerful of these techniques, due to their overall simplicity, non-invasive character, potential for high throughput measurements, and large force range. Drawbacks of magnetic tweezers, however, are that accurate determination of the applied forces can be challenging for short biomolecules at high forces and very time-consuming for long tethers at low forces below ∼1 piconewton. Here, we address these drawbacks by presenting a calibration standard for magnetic tweezers consisting of measured forces for four magnet configurations. Each such configuration is calibrated for two commonly employed commercially available magnetic microspheres. We calculate forces in both time and spectral domains by analyzing bead fluctuations. The resulting calibration curves, validated through the use of different algorithms that yield close agreement in their determination of the applied forces, span a range from 100 piconewtons down to tens of femtonewtons. These generalized force calibrations will serve as a convenient resource for magnetic tweezers users and diminish variations between different experimental configurations or laboratories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongbo Yu
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology, Lorentzweg 1, 2628 CJ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - David Dulin
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology, Lorentzweg 1, 2628 CJ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Jelmer Cnossen
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology, Lorentzweg 1, 2628 CJ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Mariana Köber
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology, Lorentzweg 1, 2628 CJ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Maarten M van Oene
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology, Lorentzweg 1, 2628 CJ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Orkide Ordu
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology, Lorentzweg 1, 2628 CJ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Bojk A Berghuis
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology, Lorentzweg 1, 2628 CJ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Toivo Hensgens
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology, Lorentzweg 1, 2628 CJ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Jan Lipfert
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology, Lorentzweg 1, 2628 CJ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Nynke H Dekker
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology, Lorentzweg 1, 2628 CJ Delft, The Netherlands
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46
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Coexistence of twisted, plectonemic, and melted DNA in small topological domains. Biophys J 2014; 106:1174-81. [PMID: 24606941 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2014.01.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2013] [Revised: 01/13/2014] [Accepted: 01/13/2014] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
DNA responds to small changes in force and torque by over- or undertwisting, forming plectonemes, and/or melting bubbles. Although transitions between either twisted and plectonemic conformations or twisted and melted conformations have been described as first-order phase transitions, we report here a broadening of these transitions when the size of a topological domain spans several kilobasepairs. Magnetic tweezers measurements indicate the coexistence of three conformations at subpicoNewton force and linking number densities ∼-0.06. We present a statistical physics model for DNA domains of several kilobasepairs by calculating the full partition function that describes this three-state coexistence. Real-time analysis of short DNA tethers at constant force and torque shows discrete levels of extension, representing discontinuous changes in the size of the melting bubble, which should reflect the underlying DNA sequence. Our results provide a comprehensive picture of the structure of underwound DNA at low force and torque and could have important consequences for various biological processes, in particular those that depend on local DNA melting, such as the initiation of replication and transcription.
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47
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Burnham DR, De Vlaminck I, Henighan T, Dekker C. Skewed brownian fluctuations in single-molecule magnetic tweezers. PLoS One 2014; 9:e108271. [PMID: 25265383 PMCID: PMC4180755 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0108271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2014] [Accepted: 08/26/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Measurements in magnetic tweezers rely upon precise determination of the position of a magnetic microsphere. Fluctuations in the position due to Brownian motion allows calculation of the applied force, enabling deduction of the force-extension response function for a single DNA molecule that is attached to the microsphere. The standard approach relies upon using the mean of position fluctuations, which is valid when the microsphere axial position fluctuations obey a normal distribution. However, here we demonstrate that nearby surfaces and the non-linear elasticity of DNA can skew the distribution. Through experiment and simulations, we show that such a skewing leads to inaccurate position measurements which significantly affect the extracted DNA extension and mechanical properties, leading to up to two-fold errors in measured DNA persistence length. We develop a simple, robust and easily implemented method to correct for such mismeasurements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel R. Burnham
- Delft University of Technology, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Department of Bionanoscience, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Iwijn De Vlaminck
- Delft University of Technology, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Department of Bionanoscience, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Thomas Henighan
- Delft University of Technology, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Department of Bionanoscience, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Cees Dekker
- Delft University of Technology, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Department of Bionanoscience, Delft, The Netherlands
- * E-mail:
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48
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Janissen R, Berghuis BA, Dulin D, Wink M, van Laar T, Dekker NH. Invincible DNA tethers: covalent DNA anchoring for enhanced temporal and force stability in magnetic tweezers experiments. Nucleic Acids Res 2014; 42:e137. [PMID: 25140010 PMCID: PMC4191378 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gku677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Magnetic tweezers are a powerful single-molecule technique that allows real-time quantitative investigation of biomolecular processes under applied force. High pulling forces exceeding tens of picoNewtons may be required, e.g. to probe the force range of proteins that actively transcribe or package the genome. Frequently, however, the application of such forces decreases the sample lifetime, hindering data acquisition. To provide experimentally viable sample lifetimes in the face of high pulling forces, we have designed a novel anchoring strategy for DNA in magnetic tweezers. Our approach, which exploits covalent functionalization based on heterobifunctional poly(ethylene glycol) crosslinkers, allows us to strongly tether DNA while simultaneously suppressing undesirable non-specific adhesion. A complete force and lifetime characterization of these covalently anchored DNA-tethers demonstrates that, compared to more commonly employed anchoring strategies, they withstand 3-fold higher pulling forces (up to 150 pN) and exhibit up to 200-fold higher lifetimes (exceeding 24 h at a constant force of 150 pN). This advance makes it possible to apply the full range of biologically relevant force scales to biomolecular processes, and its straightforward implementation should extend its reach to a multitude of applications in the field of single-molecule force spectroscopy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Janissen
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology, Lorentzweg 1, 2628 CJ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Bojk A Berghuis
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology, Lorentzweg 1, 2628 CJ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - David Dulin
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology, Lorentzweg 1, 2628 CJ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Max Wink
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology, Lorentzweg 1, 2628 CJ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Theo van Laar
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology, Lorentzweg 1, 2628 CJ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Nynke H Dekker
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology, Lorentzweg 1, 2628 CJ Delft, The Netherlands
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49
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Sun L, Svedhem S, Akerman B. Construction and modeling of concatemeric DNA multilayers on a planar surface as monitored by QCM-D and SPR. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2014; 30:8432-8441. [PMID: 24971872 DOI: 10.1021/la500716d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
The sequential hybridization of a 534 base pair DNA concatemer layer was monitored by QCM-D and SPR, and the QCM-D data were analyzed by Voigt viscoelastic models. The results show that Voigt-based modeling gives a good description of the experimental data but only if shear viscosity and elasticity are allowed to depend on the shear frequency. The derived layer thickness, shear viscosity and elasticity of the growing film give a representation of the DNA film in agreement with known bulk properties of DNA, and reveal a maximum in film viscosity when the molecules in the layer contain 75 base pairs. The experimental data during construction of a 3084 bp DNA concatemer layer were compared to predictions of the QCM-D response of a 1 μm thick film of rod-like polymers. A predicted nonmonotonous variation of dissipation with frequency (added mass) is in qualitative agreement with the experiments, but with a quantitative disagreement which likely reflects that the flexibility of such long DNA molecules is not included in the model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Sun
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and ‡Department of Applied Physics, Chalmers University of Technology , 412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden
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50
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Robison AD, Finkelstein IJ. High-throughput single-molecule studies of protein-DNA interactions. FEBS Lett 2014; 588:3539-46. [PMID: 24859086 DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2014.05.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2014] [Revised: 05/11/2014] [Accepted: 05/12/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Fluorescence and force-based single-molecule studies of protein-nucleic acid interactions continue to shed critical insights into many aspects of DNA and RNA processing. As single-molecule assays are inherently low-throughput, obtaining statistically relevant datasets remains a major challenge. Additionally, most fluorescence-based single-molecule particle-tracking assays are limited to observing fluorescent proteins that are in the low-nanomolar range, as spurious background signals predominate at higher fluorophore concentrations. These technical limitations have traditionally limited the types of questions that could be addressed via single-molecule methods. In this review, we describe new approaches for high-throughput and high-concentration single-molecule biochemical studies. We conclude with a discussion of outstanding challenges for the single-molecule biologist and how these challenges can be tackled to further approach the biochemical complexity of the cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron D Robison
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States
| | - Ilya J Finkelstein
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States; Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States; Center for Systems and Synthetic Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States.
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