• Molecules and Cells
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.16-25
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• 2022

Mechanical forces play pivotal roles in regulating cell shape, function, and fate. Key players that govern the mechanobiological interplay are the mechanosensitive proteins found on cell membranes and in cytoskeleton. Their unique nanomechanics can be interrogated using single-molecule tweezers, which can apply controlled forces to the proteins and simultaneously measure the ensuing structural changes. Breakthroughs in high-resolution tweezers have enabled the routine monitoring of nanometer-scale, millisecond dynamics as a function of force. Undoubtedly, the advancement of structural biology will be further fueled by integrating static atomic-resolution structures and their dynamic changes and interactions observed with the force application techniques. In this minireview, we will introduce the general principles of single-molecule tweezers and their recent applications to the studies of force-bearing proteins, including the synaptic proteins that need to be categorized as mechanosensitive in a broad sense. We anticipate that the impact of nano-precision approaches in mechanobiology research will continue to grow in the future.

• BMB Reports
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• v.52 no.10
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• pp.589-594
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• 2019

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.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.33-40
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• 2022

The various DNA-protein interactions associated with the expression of genetic information involve double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) bending. Due to the importance of the formation of the dsDNA bending structure, dsDNA bending properties have long been investigated in the biophysics field. Conventionally, DNA bendability is characterized by innate averaging data from bulk experiments. The advent of single-molecule methods, such as atomic force microscopy, optical and magnetic tweezers, tethered particle motion, and single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer measurement, has provided valuable tools to investigate not only the static structures but also the dynamic properties of bent dsDNA. Here, we reviewed the single-molecule methods that have been used for investigating dsDNA bendability and new findings related to dsDNA bending. Single-molecule approaches are promising tools for revealing the unknown properties of dsDNA related to its bending, particularly in cells.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.123-128
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• 2013

The 'Dielectrophoretic Tweezers(DEP Tweezers)' can be used as a facile, economical toolkit for quantitative measurement of chemical and biological binding forces related to many biological interactions within a microfluidic device. Our experimental setup can probe the interaction between a single receptor molecule and its specific ligand. Immunoglobulin G(IgG) functionalized on polystyrene microspheres has been used to detect individual surface linked Staphylococcus protein A(SpA) molecules and to characterize the strength of the noncovalent IgG-SpA bond. It was measured and compared with the existing measurements. Measured single binding force of between Goat, Rabbit IgG and SpA were $17{\pm}7pN$, $74{\pm}16pN$. This work can be used to investigate several different ligand-receptor interactions and antigen-antibody interactions.