{"title":"Single-molecule magnetic tweezers to probe the equilibrium dynamics of individual proteins at physiologically relevant forces and timescales","authors":"Rafael Tapia-Rojo, Marc Mora, Sergi Garcia-Manyes","doi":"10.1038/s41596-024-00965-5","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"The reversible unfolding and refolding of proteins is a regulatory mechanism of tissue elasticity and signalling used by cells to sense and adapt to extracellular and intracellular mechanical forces. However, most of these proteins exhibit low mechanical stability, posing technical challenges to the characterization of their conformational dynamics under force. Here, we detail step-by-step instructions for conducting single-protein nanomechanical experiments using ultra-stable magnetic tweezers, which enable the measurement of the equilibrium conformational dynamics of single proteins under physiologically relevant low forces applied over biologically relevant timescales. We report the basic principles determining the functioning of the magnetic tweezer instrument, review the protein design strategy and the fluid chamber preparation and detail the procedure to acquire and analyze the unfolding and refolding trajectories of individual proteins under force. This technique adds to the toolbox of single-molecule nanomechanical techniques and will be of particular interest to those interested in proteins involved in mechanosensing and mechanotransduction. The procedure takes 4 d to complete, plus an additional 6 d for protein cloning and production, requiring basic expertise in molecular biology, surface chemistry and data analysis. Ultra-stable magnetic tweezers allow measuring individual protein dynamics in equilibrium under physiologically relevant pulling forces and over timescales of days to weeks, enabling high-precision molecular studies in mechanobiology.","PeriodicalId":18901,"journal":{"name":"Nature Protocols","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":13.1000,"publicationDate":"2024-03-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Nature Protocols","FirstCategoryId":"99","ListUrlMain":"https://www.nature.com/articles/s41596-024-00965-5","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"BIOCHEMICAL RESEARCH METHODS","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
The reversible unfolding and refolding of proteins is a regulatory mechanism of tissue elasticity and signalling used by cells to sense and adapt to extracellular and intracellular mechanical forces. However, most of these proteins exhibit low mechanical stability, posing technical challenges to the characterization of their conformational dynamics under force. Here, we detail step-by-step instructions for conducting single-protein nanomechanical experiments using ultra-stable magnetic tweezers, which enable the measurement of the equilibrium conformational dynamics of single proteins under physiologically relevant low forces applied over biologically relevant timescales. We report the basic principles determining the functioning of the magnetic tweezer instrument, review the protein design strategy and the fluid chamber preparation and detail the procedure to acquire and analyze the unfolding and refolding trajectories of individual proteins under force. This technique adds to the toolbox of single-molecule nanomechanical techniques and will be of particular interest to those interested in proteins involved in mechanosensing and mechanotransduction. The procedure takes 4 d to complete, plus an additional 6 d for protein cloning and production, requiring basic expertise in molecular biology, surface chemistry and data analysis. Ultra-stable magnetic tweezers allow measuring individual protein dynamics in equilibrium under physiologically relevant pulling forces and over timescales of days to weeks, enabling high-precision molecular studies in mechanobiology.
期刊介绍:
Nature Protocols focuses on publishing protocols used to address significant biological and biomedical science research questions, including methods grounded in physics and chemistry with practical applications to biological problems. The journal caters to a primary audience of research scientists and, as such, exclusively publishes protocols with research applications. Protocols primarily aimed at influencing patient management and treatment decisions are not featured.
The specific techniques covered encompass a wide range, including but not limited to: Biochemistry, Cell biology, Cell culture, Chemical modification, Computational biology, Developmental biology, Epigenomics, Genetic analysis, Genetic modification, Genomics, Imaging, Immunology, Isolation, purification, and separation, Lipidomics, Metabolomics, Microbiology, Model organisms, Nanotechnology, Neuroscience, Nucleic-acid-based molecular biology, Pharmacology, Plant biology, Protein analysis, Proteomics, Spectroscopy, Structural biology, Synthetic chemistry, Tissue culture, Toxicology, and Virology.