CPM Seminar

Recent advances in single-molecule manipulation at room temperature offer new tools for the study of the mechanics of individual macromolecules and the dissociation kinetics of molecular complexes under physiological conditions. An overview of the biophysical setups used at University of Basel will be given. We have used force-measuring laser tweezers to probe the properties of single protein-DNA interactions. An introduction into the instrumental setup and some biological applications of optical tweezers will be given.

SPM-based dynamic force spectroscopy (DFS) allows new insights in the nature of the forced unbinding of non-covalent bonds between individual ligand-receptor pairs like, for example, DNA-DNA or antigen-antibody. These single molecule results allow a quantitative comparison with data from thermodynamic ensemble measurements.

SPM bio-cantilever arrays are new tools in the field of today's biosensors. This new approach allows the detection of single base pair mismatches in ssDNA-ssDNA interactions and the detection of protein-protein interactions. No labeling on the biological molecules used is needed and the interaction is detected by nano-mechanical motion.

Thursday, June 21st 2001, 15:00
Ernest Rutherford Physics Building, Boardroom (room 104)