Abstract
We introduce a new method to measure the elastic constants of globular proteins. Gold nanoparticles, tethered to a gold surface by the protein, are driven by an ac electric field while their displacement is synchronously detected by evanescent wave scattering, yielding the mechanical response function of the macromolecular sample in the frequency domain. We apply the method to measure the stiffening of an enzyme upon binding its substrate.
- Received 9 August 2010
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.105.238104
The American Physical Society
Synopsis
Mechanical proteins
Published 10 December 2010
New techniques measure mechanical properties of proteins without damaging them.
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