Authors
M.C. Noom
B. van den Broek
J. van Mameren
G.J.L. Wuite
Date (dd-mm-yyyy)
2007
Title
Visualizing single DNA-bound proteins using DNA as a scanning probe
Journal
Nature Methods
Volume
4
Publication Year
2007
Pages
1031-1036
Issue number
12
Document type
Article
Abstract
Many biological processes involve enzymes moving along DNA. Such motion might be impeded by DNA-bound proteins or DNA supercoils. Current techniques are incapable of directly measuring forces that such 'roadblocks' might impose. We constructed a setup with four independently moveable optical traps, allowing us to manipulate two DNA molecules held between beads. By tightly wrapping one DNA around the other, we created a probe that can be scanned along the contour of the second DNA. We found that friction between the two polymers remains below 1 pN. Upon encountering DNA-bound proteins substantial friction forces are measured, allowing accurate localization of protein positions. Furthermore, these proteins remained associated at low probe tensions but could be driven off using forces greater than 20 pN. Finally, the full control of the orientation of two DNA molecules opens a wide range of experiments on proteins interacting with multiple DNA regions.
URL
go to publisher's site
Permalink
https://hdl.handle.net/11245/1.349752