"Single-molecule measurements of biomolecular nanomechanics"
Single-molecule techniques such as optical tweezers and fluorescence microscopy have revolutionized our understanding of biological macromolecules—specifically DNA, RNA, and proteins—providing new insights into their structural, mechanical, and dynamic properties. While DNA is known primarily as the carrier of genetic instructions of all living organisms, its mechanical properties have a critical effect on the proteins and protein assemblies that process the genome in the cell. In this talk I will discuss applications of single-molecule techniques on biomolecular mechanics, with a focus on our recent measurements of helicases and their sensitivity to DNA properties. Helicases are molecular machines that separate the strands of DNA duplexes and are essential components of the cellular machinery that maintains and repairs the genome. I will highlight our work developing ‘next generation’ single-molecule techniques that provide unprecedented access into the mechanisms of DNA-processing proteins. Time permitting, I will discuss new applications of these methods in probing the mechanical properties of sub-cellular structures such as protein condensates, which phase separate into liquid-like droplets inside the cell.