The bioimaging facility is hosting a seminar about Optical Tweezers by Ann Mukhortava (LUMICKS) , Step into the Unresolved: Versatile Tools Towards Real-time Single-molecule Biology
Ann Mukhortava, Philipp Rauch, Gerrit Sitters and Andrea Candelli
- Date: September 3rd,
- Time: 15:00h
- Location: LBE / i06 – meetingroom ground floor
Abstract:
Biological processes performed by proteins interacting with and processing DNA and RNA are key to cell metabolism and life. Detailed insights into these processes provide essential information for understanding the molecular basis of life and the pathological conditions that develop when such processes go awry.
The next scientific breakthrough consists in the actual, direct, real-time observations and measurements of the individual mechanisms involved, in order to validate and complete the current biological models.
Single-molecule technologies offer an exciting opportunity to meet these challenges and to study protein function and activity in real-time and at the single-molecule level.
Here, we present our efforts for further enabling discoveries in the field of biology and biophysics using both the combination of optical tweezers with single-molecule fluorescence microscopy (C-Trap).
We show the latest applications of these technologies that can enhance our understanding not only in the field of DNA/RNA-protein interactions but also in the fields of molecular motors, protein folding/unfolding, cell membranes and genome structure and organization.
These experiments show that the technological advances in hybrid single-molecule methods can be turned into an easy-to-use and stable instrument that has the ability to open up new venues in many research areas.