Force Microscopy Techniques and Applications

Stoichiometric binding of Cyclophilin-A to the HIV-1 capsid modulates its mechanoelastic properties

This study shows that CypA binding to HIV-1 capsids affects their mechanical properties, with higher stoichiometry increasing brittleness and reducing deformability.

Single-Molecule Methods to Investigate Mechanisms of Transcription by RNA Polymerase of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Massively Parallel Bead-Free Force Spectroscopy with Fluorescence

This paper introduces Tether Force Spectroscopy (TFS), a bead-free single-molecule force spectroscopy method that enables high-throughput, high-resolution measurements of biomolecular conformational dynamics with internally calibrated forces.

STED/AFM as a tool to investigate mechanical and adhesive properties of migrating keratinocytes

This study uses STED/AFM to measure E-cadherin binding and mechanical properties in migrating keratinocytes, showing functional E-cadherin remains available for re-engagement during wound healing.

RNA virus polymerase-helicase coupling enables rapid elongation throughduplex RNA

This study shows that the coronavirus helicase enhances RNA synthesis through duplex RNA by tenfold by forming a directional complex with the polymerase, revealing an active coupling mechanism that modulates replication dynamics.

Deep Learning-Enhanced TopoStats for the Automated Quantification of DNA and Complex Biomolecular Structures

The paper introduces an enhanced TopoStats tool using deep learning to automate and quantify AFM data, enabling detailed structural analysis of biomolecules.

PS Poly: A chain tracing algorithm to determine persistence length and categorize complex polymers by shape

PS Poly is an algorithm that automatically determines persistence length and categorizes polymer shapes from single-molecule images.

Submolecular-scale Hairpin DNA Folding Dynamics Studied by High-Speed AFM with Optical Tweezers

This study combines optical tweezers with high-speed AFM to visualize DNA folding dynamics, revealing reversible structural changes and metastable intermediates.

Measuring bridging forces in protein-DNA condensates

This paper measures bridging forces in protein-DNA condensates using optical tweezers and shows that the ssDNA-to-dsDNA ratio affects force magnitude.

A Comparative Nanomechanical Study of Antibody and Nanobody Binding to SARS-CoV-2 Variants

This study compares the mechanical stability of antibody and nanobody interactions with SARS-CoV-2 variants using nanomechanical simulations.

Three-dimensional single-particle reconstruction by atomic force microscopy allows rapid structural-based validation of recombinant SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein from a single topology image

This paper develops a method to perform three-dimensional single-particle reconstruction using AFM for rapid structural validation of proteins, demonstrated on SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein.

Single-molecule Mechanostructural Fingerprinting of Nucleic Acid Conformations

The paper introduces a DNA nanoswitch calipers platform to simultaneously measure structural and mechanical properties of biomolecules, demonstrating its application on telomeric DNA G-quadruplexes.

Near equilibrium unbinding of streptavidin/biotin using single molecule acoustic force spectroscopy.

This study uses acoustic force spectroscopy to measure streptavidin-biotin bond dissociation rates near equilibrium, aligning with bulk measurements and expanding the dynamic range of single molecule force spectroscopy.

Automated Registration and Clustering for Enhanced Localization Atomic Force Microscopy of Flexible Membrane Proteins

This paper introduces a deep learning algorithm to improve lateral resolution of AFM images of flexible membrane proteins by clustering and registering images based on protein conformation.

Resolving interface structure and local internal mechanics of mitotic chromosomes

This study uses AFM to analyze the structure and micromechanics of mitotic chromosomes, revealing fractal properties and elastic recovery behavior.

Ultrastructural viscoelastic behavior of fibrillar collagen identified by AFM Nano-Rheometry and direct indentation

This study uses AFM nano-rheometry to analyze the viscoelastic properties of collagen fibrils at the nanoscale, revealing differences between gap and overlap regions.

Frequency-dependent cellular microrheology with pyramidal atomic force microscopy probes

This paper develops a framework for using standard pyramidal AFM probes to measure frequency-dependent mechanical properties of cells, validating it with hydrogels and cytoskeletal inhibitor-treated cells.

Probing nanomechanics by direct indentation using Nanoendoscopy-AFM reveals the nuclear elasticity transition in cancer cells

This study uses Nanoendoscopy-AFM to directly measure nuclear elasticity in cancer cells, finding increased elasticity under serum depletion and decreased elasticity with TGF-β treatment.

Dynamic instability in nanoscale lipid domains revealed by contact mode high speed AFM: effect of amyloid-β and cholesterol content

This study uses high-speed AFM to examine how amyloid-β and cholesterol affect the dynamic stability of lipid domains in model membranes.

AFMfit : Deciphering conformational dynamics in AFM data using fast nonlinear NMA and FFT-based search

AFMfit fits atomic models to AFM data to infer conformational dynamics of single molecules using fast nonlinear NMA and FFT-based search.

Enhanced Visualization of Influenza A Virus Entry Using Virus-View Atomic Force Microscopy

This study uses ViViD-AFM to visualize influenza A virus entry into cells, revealing nanoscale interactions and endocytosis mechanisms.

Flexible fitting to infer atomistic-precision models of large-amplitude conformational dynamics in biomolecules from high-speed atomic force microscopy imaging

The paper introduces NMFF-AFM, a method to infer atomistic models of biomolecular dynamics from HS-AFM imaging data, and integrates it into BioAFMviewer for analysis and visualization.

Force-dependent Reorganization and Mechanostability of the Izumo1:Juno Complex Involved in Human Fertilization

The paper investigates the mechanical properties of the Izumo1:Juno complex using force spectroscopy and simulations, revealing its mechanostability and how mutations affect it.

Probing protein-protein interactions with drag flow: A case study of F-actin and tropomyosin

The paper introduces a drag flow method to study protein-protein interactions, showing that low forces detach tropomyosin clusters from actin filaments, with detachment rates depending on isoform and force magnitude.

DNA polymerase actively and sequentially displaces single-stranded DNA-binding proteins

This study investigates how DNA polymerase displaces SSBs during replication, showing sequential displacement and the role of SSB saturation in replication efficiency.

Nanotribology of Viruses Reveals Their Adhesion Strength and Modality of Motion on Surfaces

This study investigates the adhesion strength and motion of viruses on surfaces, finding they roll with less force than rigid gold nanoparticles.

Under or Over? Tracing Complex DNA Structures with High-Resolution Atomic Force Microscopy

This paper introduces a high-throughput AFM-based pipeline using deep learning to trace DNA topology, revealing new insights into DNA structures and their interactions.

Unravelling Antibody-Induced Mechanical Stability of Antigen: Insights from Single-Molecule Studies

This study investigates how IgM antibodies affect the mechanical stability of protein L using single-molecule techniques, revealing concentration-dependent stability increases and altered unfolding pathways.

Scanning probe microscopy elucidates gelation and rejuvenation of biomolecular condensates

This paper uses scanning probe microscopy to study the mechanical properties of biomolecular condensates, revealing their gelation and rejuvenation processes.

A look beyond topography: transient phenomena of Escherichia coli cell division captured with high-speed in-line force mapping

This paper uses high-speed in-line force mapping to study dynamic mechanical properties of living E. coli during division, revealing transient phenomena like localized stiffening and membrane pore formation.