We were happy to read last week that LUMICKS was recognized for our efforts in the field of dynamic single-molecule research! A recent review in ACS Publications examined the current advances in single-molecule research, highlighting the impact of force spectroscopy techniques to biology, including optical tweezers, magnetic tweezers, and atomic force microscopy.
The review gives an overview of the sample preparation for each method, their options, and published applications associated with the respective approach. Importantly, it stresses the essential role of techniques like optical tweezers in assessing transient and rare events at a single-molecule level, thus complementing the shortcomings of bulk assessments.
We are especially glad to see that several of the mentioned applications were performed using the C-Trap® Optical Tweezers – Fluorescence & Label-free Microscopy. The author highlights experiments performed with our versatile optical trap specifications and configurations, including the single, dual, and quadruple trapping alternatives.
We are proud to have been involved in collaborations with multiple research groups that have yielded groundbreaking results in different biological fields. The review mentions several of these, including assessments of:
- Protein droplets
- Motor protein translocation on nucleic acids
- Protein folding and unfolding
- Microtubule formation
- DNA transcription by RNA polymerases
The progress in making single-molecule techniques more accessible and easy to use for researchers in different fields of biology is clear. The review concludes by acknowledging the power of the C-Trap to simultaneously manipulate and visualize biomolecules, extracting force data that reveal the essential properties of biomolecules. To round up, it also recognizes the value of our acoustic force spectroscopy (AFS®) instrument in measuring single molecules in a high throughput manner.
You can read the full article published in ACS Publications titled “Force spectroscopy on single molecules of life”.
Are you interested in using dynamic single-molecule tools like the C-Trap® or the AFS® for your research? Please feel free to contact us for more information, a demo, or a quote.
