C-Trap

New C-Trap® Installed at the University at Buffalo

Blog posts

Study establishes molecular forces responsible for condensation of ribonucleoprotein-RNA complexes

Researchers investigated the molecular driving forces underlying the condensation and decondensation of ribonucleoproteins using the C-Trap™. Specifically, they showed that sequence-dependent features of the RNA and ribonucleoprotein molecules partially dictate phase transitions. These findings can help scientists further understand the properties underlying eukaryotic liquid-liquid phase separation, or formation of membrane-less…

j.yeh5 September 2019

Blog posts

New study evaluates the dynamics behind viral assembly at the single-molecule level using both C-Trap™ and AFS®

Researchers used the C-Trap™ optical tweezers – fluorescence microscopy system and acoustic force spectroscopy (AFS) to study the processes underlying viral assembly. The study evaluated the capsid formation and DNA condensation of virus-like particles (VLPs) at the single-molecule level and in real time. The results serve to expand our understanding…

j.yeh22 August 2019

Blog posts

First Dynamic Single-Molecule Summer School in China!

Yet another premiere! LUMICKS organized the very first Dynamic Single-Molecule Summer School at Tsinghua University in Beijing. During the three-day event, nineteen participants received in-depth training in both the theory and practice of dynamic single-molecule (DSM) techniques. Our application scientists dedicated the mornings for lectures on various topics involved in DSM…

j.yeh14 August 2019

Blog posts

New study resolves helicase dynamics and interactions during DNA replication using C-Trap^®

Researchers from Rockefeller University used a C-Trap® optical tweezers – fluorescence microscopy system to observe the behavior of the main component of the replisome – the eukaryotic CMG helicase – during DNA replication. The study offers exciting new insights into the interactions, processes, and structural plasticity associated with CMG during…

j.yeh26 July 2019

Blog posts

C-Trap™ & AFS™ installed at Tianjin University

LUMICKS is proud that Tianjin University, China, is now equipped with both a C-Trap® Optical Tweezers-Fluorescence Microscopy and AFS™ Parallel Single-Molecule Force Spectroscopy. The systems are installed in the State Key Laboratory of Precision Measurement Technology and Instruments. Both systems will contribute to the research on processes involved in protein unfolding pathways. First, the…

j.yeh19 July 2019

Blog posts

Researchers used u-Flux™ and optical tweezers to measure RecBCD activity

In a study performed at the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, researchers used our u-Flux™ laminar flow microfluidics system combined with optical tweezers to investigate the activity of the Escherichia coli enzyme RecBCD and its subunits. The paper titled “Synergy between RecBCD subunit is essential for efficient DNA unwinding” appeared…

j.yeh11 July 2019

Blog posts

Second C-Trap installed at TU Delft

Another exciting installation in the Netherlands! This time we installed the second C-Trap® Optical Tweezers-Fluorescence Microscopy in the Department of Bionanoscience at the TU Delft, a top tier Dutch university. The system was installed in the lab of Prof. Nynke Dekker. The Nynke Dekker Lab studies the cellular process involved…

j.yeh3 July 2019

Blog posts

Dynamic Single-Molecule Workshop at HQ Amsterdam

Last week, LUMICKS organized a successful Dynamic Single-Molecule Workshop at our headquarters in Amsterdam. Throughout the workshop, the participants explored different state-of-the-art single-molecule applications and attended various technology presentations and discussion. Also, Prof. Sander Tans (AMOLF) presented his studies with optical tweezers, analyzing a possible direct or indirect role of chaperone proteins in the folding…

j.yeh26 June 2019

Blog posts

Two papers give new insights on protein droplets using LUMICKS’ C-Trap™

Two new papers published at Physical Review Letters and Nature Communications give new insights on protein droplets. Congratulations to all the authors! Jawerth et al. developed a method to investigate the frequency-dependent rheology and surface tension of protein droplets. They used the C-Trap™ optical tweezers – fluorescence microscope to trap…

j.yeh31 May 2019

Blog posts

C-Trap^® SR installed at the National Institutes of Health (NIH)

A new C-Trap® SR was installed at the National Institutes of Health, Maryland, USA, in the labs of Prof. Antonina Roll-Mecak and Prof. Keir Neuman. The LUMICKS optical tweezers-STED nanoscopy system allows the user to visualize molecular interactions with super-resolution microscopy. The highly interdisciplinary group of Prof. Roll-Mecak works on unraveling the chemical and genetic complexity of the microtubule cytoskeleton, or "the tubulin code". The…