title: Exploring molecular motors and switches at the single-molecule level.
abstract: Single-molecule techniques have propelled an impressive number of biophysical studies during the last decade. From relatively simple video-microscopy techniques, to sophisticated manipulation and detection apparata, single-molecule techniques are capable of tracking the movements and the reaction trajectories of single enzymatic units. By observing microspheres attached to biomolecules it is possible to follow the motion of molecular motors, or to detect conformational "switching" induced by regulatory proteins. Micromanipulation tools like optical tweezers have been widely applied to understand the mechanisms of linear molecular motors, and have allowed the measurement of the elementary steps and the forces produced by several motor proteins, including myosin, kinesin, and dynein. New experimental assays based on magnetic or optical "wrenches," which are able to apply and detect torques on rotary motors and biopolymers, are opening new possibilities in this field. Here, established and emerging magneto-optical manipulation and video-tracking techniques are reviewed, in the perspective of single molecular motors and regulatory proteins studies.
authors.affiliation: L.E.N.S., Università degli Studi di Firenze, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (FI), Italy. capitan@lens.unifi.it
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Capitanio
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vanzi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Broggio
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cicchi
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Normanno
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Romano
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sacconi
authors.forename: F S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Pavone
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D004398:Dyneins / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D016547:Kinesins / Q000378:metabolism; D020409:Molecular Motor Proteins; D009218:Myosins / Q000378:metabolism; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods; D055095:Optics and Photonics / Q000295:instrumentation; D010316:Particle Size
chemical_list: D020409:Molecular Motor Proteins; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D009218:Myosins; D004398:Dyneins; D016547:Kinesins