title: Recovery of free energy branches in single molecule experiments.
abstract: We present a method for determining the free energy of coexisting states from irreversible work measurements. Our approach is based on a fluctuation relation that is valid for dissipative transformations in partially equilibrated systems. To illustrate the validity and usefulness of the approach, we use optical tweezers to determine the free energy branches of the native and unfolded states of a two-state molecule as a function of the pulling control parameter. We determine, within 0.6kBT accuracy, the transition point where the free energies of the native and the unfolded states are equal.
authors.affiliation: Programme d'Epigénomique, 523 Terrasses de l'Agora, 91034 Evry, France.
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Junier
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mossa
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Manosas
authors.forename: Felix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ritort