Fabrication of various tip-size AFM probes for evaluating single-molecular retraction force between actin and anti-actin.
The authors fabricated a probe tip with various sizes and examined the size dependency of the probe tip on the distribution of retraction forces between actin and anti-actin. Probe tips of various sizes were fabricated by two-photon polymerization methods on a micro cantilever of an atomic force microscope (AFM). The authors succeeded in fabricating a spherical tip having a smooth surface and the tip size varied between phi 0.8 and 5.5 microm. Anti-actin was immobilized on the fabricated probe tips and force curves were measured against an actin-immobilized mica substrate by AFM to analyze the retraction forces. The histograms of retraction forces showed that the single-molecular retraction force between actin and anti-actin was ca. 350-400 pN. It was observed that the average retraction forces for each tip size correlated with the square of the tip radius.
Okada
Tomoko
T
School of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Tokyo University of Technology, Katakura, Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan. tomoko@bs.teu.ac.jp
Yamamoto
Yuji
Y
Sano
Masato
M
Muramatsu
Hiroshi
H
D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000538:Aluminum Silicates; D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000378:metabolism*; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force / Q000295:instrumentation*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism; D017785:Photons; D011108:Polymers; D011485:Protein Binding; D011817:Rabbits
D000199:Actins; D000538:Aluminum Silicates; D000906:Antibodies; D011108:Polymers; C011934:mica