title: Protease power strokes force proteins to unfold.
abstract: ATP-dependent proteases degrade proteins in the cytosol of cells. Two recent articles, by Aubin-Tam et al. (2011) and Maillard et al. (2011 [this issue]), use single-molecule optical tweezers to show directly that these molecular machines use the energy derived from ATP hydrolysis to mechanically unfold and translocate its substrates into the proteolytic chamber.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA.
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Alegre-Cebollada
authors.forename: Pallav
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kosuri
authors.forename: Julio M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Fernández