title: Deciphering the Molecular Mechanism of the Bacteriophage φ29 DNA Packaging Motor.
abstract: The past decade has seen an explosion in the use of single-molecule approaches to study complex biological processes. One such approach-optical trapping-is particularly well suited for investigating molecular motors, a diverse group of macromolecular complexes that convert chemical energy into mechanical work, thus playing key roles in virtually every aspect of cellular life. Here we describe how to use high-resolution optical tweezers to investigate the mechanism of the bacteriophage φ29 DNA packaging motor, a ring-shaped ATPase responsible for genome packing during viral assembly. This system illustrates how to use single-molecule techniques to uncover novel, often unexpected, principles of motor operation.
authors.affiliation: The Rockefeller University, Box #242, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA. shixinliu@rockefeller.edu.
authors.forename: Shixin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tafoya
authors.affiliation: University of California and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA. carlosb@berkeley.edu.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bustamante
mesh_terms: D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases / Q000378:metabolism; D001435:Bacteriophages / Q000502:physiology*; D004279:DNA, Viral; D057054:Molecular Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D052898:Optical Tweezers; D019065:Virus Assembly
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases
keywords: Molecular motor; Optical tweezers; Ring ATPase; Single-molecule manipulation; Viral DNA packaging