How Do We Know when Single-Molecule Force Spectroscopy Really Tests Single Bonds?

Overview

Journal Biophys J

Publisher Cell Press

Specialty Biophysics

Date 2018 May 10

PMID 29742396

Citations 21

Authors

Keith C Johnson

Wendy E Thomas

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Single-molecule force spectroscopy makes it possible to measure the mechanical strength of single noncovalent receptor-ligand-type bonds. A major challenge in this technique is to ensure that measurements reflect bonds between single biomolecules because the molecules cannot be directly observed. This perspective evaluates different methodologies for identifying and reducing the contribution of multiple molecule interactions to single-molecule measurements to help the reader design experiments or assess publications in the single-molecule force spectroscopy field. We apply our analysis to the large body of literature that purports to measure the strength of single bonds between biotin and streptavidin as a demonstration that measurements are only reproducible when the most reliable methods for ensuring single molecules are used.

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