Five challenges to bringing single-molecule force spectroscopy into living cells.

Dufrêne, Yves F; Evans, Evan; Engel, Andreas; Helenius, Jonne; Gaub, Hermann E; Müller, Daniel J · Nat Methods · 2011

basic_science · Level V

Where this comes from

Abstract

In recent years, single-molecule force spectroscopy techniques have been used to study how inter- and intramolecular interactions control the assembly and functional state of biomolecular machinery in vitro. Here we discuss the problems and challenges that need to be addressed to bring these technologies into living cells and to learn how cellular machinery is controlled in vivo.

Medical subject headings