Structure-Based Derivation of Protein Folding Intermediates and Energies from Optical Tweezers.

ABSTRACT: Optical tweezers (OTs) measure the force-dependent time-resolved extension of a single macromolecule tethered between two trapped beads. From this measurement, it is possible to determine the folding intermediates, energies, and kinetics of the macromolecule. Previous data analysis generally has used the extension as a reaction coordinate to characterize the observed folding transitions. Despite its convenience, the extension poorly describes folding in the absence of force. Here, we chose the contour length of the unfolded polypeptide as a reaction coordinate and modeled the extensions of protein structures along their predicted folding pathways based on high-resolution structures of the proteins in their native states. We included the extension in our model to calculate the total extensi

SUBMITTER: Rebane AA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4724646 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature