Simple horizontal magnetic tweezers for micromanipulation of single DNA molecules and DNA—protein complexes

We report the development of a simple-to-implement magnetic force transducer that can apply a wide range of piconewton (pN) scale forces on single DNA molecules and DNA—protein complexes in the horizontal plane. The resulting low-noise force-extension data enable very high-resolution detection of ch...

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Main Authors: Christopher P. McAndrew, Christopher Tyson, Joseph Zischkau, Patrick Mehl, Pamela L. Tuma, Ian L. Pegg, Abhijit Sarkar
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2016-01-01
Series:BioTechniques
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Online Access:https://www.future-science.com/doi/10.2144/000114369
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author Christopher P. McAndrew
Christopher Tyson
Joseph Zischkau
Patrick Mehl
Pamela L. Tuma
Ian L. Pegg
Abhijit Sarkar
author_facet Christopher P. McAndrew
Christopher Tyson
Joseph Zischkau
Patrick Mehl
Pamela L. Tuma
Ian L. Pegg
Abhijit Sarkar
author_sort Christopher P. McAndrew
collection DOAJ
description We report the development of a simple-to-implement magnetic force transducer that can apply a wide range of piconewton (pN) scale forces on single DNA molecules and DNA—protein complexes in the horizontal plane. The resulting low-noise force-extension data enable very high-resolution detection of changes in the DNA tether's extension: ∼0.05 pN in force and <10 nm change in extension. We have also verified that we can manipulate DNA in near equilibrium conditions through the wide range of forces by ramping the force from low to high and back again, and observing minimal hysteresis in the molecule's force response. Using a calibration technique based on Stokes' drag law, we have confirmed our force measurements from DNA force-extension experiments obtained using the fluctuation-dissipation theorem applied to transverse fluctuations of the magnetic microsphere. We present data on the force-distance characteristics of a DNA molecule complexed with histones. The results illustrate how the tweezers can be used to study DNA binding proteins at the single molecule level.
format Article
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issn 0736-6205
1940-9818
language English
publishDate 2016-01-01
publisher Taylor & Francis Group
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series BioTechniques
spelling doaj-art-3ca6bd1ff55245769c8b33664ded75612025-08-20T02:25:58ZengTaylor & Francis GroupBioTechniques0736-62051940-98182016-01-01601212710.2144/000114369Simple horizontal magnetic tweezers for micromanipulation of single DNA molecules and DNA—protein complexesChristopher P. McAndrew0Christopher Tyson1Joseph Zischkau2Patrick Mehl3Pamela L. Tuma4Ian L. Pegg5Abhijit Sarkar61Department of Physics, The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC2Vitreous State Laboratory, Washington, DC3Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA2Vitreous State Laboratory, Washington, DC4Department of Biology, The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC1Department of Physics, The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC1Department of Physics, The Catholic University of America, Washington, DCWe report the development of a simple-to-implement magnetic force transducer that can apply a wide range of piconewton (pN) scale forces on single DNA molecules and DNA—protein complexes in the horizontal plane. The resulting low-noise force-extension data enable very high-resolution detection of changes in the DNA tether's extension: ∼0.05 pN in force and <10 nm change in extension. We have also verified that we can manipulate DNA in near equilibrium conditions through the wide range of forces by ramping the force from low to high and back again, and observing minimal hysteresis in the molecule's force response. Using a calibration technique based on Stokes' drag law, we have confirmed our force measurements from DNA force-extension experiments obtained using the fluctuation-dissipation theorem applied to transverse fluctuations of the magnetic microsphere. We present data on the force-distance characteristics of a DNA molecule complexed with histones. The results illustrate how the tweezers can be used to study DNA binding proteins at the single molecule level.https://www.future-science.com/doi/10.2144/000114369single molecule—micromanipulationmagnetic tweezersdifferential measurementmagnetic trap
spellingShingle Christopher P. McAndrew
Christopher Tyson
Joseph Zischkau
Patrick Mehl
Pamela L. Tuma
Ian L. Pegg
Abhijit Sarkar
Simple horizontal magnetic tweezers for micromanipulation of single DNA molecules and DNA—protein complexes
BioTechniques
single molecule—micromanipulation
magnetic tweezers
differential measurement
magnetic trap
title Simple horizontal magnetic tweezers for micromanipulation of single DNA molecules and DNA—protein complexes
title_full Simple horizontal magnetic tweezers for micromanipulation of single DNA molecules and DNA—protein complexes
title_fullStr Simple horizontal magnetic tweezers for micromanipulation of single DNA molecules and DNA—protein complexes
title_full_unstemmed Simple horizontal magnetic tweezers for micromanipulation of single DNA molecules and DNA—protein complexes
title_short Simple horizontal magnetic tweezers for micromanipulation of single DNA molecules and DNA—protein complexes
title_sort simple horizontal magnetic tweezers for micromanipulation of single dna molecules and dna protein complexes
topic single molecule—micromanipulation
magnetic tweezers
differential measurement
magnetic trap
url https://www.future-science.com/doi/10.2144/000114369
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