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AKB: Biologische Physik
AKB 14: Molecular Motors
AKB 14.1: Hauptvortrag
Dienstag, 28. März 2006, 16:00–16:30, ZEU 255
Single-molecules at work - Deciphering the mechanism of a molecular motor — •Jens Michaelis1,2, Yann Chemla3, K. Aathavan3, Thorsten Hugel2,4, and Carlos Bustamante3 — 1LMU München, Department Chemie und Biochemie, 81377 München — 2Center for Nanoscience, CeNS, LMU München, 80539 München — 3UC Berkeley, Physics Department, Berkeley, USA — 4TU München, Zentralinstitut für Medizintechnik, 85748 Garching
Molecular motors are extremely complex and highly evolved nanometer-sized machineries that couple the free energy liberated by a chemical reaction to provide mechanical work. Details about this so called mechano-chemical coupling will not only further our understanding of biological phenomena, but also provide clues for constructing highly efficient nano-machines.
Here, we present our recent data from a viral protein-complex that drives the translocation of DNA into a protein shell, as part of the viral life-cycle.1 Single-molecule force spectroscopy allowed us to elucidate details of the mechano-chemical cycle and identify movement steps and coupling mechanism for this motor-complex. On the other hand, structure-function relationships can be tested using single-molecule fluorescence techniques.
1 Y. Chemla, K. Aathavan, J. Michaelis, S. Grimes, P. Jardine, D. Anderson und C. Bustamante, Mechanism of force generation of a viral DNA packaging motor, Cell 122, (2005), 683-692.