单分子力谱测量方法及其在生物学中的应用

Single molecule force spectroscopy:methods and applications in biology

单分子力谱是近二十年时间逐步发展起来的技术,其在研究单个生物分子的性质上有着独特的优势,可直接测量出分子的多重状态及其分布情况。因此,单分子力谱技术在生物学研究中得到了广泛应用。介绍了三种最常见的单分子力谱实验手段:光镊、磁镊和原子力显微镜,以及它们在生物学研究中的应用。同时以生物素与链霉亲和素相互作用研究为例,具体介绍了单分子力谱实验数据的理论分析。同时阐述了单分子力谱技术存在的一些问题以及相对应的解决方法,并展望了单分子力谱技术的发展方向。

Single molecule measurements have transformed our view of biomolecules. Owing to the ability of monitoring the activity of individual molecules, we now see them as uniquely structured, fluctuating molecules that stochastically transition between frequently many substrates, as two molecules do not follow precisely the same trajectory. Indeed, it is this discovery of critical yet short-lived substrates that were often missed in ensemble measurements that has perhaps contributed most to the better understanding of biomolecular functioning resulting from single molecule experiments. In this paper, we give a review on the three major techniques of single molecule force spectroscopy, and their applications especially in biology. The single molecular study of biotin-streptavidin interactions is introduced as a successful example. The problems and prospects of the single molecule force spectroscopy are discussed, too.