Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Stretching short biopolymers using optical tweezers.

Y L Sun1, Z P Luo, K N An

  • 1Biomechanics Laboratory, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Mayo Clinic/Mayo Foundation, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA.

Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications
|August 25, 2001
PubMed
Summary

Optical tweezers can now measure short biopolymers. A new method accurately determines the stiffness of procollagen I molecules, advancing single-molecule biophysics research.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

[Efficacy and safety of pixavir marboxil for uncomplicated influenza in adults: a phase Ⅱ, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial].

Zhonghua jie he he hu xi za zhi = Zhonghua jiehe he huxi zazhi = Chinese journal of tuberculosis and respiratory diseases·2026
Same author

[Diagnostic value and clinical significance of matrix metalloproteinase-7, gamma-glutamate transferase, and liver stiffness measurement with ultrasound elastography in children with biliary atresia].

Zhonghua gan zang bing za zhi = Zhonghua ganzangbing zazhi = Chinese journal of hepatology·2026
Same author

Identification of a universal three-body s-wave resonance in <sup>10</sup>He.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

[A comparative study on perioperative outcomes and learning curves of domestic robot-assisted versus Da Vinci Xi robot-assisted partial nephrectomy].

Zhonghua wai ke za zhi [Chinese journal of surgery]·2026
Same author

Author Correction: An asymmetric fission island driven by shell effects in light fragments.

Nature·2025
Same author

An asymmetric fission island driven by shell effects in light fragments.

Nature·2025

Area of Science:

  • Biophysics
  • Molecular Biology
  • Biotechnology

Background:

  • Optical tweezers are valuable for single-molecule studies.
  • Existing methods struggle to measure short biopolymers accurately.
  • Procollagen I stiffness is crucial for understanding tissue properties.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Develop a novel optical tweezers method for short biopolymers.
  • Accurately measure the mechanical properties of short biopolymers.
  • Determine the stiffness of procollagen I molecules.

Main Methods:

  • Analyzed optical signals from beads in various configurations.
  • Developed a new protocol for stretching biopolymers as short as 300 nm.
  • Applied the new method to procollagen I samples.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • Successfully stretched and measured biopolymers down to 300 nm.
  • Quantified the stiffness of individual procollagen I molecules.
  • Demonstrated the efficacy of the novel optical tweezers approach.

Conclusions:

  • The new optical tweezers method overcomes limitations for short biopolymers.
  • This technique enables precise stiffness measurements of short molecules like procollagen I.
  • Advancements in single-molecule analysis for biophysical and biomedical applications.