Protein-protein unbinding induced by force: single-molecule studies
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Updated: Aug 18, 2026

Force Spectroscopy of Single Protein Molecules Using an Atomic Force Microscope
Published on: February 28, 2019
John W Weisel1, Henry Shuman, Rustem I Litvinov
1Department of Cell & Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia 19104-6058, USA. weisel@cellbio.med.upenn.edu
Abstract:
Experiments in which two specifically interacting protein molecules are dissociated by external force have yielded new insights into mechanisms involved in cell adhesion, leukocyte rolling, regulation of integrin activity, antigen-antibody interactions and other protein-mediated reactions contingent upon molecular recognition. Another important aspect of force-induced protein-protein unbinding studies is the new information being gleaned about the thermodynamics and kinetics of bond rupture.
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