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Updated: Apr 17, 2026

Measurement of Force-Sensitive Protein Dynamics in Living Cells Using a Combination of Fluorescent Techniques
Published on: November 2, 2018
Force-induced remodelling of proteins and their complexes
Yun Chen1, Sheena E Radford1, David J Brockwell1
1Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK; School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK.
Abstract:
Force can drive conformational changes in proteins, as well as modulate their stability and the affinity of their complexes, allowing a mechanical input to be converted into a biochemical output. These properties have been utilised by nature and force is now recognised to be widely used at the cellular level. The effects of force on the biophysical properties of biological systems can be large and varied. As these effects are only apparent in the presence of force, studies on the same proteins using traditional ensemble biophysical methods can yield apparently conflicting results. Where appropriate, therefore, force measurements should be integrated with other experimental approaches to understand the physiological context of the system under study.
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