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DNA Nanotubes as a Versatile Tool to Study Semiflexible Polymers
Published on: October 25, 2017
Life under tension: the relevance of force on biological polymers
Matthew T J Halma1,2, Longfu Xu1
1Department of Physics and Astronomy and LaserLab, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Abstract:
Optical tweezers have elucidated numerous biological processes, particularly by enabling the precise manipulation and measurement of tension. One question concerns the biological relevance of these experiments and the generalizability of these experiments to wider biological systems. Here, we categorize the applicability of the information garnered from optical tweezers in two distinct categories: the direct relevance of tension in biological systems, and what experiments under tension can tell us about biological systems, while these systems do not reach the same tension as the experiment, still, these artificial experimental systems reveal insights into the operations of biological machines and life processes.
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