Pracownie usługowo-badawcze

Usługi

Opis usług

Single-molecule studies enable us to capture fast processes and transient states that are often missed or obscured in bulk experiments, offering a complementary perspective to other biochemical and structural techniques. By bridging the gap between population-averaged methods and high-resolution structural approaches, single-molecule assays provide a unique approach to study biological phenomena. Our facility will be open for researchers seeking high-resolution insights into molecular mechanisms that govern life at the nanoscale.

The facility provides end-to-end support for researchers, including consultation on experimental design, hands-on assistance during experiment setup and execution, as well as support in data analysis and interpretation. Users have also the opportunity to perform the measurements independently.

Experimental Capabilities

The facility supports a wide range of single-molecule experiments, including (but not limited to):

• Measurement of the persistence length of biopolymers to understand their elasticity.
• Supercoiling studies to investigate the torsional properties of DNA.
• Force-dependent reaction kinetics, such as protein conformational changes under mechanical stress.
• The effect of ligands and cofactors on biomolecular interactions and conformations.
• Unzipping experiments on DNA or RNA strands.
• Quantification of inter- and intra-molecular forces, including bond rupture forces or enzymatic cleavage kinetics.
• Monitoring the activity of processive enzymes such as polymerases or helicases.
• Mechanics of DNA compaction, including chromatin unfolding studies.

Aparatura

Szczypce magnetyczne – Magnetic tweezers

In the magnetic tweezers assay, a molecule of interest is tethered between a glass slide and a micrometer-sized paramagnetic bead. A magnetic field gradient generated by the magnets above the sample applies force and torque to all tethered molecules. Using camera-based imaging, the position of the magnetic beads is detected, revealing the extension of the tethered samples. Simultaneously, the applied force is recorded allowing for the measurement of force-extension or time-extension dependencies with high temporal resolution.