Biomolecular Interactions
Keywords: surface modification, molecular recognition, atomic force microscopy, force measurements
In collaboration with Leiden University we study the structural and metabolic properties of polysaccharides that are present in the extracellular matrix and on the cell surface, using mainly confocal fluorescence imaging and atomic force microscopy (AFM). AFM is a versatile, powerful imaging tool that allows imaging features with subnanometer resolution in physiological environments.1 It also can be used to measure forces, to obtain information on single-molecule inter- and intramolecular interactions.2
Figure 1. Schematic representation of an experimental set-up to measure molecular interaction forces between a modified AFM probe and modified surfaces.
A key activity in this project is the surface modification of a) model surfaces with a variety of polysaccharides and b) AFM probes with receptor molecules.
The interactions between immobilized polysaccharides and receptor-coated AFM probes will be studied by force spectroscopy. Also living cells will be studied by confocal fluorescence spectroscopy and the use of miniature-sized cantilevers that are modified with different probe molecules.
References
1) Muller, D. J.; Janovjak, H.; Lehto, T.; Kuerschner, L.; Anderson, K., Prog. Biophys.Mol. Biol.2002, 79, 1-43; Fotiadis, D.; Scheuring, S.; Muller, S. A.; Engel, A.; Muller, D. J., Micron2002, 33, 385-397.
2) Zhuang, X. W.; Rief, M., Curr. Opin. Struct. Biol.2003, 13, 88-97. Rief, M.; Grubmuller, H., ChemPhysChem 2002, 3, 255-261.
Collaborations
Dr. T.H. Oosterkamp, Interface Physics Group (Leiden University)
Prof. H.P. Spaink, Molecular Cell Biology (Leiden University)
