Elasticity of Globular Proteins Measured from the ac Susceptibility

Authors

Yong Wang, University of Arkansas, FayettevilleFollow
Giovanni Zocchi, University of California, Los Angeles

Document Type

Article - Abstract Only

Publication Date

12-3-2010

Keywords

Mechanical Proteins, Internal Rheology, Enzyme Stiffness

Abstract

We introduce a new method to measure the elastic constants of globular proteins. Gold nanoparticles, tethered to a gold surface by the protein, are driven by an ac electric field while their displacement is synchronously detected by evanescent wave scattering, yielding the mechanical response function of the macromolecular sample in the frequency domain. We apply the method to measure the stiffening of an enzyme upon binding its substrate.

Citation

Wang, Y., & Zocchi, G. (2010). Elasticity of Globular Proteins Measured from the ac Susceptibility. Physical Review Letters, 105 (23), 238104. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.105.238104