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SUMMARY:Measuring Intermolecular Forces in Biology - Dr Erik Schffer\, Dre
 sden
DTSTART:20060324T141500Z
DTEND:20060324T151500Z
UID:TALK4651@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Duncan Simpson
DESCRIPTION:Intermolecular forces\, which include electrostatic\, van der 
 Waals\, and \nentropic interactions\, are key in many biological processes
 .  For \nexample\, motor proteins actively exert forces on cytoskeletal fi
 laments \nas they drive cell division or motility.  On the other hand\, \n
 mechanoreceptor molecules respond to forces exerted on cells by external \
 nstimuli.  We use a high-resolution\, three-dimensional optical tweezers \
 napparatus to measure intermolecular frictional and elastic forces that \n
 are central to two biological processes: (a) the frictional forces \nassoc
 iated with the electrostatically mediated diffusion of the \nkinesin-relat
 ed protein MCAK along microtubules\, and (b) the elastic \nforce necessary
  to deform the ankyrin-repeat domain thought to gate the \ntransduction ch
 annel of Drosophila mechanoreceptors.  In each case\, the \nmeasurements t
 est key hypotheses about how these proteins work to \nfulfill their cellul
 ar functions.\n
LOCATION:IRC in Superconductivity Seminar Room\, Cavendish Laboratory
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