Single Molecule Biology

Single molecule techniques, including single molecule fluorescence, optical tweezers, and scanning probe microscopy, allow for the manipulation and measurement of single biological molecules within a live cell or in culture. These approaches, amongst the most exciting tools available in biology today, offer powerful new ways to elucidate biological function, both in terms of revealing mechanisms of action on a molecular level as well as tracking the behaviour of molecules in living cells. This book provides the first complete and authoritative treatment of this rapidly emerging field, explicitly from a biological perspective. The contents are organized by biological system or molecule. Each chapter discusses insights that have been revealed about their mechanism, structure or function by single molecule techniques. Among the topics covered are enzymes, motor proteins, membrane channels, DNA, ribozymes, cytoskeletal proteins, and other key molecules of current interest. An introduction by the editor provides a concise review of key principles and an historical overview. The last section discusses applications in molecular diagnostics and drug discovery. * Organized by biological system or molecule. * Each chapter discusses insights into mechanism of action, structure, and function * Covers enzymes, motor proteins, membrane channels, DNA, ribozymes, etc. * Includes an introduction to key principles and an historical overview. * Discusses applications in molecular diagnostics and drug discovery. * Provides an expert's perspective on future developments.

A comprehensive volume that brings together authoritative overviews of single molecule science techniques from a biological perspective.

This is the first book solely devoted to single-molecule biochemistry and molecular biology. Authors were selected on the basis of their contribution to this new and exciting field, and were asked to focus more on the biological problems that can be approached using single-molecule techniques rather than on the techniques per se. It is thought that such techniques will eventually dominate the physical characterization of biologically important macromolecules.

Recent advances in single molecule science have presented a new branch of science: single molecule cellular biophysics, combining classical cell biology with cutting-edge single molecule biophysics. This textbook explains the essential elements of this new discipline, from the state-of-the-art single molecule techniques to real-world applications in unravelling the inner workings of the cell. Every effort has been made to ensure the text can be easily understood by students from both the physical and life sciences. Mathematical derivations are kept to a minimum whilst unnecessary biological terminology is avoided and text boxes provide readers from either background with additional information. 100 end-of-chapter exercises are divided into those aimed at physical sciences students, those aimed at life science students and those that can be tackled by students from both disciplines. The use of case studies and real research examples make this textbook indispensable for undergraduate students entering this exciting field.

Geared towards research scientists in structural and molecular biology, biochemistry, and biophysics, this manual will be useful to all who are interested in observing, manipulating and elucidating the molecular mechanisms and discrete properties of macromolecules.

Written by the leading experts in the field, this book describes the development and current state of the art in single molecule spectroscopy. The application of this technique, which started 1989, in physics, chemistry and biosciences is displayed.

This handbook describes experimental techniques to monitor and manipulate individual biomolecules, including fluorescence detection, atomic force microscopy, and optical and magnetic trapping. It includes single-molecule studies of physical properties of biomolecules such as folding, polymer physics of protein and DNA, enzymology and biochemistry, single molecules in the membrane, and single-molecule techniques in living cells.

Life scientists believe that life is driven, directed, and shaped by biomolecules working on their own or in concert. It is only in the last few decades that technological breakthroughs in sensitive fluorescence microscopy and single-molecule manipulation techniques have made it possible to observe and manipulate single biomolecules and measure their individual properties. The methodologies presented in Single Molecule Techniques: Methods and Protocols are being applied more and more to the study of biologically relevant molecules, such as DNA, DNA-binding proteins, and motor proteins, and are becoming commonplace in molecular biophysics, biochemistry, and molecular and cell biology. The aim of Single Molecule Techniques: Methods and Protocols is to provide a broad overview of single-molecule approaches applied to biomolecules on the basis of clear and concise protocols, including a solid introduction to the most widely used single-molecule techniques, such as optical tweezers, single-molecule fluorescence tools, atomic force microscopy, magnetic tweezers, and tethered particle motion. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular BiologyTM series format, chapters contain introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and notes on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and accessible, Single Molecule Techniques: Methods and Protocols serves as an ideal guide to scientists of all backgrounds and provides a broad and thorough overview of the exciting and still-emerging field of single-molecule biology.