ABSTRACT
By combining optical tweezers-assisted dynamic force spectroscopy experiments with fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS), we demonstrate a new approach to reducing the data variance in measuring receptor-ligand interactions on a single molecule level by ensuring similar coating densities. Therefore, the carboxyfluorescein-labelled monophosphorylated peptide tau226-240[pThr231] is anchored on melamine resin beads and these beads are sorted by FACS to achieve a homogeneous surface coverage. To quantify the impact of the fluorescence dye on the bond parameters between the phosphorylated peptide and the corresponding phosphorylation specific anti-human tau monoclonal antibody HPT-104, we perform dynamic force spectroscopy and compare the results to data using unsorted beads covered with the non-fluorescence peptide analogue. Finally, we demonstrate that the data variance of the relative binding frequency is significantly decreased by a factor of 3.4 using pre-sorted colloids with a homogeneous ligand coating compared to using unsorted colloids.
Subject(s)
Antibodies, Monoclonal/chemistry , Biophysics/methods , Flow Cytometry/methods , Maleimides/chemistry , Peptide Fragments/chemistry , Spectrometry, Fluorescence , tau Proteins/chemistry , Antibodies, Monoclonal/immunology , Binding Sites , Ligands , Microspheres , Optical Tweezers , Peptide Fragments/immunology , Phosphorylation , tau Proteins/immunologyABSTRACT
Optical tweezers are experimental tools with extraordinary resolution in positioning (± 1 nm) a micron-sized colloid and in the measurement of forces (± 50 fN) acting on it-without any mechanical contact. This enables one to carry out a multitude of novel experiments in nano- and microfluidics, of which the following will be presented in this review: (i) forces within single pairs of colloids in media of varying concentration and valency of the surrounding ionic solution, (ii) measurements of the electrophoretic mobility of single colloids in different solvents (concentration, valency of the ionic solution and pH), (iii) similar experiments as in (i) with DNA-grafted colloids, (iv) the nonlinear response of single DNA-grafted colloids in shear flow and (v) the drag force on single colloids pulled through a polymer solution. The experiments will be described in detail and their analysis discussed.
