Abstract
Molecular motors perform work in cells by moving in an ATP-dependent manner along filamentous tracks. In vitro, the mechanical action of such motor proteins can be investigated by attaching the molecules to surfaces in the so-called gliding or bead assays. Surface attachment protocols have to be used that do not interfere with the function of the molecule. Here, we describe a sandwich protocol that preserves functionality. The protocol can be used for a large variety of proteins, in particular kinesin motor proteins that are GFP-tagged.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Allen, R. D., Weiss, D. G., Hayden, J. H., Brown, D. T., Fujiwake, H., and Simpson, M. (1985) Gliding movement of and bidirectional transport along single native microtubules from squid axoplasm – Evidence for an active role of microtubules in cytoplasmic transport. Journal of Cell Biology 100, 1736–1752.
Vale, R. D., Schnapp, B. J., Reese, T. S., and Sheetz, M. P. (1985) Organelle, bead, and microtubule translocations promoted by soluble factors from the squid giant-axon. Cell 40, 559–569.
Howard, J., Hudspeth, A. J., and Vale, R. D. (1989) Movement of microtubules by single kinesin molecules. Nature 342, 154–158.
Block, S. M., Goldstein, L. S. B., and Schnapp, B. J. (1990) Bead movement by single kinesin molecules studied with optical tweezers. Nature 348, 348–352.
Lawrence, C. J., Dawe, R. K., Christie, K. R., Cleveland, D. W., Dawson, S. C., Endow, S. A., et al. (2004) A standardized kinesin nomenclature. Journal of Cell Biology 167, 19–22.
Bormuth, V., Varga, V., Howard, J., and Schäffer, E. (2009) Protein Friction Limits Diffusive and Directed Movements of Kinesin Motors on Microtubules. Science 325, 870–873.
Varga, V., Leduc, C., Bormuth, V., Diez, S., and Howard, J. (2009) Kinesin-8 Motors Act Cooperatively to Mediate Length-Dependent Microtubule Depolymerization. Cell 138, 1174–1183.
Nitzsche, B., Bormuth, V., Brauer, C., Howard, J., Ionov, L., Kerssemakers, J., Korten, T., Leduc, C., Ruhnow, F., and Diez, S. Studying Kinesin Motors by Optical 3D-Nanometry in Gliding Motility Assays. Methods in Cell Biology 95, 247–271.
Gell, C., Bormuth, V., Brouhard, G. J., Cohen, D. N., Diez, S., Friel, C. T., Helenius, J., Nitzsche, B., Petzold, H., Ribbe, J., Schäffer, E., Stear, J. H., Trushko, A., Varga, V., Widlund, P. O., Zanic, M., and Howard, J. Microtubule Dynamics Reconstituted In Vitro and Imaged by Single-Molecule Fluorescence Microscopy. Methods in Cell Biology 95, 221–245.
Schäffer, E., Norrelykke, S. F., and Howard, J. (2007) Surface forces and drag coefficients of microspheres near a plane surface measured with optical tweezers. Langmuir 23, 3654–3665.
Bormuth, V., Howard, J., and Schäffer, E. (2007) LED illumination for video-enhanced DIC imaging of single microtubules. Journal of Microscopy-Oxford 226, 1–5.
Acknowledgments
The authors acknowledge the input of members of the Howard, Schäffer, and Diez labs in the development of these protocols.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2011 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC
About this protocol
Cite this protocol
Bormuth, V., Zörgibel, F., Schäffer, E., Howard, J. (2011). Functional Surface Attachment in a Sandwich Geometry of GFP-Labeled Motor Proteins. In: Mashanov, G., Batters, C. (eds) Single Molecule Enzymology. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 778. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-61779-261-8_2
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-61779-261-8_2
Published:
Publisher Name: Humana Press
Print ISBN: 978-1-61779-260-1
Online ISBN: 978-1-61779-261-8
eBook Packages: Springer Protocols