Sommaire:

Mechanical forces can be utilized to distort the shape of biomolecules, thereby explore their elastic properties. Furthermore, mechanical forces can be used to alter the rate of biochemical transitions, thereby access energetic and kinetic parameters of reactions. We use optical tweezers and scanning probe microscopies to investigate various biomolecular systems ranging from cytoskeletal filaments to nucleic acids and supramolecular complexes. Force-driven unfolding and refolding of the giant muscle protein titin provides a unique insight into how this molecule may be involved in the mechanics and regulation of muscle contractility. Nanomanipulation of methylated DNA allows us to dissect possible epigenetic mechanisms. Finally, the mechanical manipulation of bacteriophages gives a glimpse at the mechanisms of viral capsid architecture and the triggering of viral DNA ejection.

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