Single-molecule studies of stability and interaction of biomolecules under physical constraints

Abstract

The complex force-dependence of k(F) observed in the physiological level of force range strongly motivated me to understand the physical principles of such complexity, which becomes the focus of my study reported in this dissertation. Our research has contributed significantly to the field in at least four aspects: 1) we identified a previously overlooked universal factor, the entropic elasticity of the molecule, governing the transition kinetics over the physiological force range; 2) incorporating this factor, we developed analytical solutions that can be used to interpret experimental data exhibiting complex profile of k(F); 3) our theories can guide experimental researchers to modulate the stability of the molecule by designing the applied-force geometry; 4) information of the transition state of the molecule in a particular transition pathway can be obtained from the best-fitting values of our model parameters.