PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

MU researchers develop advanced 3-dimensional 'force microscope'

Innovation could lead to faster drug therapies and increased understanding of proteins on the microscopic level

2013-12-18
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Jeff Sossamon
sossamonj@missouri.edu
573-882-3346
University of Missouri-Columbia
MU researchers develop advanced 3-dimensional 'force microscope' Innovation could lead to faster drug therapies and increased understanding of proteins on the microscopic level

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Membrane proteins are the "gatekeepers" that allow information and molecules to pass into and out of a cell. Until recently, the microscopic study of these complex proteins has been restricted due to limitations of "force microscopes" that are available to researchers and the one-dimensional results these microscopes reveal. Now, researchers at the University of Missouri have developed a three-dimensional microscope that will yield unparalleled study of membrane proteins and how they interact on the cellular level. These microscopes could help pharmaceutical companies bring drugs to market faster.

"Force microscopes are very different from the microscopes we used in biology class," said Gavin King, assistant professor of physics and astronomy in the College of Arts & Science at MU, and joint assistant professor of biochemistry. "Instead of using optics, force microscopes incorporate a tiny needle that gets dragged across the surface of the slide or specimen, similar to how a blind person reads Braille or comparable to the needle of an old record player. However, the one-dimensional, traditional method of studying membrane proteins through a force microscope—while good—only yields limited results," King said.

Normally, force microscopes measure the compression of the needle against the specimen by bouncing a single laser off the cantilever, or arm, that holds the microscopic needle in place. As the cantilever moves, it deflects light that is sent back to a highly advanced computer. There, the results are interpreted, giving researchers an idea of how the membrane proteins are interacting with the cell.

VIDEO: This video is available for broadcast quality download and re-use. For more information, contact Nathan Hurst: hurstn@missouri.edu.
Click here for more information.

Usually, to determine membrane protein structure in detail, specimens must be crystallized, or frozen; therefore, the specimen cannot be studied as it would behave in the primarily liquid environment found in the body.

King and his fellow researcher, Krishna Sigdel, a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Physics, solved the problem by building their own force microscope that is able to study membrane proteins in conditions similar to those found in the body. Using a traditional one-dimensional force microscope as a guide, the team added an additional laser that measures the second and third dimensions of tip movement, giving researchers "real-time" access to the measurement of peaks and valleys in the membrane protein and dynamic changes in those structures.

"By adding a new laser that is focused from below, we essentially gave the force microscope two additional dimensions," King said. "Using this new laser, we collect the back-scattered light from not only the cantilever holding the needle, but also the tip of the needle that gives additional measurements. This added flexibility allows us to collect information faster and allows our microscope to work in near-native conditions in fluid like those found in the cell, yielding more realistic results."

King suggested that an advantage of three-dimensional force microscopy is that it allows for better interpretation of how a protein's dynamic shape also dictates its function. King said that by studying how the shape of proteins change, researchers can determine how drugs bind and interact with cells. Using membrane protein information, pharmaceutical companies can determine which molecules to pursue.



INFORMATION:

King's work, "Three-dimensional atomic force microscopy: interaction force vector by direct observation of tip trajectory," was published in NanoLetters, the journal of the American Chemical Society and was funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the Burroughs Wellcome Fund.

The publication was co-written by King, Sigdel and Justin Grayer, who is currently a graduate student in MU's Electrical and Computer Engineering Department.

King's joint appointment in the Department of Biochemistry, which is located in the School of Medicine and the College of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources, emphasizes the highly collaborative culture in the area of One Health/One Medicine—one of the four key areas of collaborative strength that distinguish MU collectively known as the Mizzou Advantage. The other three areas are Food for the Future, Sustainable Energy, and Media of the Future.



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Bonobos stay young longer

2013-12-18
Bonobos stay young longer Contrary to humans and chimpanzees bonobos retain elevated thyroid hormones well into adulthood This news release is available in German. Despite the fact that chimpanzees and bonobos share similar starting conditions ...

Exposing the roots of the lithium battery problem

2013-12-18
Exposing the roots of the lithium battery problem Berkeley Lab researchers find dendrite problem starts below the surface The lithium-ion batteries that power our laptops, smartphones and electric vehicles could have significantly higher energy density ...

NASA satellites get double coverage on newborn Tropical Cyclone Amara

2013-12-18
NASA satellites get double coverage on newborn Tropical Cyclone Amara System 93S strengthened into the third tropical depression of the Southern Indian Ocean cyclone season, which quickly became a tropical storm named Amara. NASA's TRMM and Aqua satellites flew overhead ...

Study finds known lung cancer oncogenes ALK and ROS1 also drive colorectal cancer

2013-12-18
Study finds known lung cancer oncogenes ALK and ROS1 also drive colorectal cancer Genetically targeted drugs in use for lung cancer may have colorectal cancer application, as well A University of Colorado Cancer Center study published online ahead of print in the ...

Pfeiffer fire near Big Sur, Calif.

2013-12-18
Pfeiffer fire near Big Sur, Calif. The MODIS or Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer instrument that flies aboard NASA's Aqua satellite captured an image of smoke and detected the heat from the Pfeiffer Fire near Big Sur, California on December 16 at ...

Significant advance reported with genetically modified poplar trees

2013-12-18
Significant advance reported with genetically modified poplar trees CORVALLIS, Ore. – Forest geneticists at Oregon State University have created genetically modified poplar trees that grow faster, have resistance to insect pests and are able to retain ...

Saving Fiji's coral reefs linked to forest conservation upstream

2013-12-18
Saving Fiji's coral reefs linked to forest conservation upstream The health of coral reefs offshore depend on the protection of forests near the sea, according to a new study by the Wildlife Conservation Society that outlines the importance of terrestrial ...

New research on diverticular disease in the December issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology

2013-12-18
New research on diverticular disease in the December issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology Diverticulosis, a condition that develops when pouches form in the wall of the colon, is increasing in frequency. It affects the majority of ...

Water in cells behaves in complex and intricate ways

2013-12-18
Water in cells behaves in complex and intricate ways ANN ARBOR—In a sort of biological "spooky action at a distance," water in a cell slows down in the tightest confines between proteins and develops the ability to affect other proteins much farther away, University ...

Silencing synapses

2013-12-18
Silencing synapses Hope for a pharmacological solution to cocaine addiction PITTSBURGH—Imagine kicking a cocaine addiction by simply popping a pill that alters the way your brain processes chemical addiction. New research from the University of Pittsburgh suggests ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Inspired by bacteria’s defense strategies

Research spotlight: Combination therapy shows promise for overcoming treatment resistance in glioblastoma

University of Houston co-leads $25 million NIH-funded grant to study the delay of nearsightedness in children

NRG Oncology PREDICT-RT study completes patient accrual, tests individualized concurrent therapy and radiation for high-risk prostate cancer

Taking aim at nearsightedness in kids before it’s diagnosed

With no prior training, dogs can infer how similar types of toys work, even when they don’t look alike

Three deadliest risk factors of a common liver disease identified in new study

Dogs can extend word meanings to new objects based on function, not appearance

Palaeontology: South American amber deposit ‘abuzz’ with ancient insects

Oral microbes linked to increased risk of pancreatic cancer

Soccer heading does most damage to brain area critical for cognition

US faces rising death toll from wildfire smoke, study finds

Scenario projections of COVID-19 burden in the US, 2024-2025

Disparities by race and ethnicity in percutaneous coronary intervention

Glioblastoma cells “unstick” from their neighbors to become more deadly

Oral bacterial and fungal microbiome and subsequent risk for pancreatic cancer

New light on toxicity of Bluefin tuna

Menopause drug reduces hot flashes by more than 70%, international clinical trial finds

FGF21 muscle hormone associated with slow ALS progression and extended survival

Hitting the right note: The healing power of music therapy in the cardiac ICU

Cardiovascular disease risk rises in Mexico, despite improved cholesterol control

Flexible optical touch sensor simultaneously pinpoints pressure strength and location

Achalasia diagnosis simplified to AI plus X-ray

PolyU scholars pioneer smart and sustainable personal cooling technologies to address global extreme heat

NIH grant aims for childhood vaccine against HIV

Menstrual cycle and long COVID: A relation confirmed

WMO report on global water resources: 2024 was characterized by both extreme drought and intense rainfall

New findings explain how a mutation in a cancer-related gen causes pulmonary fibrosis

Thermal trigger

SNU materials science and engineering team identifies reconstruction mechanism of copper alloy catalysts for CO₂ conversion

[Press-News.org] MU researchers develop advanced 3-dimensional 'force microscope'
Innovation could lead to faster drug therapies and increased understanding of proteins on the microscopic level