• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.53-59
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• 2018

In order to understand biological phenomena accurately, single molecule techniques using a physical research approach to molecular interactions have been developed, and are now widely being used to study complex biological processes. In this review, we discuss some of the single molecule methods which are composed of two major parts: single molecule spectroscopy and manipulation. In particular, we explain how these techniques work and introduce the current research which uses them. Finally, we present the oral biology research using the single molecule methods.

• 대한약리학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2006.10a
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• pp.110.2-110.2
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• 2006

• BMB Reports
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• v.52 no.10
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• pp.589-594
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• 2019

Single-molecule techniques have been used successfully to visualize real-time enzymatic activities, revealing transient complex properties and heterogeneity of various biological events. Especially, conventional force spectroscopy including optical tweezers and magnetic tweezers has been widely used to monitor change in DNA length by enzymes with high spatiotemporal resolutions of ~nanometers and ~milliseconds. However, DNA metabolism results from coordination of a number of components during the processes, requiring efficient monitoring of a complex of proteins catalyzing DNA substrates. In this min-review, we will introduce a simple and multiplexed single-molecule assay to detect DNA substrates catalyzed by enzymes with high-throughput data collection. We conclude with a perspective of possible directions that enhance capability of the assay to reveal complex biological events with higher resolution.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.33-40
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• 2022

The various DNA-protein interactions associated with the expression of genetic information involve double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) bending. Due to the importance of the formation of the dsDNA bending structure, dsDNA bending properties have long been investigated in the biophysics field. Conventionally, DNA bendability is characterized by innate averaging data from bulk experiments. The advent of single-molecule methods, such as atomic force microscopy, optical and magnetic tweezers, tethered particle motion, and single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer measurement, has provided valuable tools to investigate not only the static structures but also the dynamic properties of bent dsDNA. Here, we reviewed the single-molecule methods that have been used for investigating dsDNA bendability and new findings related to dsDNA bending. Single-molecule approaches are promising tools for revealing the unknown properties of dsDNA related to its bending, particularly in cells.

• Korea-Australia Rheology Journal
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.127-142
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• 2008

The development of fluorescence microscopy of single-molecule DNA in the last decade has fostered a bold jump in the understanding of polymer physics. With the recent advance of nanotechnology, devices with well-defined dimensions that are smaller than typical DNA molecules can be readily manufactured. The combination of these techniques has provided an unprecedented opportunity for researchers to examine confined polymer behavior, a topic far less understood than its counterpart. Here, we review the progress reported in recent studies that investigate confined polymer dynamics by means of single-molecule DNA experiments.

• BMB Reports
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.65-72
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• 2013

In situ detection of RNAs is becoming increasingly important for analysis of gene expression within and between intact cells in tissues. International genomics efforts are now cataloging patterns of RNA transcription that play roles in cell function, differentiation, and disease formation, and they are demon-strating the importance of coding and noncoding RNA transcripts in these processes. However, these techniques typically provide ensemble averages of transcription across many cells. In situ hybridization-based analysis methods complement these studies by providing information about how expression levels change between cells within normal and diseased tissues, and they provide information about the localization of transcripts within cells, which is important in understanding mechanisms of gene regulation. Multi-color, single-molecule fluorescence in situ hybridization (smFISH) is particularly useful since it enables analysis of several different transcripts simultaneously. Combining smFISH with immunofluorescent protein detection provides additional information about the association between transcription level, cellular localization, and protein expression in individual cells.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.16-25
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• 2022

Mechanical forces play pivotal roles in regulating cell shape, function, and fate. Key players that govern the mechanobiological interplay are the mechanosensitive proteins found on cell membranes and in cytoskeleton. Their unique nanomechanics can be interrogated using single-molecule tweezers, which can apply controlled forces to the proteins and simultaneously measure the ensuing structural changes. Breakthroughs in high-resolution tweezers have enabled the routine monitoring of nanometer-scale, millisecond dynamics as a function of force. Undoubtedly, the advancement of structural biology will be further fueled by integrating static atomic-resolution structures and their dynamic changes and interactions observed with the force application techniques. In this minireview, we will introduce the general principles of single-molecule tweezers and their recent applications to the studies of force-bearing proteins, including the synaptic proteins that need to be categorized as mechanosensitive in a broad sense. We anticipate that the impact of nano-precision approaches in mechanobiology research will continue to grow in the future.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.79-87
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• 2021

Chromatin dynamics is essential for maintaining genomic integrity and regulating gene expression. Conserved bromodomain-containing AAA+ ATPases play important roles in nucleosome organization as histone chaperones. Recently, the high-resolution cryo-electron microscopy structures of Schizosaccharomyces pombe Abo1 revealed that it forms a hexameric ring and undergoes a conformational change upon ATP hydrolysis. In addition, single-molecule imaging demonstrated that Abo1 loads H3-H4 histones onto DNA in an ATP hydrolysis-dependent manner. However, the molecular mechanism by which Abo1 loads histones remains unknown. Here, we investigated the details concerning Abo1-mediated histone loading onto DNA and the Abo1-DNA interaction using single-molecule imaging techniques and biochemical assays. We show that Abo1 does not load H2A-H2B histones. Interestingly, Abo1 deposits multiple copies of H3-H4 histones as the DNA length increases and requires at least 80 bp DNA. Unexpectedly, Abo1 weakly binds DNA regardless of ATP, and neither histone nor DNA stimulates the ATP hydrolysis activity of Abo1. Based on our results, we propose an allosteric communication model in which the ATP hydrolysis of Abo1 changes the configuration of histones to facilitate their deposition onto DNA.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.39 no.12
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• pp.841-846
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• 2016

Local protein synthesis mediates precise spatio-temporal regulation of gene expression for neuronal functions such as long-term plasticity, axon guidance and regeneration. To reveal the underlying mechanisms of local translation, it is crucial to understand mRNA transport, localization and translation in live neurons. Among various techniques for mRNA analysis, fluorescence microscopy has been widely used as the most direct method to study localization of mRNA. Live-cell imaging of single RNA molecules is particularly advantageous to dissect the highly heterogeneous and dynamic nature of messenger ribonucleoprotein (mRNP) complexes in neurons. Here, we review recent advances in the study of mRNA localization and translation in live neurons using novel techniques for single-RNA imaging.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2014.02a
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• pp.184.2-184.2
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• 2014

Recent advances in the synthesis and characterization of nanoscale objects provided us with the atomistic understanding of charge transport through single molecular junctions. The representative examples are the mechanically controlled break junction technique and STM or conducting AFM junction techniques. Theoretical studies have been reported on the dependence of electronic charge transport on the geometry of molecule-electrode contacts, the critical element toward the realization of molecular electronics. In this report, we will clarify the puzzling discrepancies between theoretical predictions and experiments.