AFM; Force spectroscopy; Folding; Peptide; Single-Molecule; Conformation
Abstract :
[en] The aim of this study is to investigate the mechanochemical behavior of homopolypeptides able to change their conformation is a stimuli-responsive way. The peptidic secondary structures were studied in detail by atomic force microscopy (AFM) at the single-molecule level.
Synthetic copolymers containing a polypeptide block were prepared by N-carboxyanhydride amino acid ring-opening polymerization. The polymer chains were grafted as a dilute brush onto gold surfaces and their mechanochemical behavior was then studied by AFM single-molecule force spectroscopy (SMFS). The investigated polypeptide blocks were based on poly(L-glutamic acid), which undergoes a transition from alpha-helix to random coil. This can be induced by external stimuli (pH, ionic strength, temperature) or simply by applying a force.
We were able to study the mechanically driven unfolding of the peptide by stretching-release cycles of the biomacromolecule. Stretching the helical peptide resulted in original features in the force-distance traces. Plateaus that are specific for the helical conformation were detected, quantified and discussed. Pulling-relaxing SMFS experiments will eventually lead to a better understanding of the force-induced unfolding of an alpha-helix and the reversibility of the phenomenon.
