Force spectroscopy with a small dithering of AFM tip: a method of direct and continuous measurement of the spring constant of single molecules and molecular complexes.

A new method of direct and continuous measurement of the spring constant of single molecule or molecular complex is elaborated. To that end the standard force spectroscopy technique with functionalized tips and samples is combined with a small dithering of the tip. The change of the dithering amplitude as a function of the pulling force is measured to extract the spring constant of the complex. The potentialities of this method are illustrated for the experiments with single bovine serum albumin-its polyclonal antibody (Ab-BSA) and fibrinogen-fibrinogen complexes.