Nanomechanics of adhesion proteins.

Recent advances in molecular force measurements have resulted in the quantification of the nanomechanical properties of single molecular bonds, and elucidated novel relationships between molecular architecture and biomolecular adhesion. The measured forces to rupture single intermolecular bonds revealed novel and unexpected ways that proteins respond to mechanical force. Measurement of the magnitude of interprotein forces and the distances over which they act further determined how protein architecture may contribute to both the stability and structural organization of adhesive junctions. Copyright 2004 Elsevier Ltd.