Optically Driven Micro-pinch to Mechanically Analyze Cellular Protein

We developed a new device for analyzing mechanical properties of cellular proteins. To measure mechanical properties of cytoskeleton proteins, micro-bead manipulating method by optical tweezers effect has conventionally been utilized. However, such method had two problems since micro-bead shape is only sphere: (1) restrictions on the type of experiments, and (2) strong laser for optical tweezers is close to the target proteins. These were indispensable disadvantages in molecular biology such as measurement of intracellular and extracellular proteins. In present work, we have created a novel tool taking over micro-bead named “Optically Driven Micro-Pinch” for measuring mechanical properties of extremely small proteins. The micro-pinch has two small plates for pinching the proteins. Using the micro-pinch, various experiments about mechanical analysis of the proteins becomes possible.