Atomic Force Microscopy Analysis of the Striated Muscle Molecule Titin

Abstract

The following study involves the use of a molecular force probe (MFP) to explore the mechanical behavior of a protein found in vertebrate striated muscle. The two topics of primary concern are the generation of passive force in striated muscle and the force spectroscopy technique of using an atomic force microscope in molecular force probe mode. The following documentation presents these two issues in detail, followed by a presentation of the findings of this experiment and comparison of the elucidated results with previously published analyses of other immunoglobulin-like segments of I-band titin and computer simulations of unfolding these domains.