Rafael Tapia-Rojo

Research summary

Mechanical forces are integral to cellular function. From a molecular perspective, such mechanical processes are underpinned by specialized proteins which operate under mechanical load, such that their dynamics under force are crucial to their biological function. The variety of mechanical behaviors in proteins is remarkable: while some provide structural support and can resist large mechanical loads, others function as exquisite mechanosensors, orchestrating force-governed signalling processes. Understanding the biological function of force-bearing proteins requires unveiling how they respond to mechanical forces, and how these conformational dynamics regulate molecular events such as binding interactions or chemical modifications. To that aim, we develop and employ single-molecule magnetic tweezers force spectroscopy combined with molecular dynamics simulations, aiming to elaborate an integrated picture on the molecular mechanisms that govern mechanical processes in biology.

Keywords

Biophysics; protein folding; protein mechanics; mechanochemistry; mechanobiology

Links

https://tapia-rojolab.com