TOWARDS ZERO-PERTURBATION METHODS FOR INVESTIGATING BIOMOLECULAR INTERACTIONS

Most methods in current use for investigating biomolecular interaction s impose more or less severe perturbations on the system under investi gation and hence introduce artefacts. The problems are especially acut e because the interactions are generally weak, and many biomolecules a re only marginally stable with respect to their native conformations. Here we show that information on the energetics of the interactions, a nd on the conformation of the biomolecules involved, are readily obtai nable by analysing the kinetics of binding/adsorption and release/deso rption, which can be measured using high precision evanescent wave tec hniques minimally disturbing the system under examination. (C) 1998 El sevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.