Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Little WC
PROVIDER: S-EPMC2790870 | biostudies-other | 2009 Dec
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other
Little William C WC Schwartlander Ruth R Smith Michael L ML Gourdon Delphine D Vogel Viola V
Nano letters 20091201 12
While evidence is mounting that cells exploit protein unfolding for mechanochemical signal conversion (mechanotransduction), what mechanisms are in place to deal with the unwanted consequences of exposing hydrophobic residues upon force-induced protein unfolding? Here, we show that mechanical chaperones exist that can transiently bind to hydrophobic residues that are freshly exposed by mechanical force. The stretch-upregulated binding of albumin or casein to fibronectin fibers is reversible and ...[more]