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Laminar flow cells for single-molecule studies of DNA-protein interactions

Abstract

Microfluidic flow cells are used in single-molecule experiments, enabling measurements to be made with high spatial and temporal resolution. We discuss the fundamental processes affecting flow cell operation and describe the flow cells in use at present for studying the interaction of optically trapped or mechanically isolated, single DNA molecules with proteins. To assist the experimentalist in flow cell selection, we review the construction techniques and materials used to fabricate both single- and multiple-channel flow cells and the advantages of each design for different experiments.

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Figure 1: Fluid flow in multistream laminar flow cells.
Figure 2: A simple single-stream flow cell.
Figure 3: A single-stream flow cell for force measurements.
Figure 4: Multistream laminar flow cell for single-molecule studies.
Figure 5: Multistream flow cells facilitate careful single-molecule experiments.
Figure 6: A laminar boundary-steering flow cell for TIRFM.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank C. Bustamante, Kiyoshi Mizuuchi, G. Wuite, H. Gao and M. Gao for critical reading of the manuscript. We would also like to thank K. Mizuuchi and G. Wuite for sharing unpublished flow cell parameters and flow velocities. Funding for the experimental work in the Brewer group was provided by US National Institutes of Health grant HD01387 to L.R.B. Funding for the experimental work in the Bianco group was from US National Institutes of Health grant GM66831 and Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation grant BCTR0601350 to P.R.B.

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Correspondence to Laurence R Brewer or Piero R Bianco.

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Brewer, L., Bianco, P. Laminar flow cells for single-molecule studies of DNA-protein interactions. Nat Methods 5, 517–525 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/nmeth.1217

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