Interactions between proteins and nucleic acids are at the molecular foundations of most key biological processes, including DNA replication, genome maintenance, the regulation of gene expression, and chromosome segregation. A complete understanding of these types of biological processes requires tackling questions with a range of different techniques, such as genetics, cell biology, molecular biology, biochemistry, and structural biology. Here, we describe a novel experimental approach called "DNA curtains" that can be used to complement and extend these more traditional techniques by providing real-time information about protein-nucleic acid interactions at the level of single molecules. We describe general features of the DNA curtain technology and its application to the study of protein-nucleic acid interactions in vitro. We also discuss some future developments that will help address crucial challenges to the field of single-molecule biology.
Keywords: Lipid bilayer; Nanofabrication; One-dimensional diffusion; Single molecule; Single-stranded DNA; Total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy; Translocation.
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