Martin Hegner

Quantitative time-resolved measurement of membrane protein–ligand interactions using microcantilever array sensors (2009)

Braun, Thomas, Ghatkesar, Murali Krishna, Backmann, Natalija, Grange, Wilfried, Boulanger, Pascale, Letellier, Lucienne, ...

Membrane proteins are central to many biological processes, and the interactions between transmembrane protein receptors and their ligands are of fundamental importance in medical research. However,...

Comprehensive characterization of molecular interactions based on nanomechanics (2008)

Ghatkesar, Murali Krishna, Lang, Hans-Peter, Gerber, Christoph, Hegner, Martin, Braun, Thomas

Molecular interaction is a key concept in our understanding of the biological mechanisms of life. Two physical properties change when one molecular partner binds to another. Firstly, the masses...

VirE2: A Unique ssDNA-Compacting Molecular Machine (2008)

Wilfried Grange, Myriam Duckely, Sudhir Husale, Susan Jacob, Andreas Engel, Martin Hegner

The translocation of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) across membranes of two cells is a fundamental biological process occurring in both bacterial conjugation and Agrobacterium pathogenesis. Whereas...

Interaction of cationic surfactants with DNA: a single-molecule study (2008)

Husale, Sudhir, Grange, Wilfried, Karle, Marc, Bürgi, Stephan, Hegner, Martin

The interaction of cationic surfactants with single dsDNA molecules has been studied using force-measuring optical tweezers. For hydrophobic chains of length 12 and greater, pulling experiments show...

Higher modes of vibration increase mass sensitivity in nanomechanical microcantilevers (2007)

Ghatkesar, Murali Krishna, Barwich, Viola, Braun, Thomas, Ramseyer, Jean-Pierre, Gerber, Christoph, Hegner, Martin, ...

We evaluated the potential and limitations of resonating nanomechanical microcantilevers for the detection of mass adsorption. As a test system we used mass addition of gold layers of varying...

Polymerization and mechanical properties of single RecA–DNA filaments

Hegner, Martin, Smith, Steven B., Bustamante, Carlos

The polymerization of individual RecA–DNA filaments, containing either single-stranded or double-stranded DNA, was followed in real time, and their mechanical properties were characterized with...

Multiple label-free biodetection and quantitative DNA-binding assays on a nanomechanical cantilever array

McKendry, Rachel, Zhang, Jiayun, Arntz, Youri, Strunz, Torsten, Hegner, Martin, Lang, Hans Peter, ...

We report a microarray of cantilevers to detect multiple unlabeled biomolecules simultaneously at nanomolar concentrations within minutes. Ligand-receptor binding interactions such as DNA...

Rapid Biosensor for Detection of Antibiotic-Selective Growth of Escherichia coli

Gfeller, Karin Y., Nugaeva, Natalia, Hegner, Martin

A rapid biosensor for the detection of bacterial growth was developed using micromechanical oscillators coated in common nutritive layers. The change in resonance frequency as a function of the...

Temperature dependence of unbinding forces between complementary DNA strands.

Schumakovitch, Irina, Grange, Wilfried, Strunz, Torsten, Bertoncini, Patricia, Güntherodt, Hans-Joachim, Hegner, Martin

Force probe techniques such as atomic force microscopy can directly measure the force required to rupture single biological ligand receptor bonds. Such forces are related to the energy landscape of...

A label-free immunosensor array using single-chain antibody fragments

Backmann, Natalija, Zahnd, Christian, Huber, Francois, Bietsch, Alexander, Plückthun, Andreas, Lang, Hans-Peter, ...

We report a microcantilever-based immunosensor operated in static deflection mode with a performance comparable with surface plasmon resonance, using single-chain Fv (scFv) antibody fragments as...

Polymerization and mechanical properties of single RecA–DNA filaments

Hegner, Martin, Smith, Steven B., Bustamante, Carlos

The polymerization of individual RecA–DNA filaments, containing either single-stranded or double-stranded DNA, was followed in real time, and their mechanical properties were characterized with...

Multiple label-free biodetection and quantitative DNA-binding assays on a nanomechanical cantilever array

McKendry, Rachel, Zhang, Jiayun, Arntz, Youri, Strunz, Torsten, Hegner, Martin, Lang, Hans Peter, ...

We report a microarray of cantilevers to detect multiple unlabeled biomolecules simultaneously at nanomolar concentrations within minutes. Ligand-receptor binding interactions such as DNA...

Rapid Biosensor for Detection of Antibiotic-Selective Growth of Escherichia coli

Gfeller, Karin Y., Nugaeva, Natalia, Hegner, Martin

A rapid biosensor for the detection of bacterial growth was developed using micromechanical oscillators coated in common nutritive layers. The change in resonance frequency as a function of the...

A label-free immunosensor array using single-chain antibody fragments

Backmann, Natalija, Zahnd, Christian, Huber, Francois, Bietsch, Alexander, Plückthun, Andreas, Lang, Hans-Peter, ...

We report a microcantilever-based immunosensor operated in static deflection mode with a performance comparable with surface plasmon resonance, using single-chain Fv (scFv) antibody fragments as...

Temperature dependence of unbinding forces between complementary DNA strands.

Schumakovitch, Irina, Grange, Wilfried, Strunz, Torsten, Bertoncini, Patricia, Güntherodt, Hans-Joachim, Hegner, Martin

Force probe techniques such as atomic force microscopy can directly measure the force required to rupture single biological ligand receptor bonds. Such forces are related to the energy landscape of...

Conformational Change of Bacteriorhodopsin Quantitatively Monitored by Microcantilever Sensors

Braun, Thomas, Backmann, Natalija, Vögtli, Manuel, Bietsch, Alexander, Engel, Andreas, Lang, Hans-Peter, ...

Bacteriorhodopsin proteoliposomes were used as a model system to explore the applicability of micromechanical cantilever arrays to detect conformational changes in membrane protein patches. The three...

VirE2: A Unique ssDNA-Compacting Molecular Machine

Grange, Wilfried, Duckely, Myriam, Husale, Sudhir, Jacob, Susan, Engel, Andreas, Hegner, Martin

The translocation of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) across membranes of two cells is a fundamental biological process occurring in both bacterial conjugation and Agrobacterium pathogenesis. Whereas...

Interaction of cationic surfactants with DNA: a single-molecule study

Husale, Sudhir, Grange, Wilfried, Karle, Marc, Bürgi, Stephan, Hegner, Martin

The interaction of cationic surfactants with single dsDNA molecules has been studied using force-measuring optical tweezers. For hydrophobic chains of length 12 and greater, pulling experiments show...

Comprehensive Characterization of Molecular Interactions Based on Nanomechanics

Ghatkesar, Murali Krishna, Lang, Hans-Peter, Gerber, Christoph, Hegner, Martin, Braun, Thomas

Molecular interaction is a key concept in our understanding of the biological mechanisms of life. Two physical properties change when one molecular partner binds to another. Firstly, the masses...