Sun, Yuting

PhD defense 2010

Research activities

Cell-adhesion events involve often the formation of a contact region between phospholipid membranes decorated with a variety of bio-macromolecular species. We study the spreading of a bio functional phospholipid bilayer on a carpet of double end-grafted DNAs. The spreading process scrapes and staples the chains between the membrane and the substrate. The final stapled DNA shape is function of both the internal chain tension and the forces applied by the bilayer. We show that by using the well known force extension relationship for a DNA molecule we can reveal the forces at play during the formation of the adhesion patch.

Publications