Attachment of anti-GFP antibodies to microspheres for optical trapping experiments.

In vitro motility assays enabled the analysis of coupling between ATP hydrolysis and movement of myosin along actin filaments or kinesin along microtubules. Single-molecule assays using laser trapping have been used to obtain more detailed information about kinesins, myosins, and processive DNA enzymes. The combination of in vitro motility assays with laser-trap measurements has revealed detailed dynamic structural changes associated with the ATPase cycle. This protocol describes a method for attaching anti-GFP (green fluorescent protein) antibodies to microspheres. GFP-motor fusion proteins can then be adsorbed to the microspheres for use in single-molecule motility studies and optical trapping experiments.