Single-molecule manipulation and detection.

Compared to conventional ensemble methods, studying macromolecules at single-molecule level can reveal extraordinary clear and even surprising views for a biological reaction. In the past 20 years, single-molecule techniques have been undergoing a very rapid development, and these cutting edge technologies have revolutionized the biological research by facilitating single-molecule manipulation and detection. Here we give a brief review about these advanced techniques, including optical tweezers, magnetic tweezers, atomic force microscopy (AFM), hydrodynamic flow-stretching assay, and single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer (smFRET). We are trying to describe their basic principles and provide a few examples of applications for each technique. This review aims to give a rather introductory survey of single-molecule techniques for audiences with biological or biophysical background.