Receptor-ligand bonds strengthened by tensile mechanical force are referred to as catch
bonds. This review examines experimental data and biophysical theory to analyze why …

In quantum mechanochemistry, quantum chemical methods are used to describe molecules
under the influence of an external force. The calculation of geometries, energies, transition …

INTRODUCTION Cadherins are an ancient class of transmembrane proteins that are
essential for the formation of multicellular tissues in metazoans. Cadherins link intercellular …

We present a unified framework for extracting kinetic information from single-molecule
pulling experiments at constant force or constant pulling speed. Our procedure provides …

Dynamic force spectroscopy probes the kinetic and thermodynamic properties of single
molecules and molecular assemblies. Here, we propose a simple procedure to extract …

Vinculin is an actin-binding protein thought to reinforce cell-cell and cell-matrix adhesions.
However, how mechanical load affects the vinculin–F-actin bond is unclear. Using a single …

Classical cadherin cell-cell adhesion proteins play key morphogenetic roles during
development and are essential for maintaining tissue integrity in multicellular organisms …

Mechanotransduction at cell–cell adhesions is crucial for the structural integrity,
organization, and morphogenesis of epithelia. At cell–cell junctions, ternary E-cadherin/β …

Muscle contraction and many other cell movements are driven by cyclic interactions
between actin filaments and the motor enzyme myosin. Conformational changes in the actin …

Some recently studied biological noncovalent bonds have shown increased lifetime when
stretched by mechanical force. In each case these counterintuitive" catch-bonds" have …