Force-dependent binding constants

Life is an emergent property of transient interactions between biomolecules and other organic and inorganic molecules that somehow leads to harmony and order. Measurement and quantitation of these biological interactions is of value to scientists, and is a major goal of biochemistry, as affinities provide insight into biological processes. In an organism these interactions occur in the context of forces and the need for a consideration of binding affinities in the context of a changing mechanical landscape necessitates a new way to consider the biochemistry of protein-protein interactions. In the last few decades the field of Mechanobiology has exploded, as both the appreciation, and the technical advances required to facilitate the study, of how forces impact on biological processes has become evident. The aim of this review is to introduce the concept of force-dependence of biomolecular interactions, and the requirement to be able to measure force-dependent binding constants. The focus of this discussion will be on the mechanotransduction that occurs at the integrin-mediated adhesions with the extracellular matrix, and the major mechanosensors talin and vinculin. However, the approaches that the cell uses to sense and respond to forces are applicable to other systems, and therefore provides a general discussion of the force-dependence of biomolecule interactions.