High-Pressure Microscopy for Controlling Microtubule Dynamics

Abstract

Protein molecules assemble to form molecular machineries in living cells. Their biologically important reactions occur with association of water molecules that surround the protein molecules. Application of pressure is a powerful method for modulating intermolecular interactions between protein and water molecules. We have developed high-pressure microscopy for controlling the structure and function of molecular machinery working in living cells. In this review, we describe a short summary of our high-pressure microscope. The developed system allows us to visualize the polymerization and de-polymerization dynamics of microtubules at high-pressure.