Probe molecules surface binding

Experimental techniques based on the application of mechanical forces to single molecules in small assemblies have been applied to study the binding properties of biomolecules and their response to external mechanical manipulations. Among such techniques are atomic force microscopy (AFM), optical tweezers, biomembrane force probe, and surface force apparatus experiments (Binning et al., 1986 Block and Svoboda, 1994 Evans et ah, 1995 Israelachvili, 1992). These techniques have inspired us and others (see also the chapters by Eichinger et al. and by Hermans et al. in this volume) to adopt a similar approach for the study of biomolecules by means of computer simulations. 

The number of sites titrated by NH3 and pyridine are similar except for sample Al-SBA-15(15) which means a good accessibility of pyridine in the solid pores without any steric hindrance. On the contrary, the integral heats of adsorption are higher when using pyridine due to its higher protonic affinity in gas phase compared to NH3 and the way in which probe molecules bind on the solid surface [6, 7]. 

The surface and type of selected immobilization method will affect the bioactivity, the concentration, and the target-binding ability of bound probe molecules. Gold and glass substrates are good candidates for the immobilization of biomolecules. These substrates have a number of favorable characteristics (1) they are chemically homogeneous and stable, (2) surface properties like wettability can be fine-tuned,... 

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