Block lab at Stanford University

2018

• Savinov, A., Block, S.M. Self-cleavage of the glmS ribozyme core is controlled by a fragile folding element. PNAS 115: 11976-11981. Full text
• Milic, B., Chakraborty, A., Han, K., Bassik, M.C., Block, S.M. KIF15 nanomechanics and kinesin inhibitors, with implications for cancer chemotherapeutics. PNAS 115: E4613-E4622. Full text

2017

• Meng, C.A., Fazal, F.M., Block, S.M. Real-time observation of polymerase-promoter contact remodeling during transcription initiation. Nature Communications 8: 1178. Full text
• Milic, B., Andreasson, J.O.L., Hogan, D.W., Block, S.M. Intraflagellar transport velocity is governed by the number of active KIF17 and KIF3AB motors and their motility properties under load. PNAS 114: E6830-E6838. Full text
• Chakraborty, A., Meng, C.A., Block, S.M. Observing single RNA polymerase molecules down to base-pair resolution. Methods in Molecular Biology 1486: 391-409. Full text

2015

• Duesterberg, V.K., Fischer-Hwang, I.T., Perez, C.F., Hogan, D.W., Block, S.M. Observation of long-range tertiary interactions during ligand binding by the TPP riboswitch aptamer. eLife 12362. Full text
• Fazal, F.M., Koslover, D.J., Luisi, B.F., Block, S.M. Direct observation of processive exoribonuclease motion using optical tweezers. PNAS 111: 15101-15106. Full text
• Fazal, F.M., Meng, C.A., Murakami, K., Kornberg, R.D., Block, S.M. Real-time observation of the initiation of RNA polymerase II transcription. Nature 525: 274-277. Full text
• Garcia-Garcia, C., Frieda, K.L., Feoktistova, K., Fraser, C.S., Block, S.M. Factor-dependent processivity in human eIF4A DEAD-box helicase. Science 348: 1486-1488. Full text
• Andreasson, J.O.L., Milic, B., Chen, G.Y., Guydosh, N.R., Hancock, W.O., Block, S.M. Examining kinesin processivity within a general gating framework. eLife 07403. Full text
• Andreasson, J.O.L., Shastry, S., Hancock, W.O., Block, S.M. The mechanochemical cycle of mammalian kinesin-2 KIF3A/B under load. Current Biology 25: 1166-1175. Full text

2014

• Blakely, B.L, Dumelin, C.E., Trappmann, B., McGregor, L.M., Choi, C.K., Anthony, P.C., Duesterberg, V.K., Baker, B.M., Block, S.M., Liu, D.R., Chen, C.S. A DNA-based molecular probe for optically reporting cellular traction forces. Nature Methods 11: 1229-1232. Full text
• Milic, B., Andreasson, J.O.L., Hancock, W.O., Block, S.M. Kinesin processivity is gated by phosphate release. PNAS 111: 14136-14140. Full text
• Woodside, W.T., Block, S.M. Reconstructing folding energy landscapes by single-molecule force spectroscopy. Annual Review of Biophysics 43: 19-39. Full text
• Larson, M.H., Mooney, R.A., Peters, J.M., Windgassen, T., Nayak, D., Gross, C.A., Block, S.M., Greenleaf, W.J., Landick, R., Weissman, J.S. A pause sequence enriched at translation start sites drives transcription dynamics in vivo. Science 344: 1042-1047. Full text
• Schweikhard, V., Meng, C., Murakami, K., Kaplan, C., Kornberg, R.D., Block, S.M. Transcription factors TFIIF and TFIIS promote transcript elongation by RNA polymerase II by synergistic and independent mechanisms. PNAS 111: 6642-6647. Full text
• Savinov, A., Perez, C.F., Block, S.M. Single-molecule studies of riboswitch folding. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - Gene Regulatory Mechanisms 1839: 1030-1045. Full text

2013

• Zhou, J., Schweikhard, V., Block, S.M. Single-molecule studies of RNAPII elongation. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - Gene Regulatory Mechanisms 1829: 29-38. Full text

2012

• Koslover, D.J., Fazal, F.M., Mooney, R.A., Landick, R., Block, S.M. Binding and translocation of termination factor rho studied at the single-molecule level. Journal of Molecular Biology 423: 664-676. Full text
• Frieda, K.L., Block, S.M. Direct observation of cotranscriptional folding in an adenine riboswitch. Science 338: 397-400. Full text
• Larson, M.H., Zhou, J., Kaplan, C.D., Palangat, M., Kornberg, R.D., Landick, R., Block, S.M. Trigger loop dynamics mediate the balance between the transcriptional fidelity and speed of RNA polymerase II. PNAS 109: 6555-6560. Full text
• Palangat, M., Larson, M.H., Hu, X., Gnatt, A., Block, S.M., Landick, R. Efficient reconstitution of transcription elongation complexes for single-molecule studies of eukaryotic RNA polymerase II. Transcription 3: 146-153. Full text
• Anthony, P.C., Sim, A.Y.L., Chu, V.B., Doniach, S., Block, S.M., Herschlag, D. Electrostatics of nucleic acid folding under conformational constraint. JACS 134: 4607-4614. Full text
• Anthony, P.C., Perez, C.F., Garcia-Garcia, C., Block, S.M. Folding energy landscape of the thiamine pyrophosphate riboswitch aptamer. PNAS 109: 1485-1489. Full text

2011

• Zhou, J., Ha, K.S., La Porta, A., Landick, R., Block, S.M. Applied force provides insight into transcriptional pausing and its modulation by transcription factor NusA. Molecular Cell 44: 635-646. Full text
• Fazal, F.M., Block, S.M. Optical tweezers study life under tension. Nature Photonics 5: 318-321. Full text
• Clancy, B.E., Behnke-Parks, W.M., Andreasson, J.O.L., Rosenfeld, S.S., Block, S.M. A universal pathway for kinesin stepping. Nature Structural & Molecular Biology 18: 1020-1027. Full text
• Larson, M.H., Landick, R., Block, S.M. Single-molecule studies of RNA polymerase: one singular sensation, every little step it takes. Molecular Cell 41: 249-262. Full text

2010

• Gutierrez-Medina, B., Block, S.M. Visualizing individual microtubules by bright field microscopy. American Journal of Physics 78: 1152-1159. Full text
• Gutierrez-Medina, B., Andreasson, J.O., Greenleaf, W.J., La Porta, A., Block, S.M. An optical apparatus for rotation and trapping. Methods in Enzymology 475: 377-404. Full text
• Herbert, K.M., Zhou, J., Mooney, R.A., La Porta, A., Landick, R., Block, S.M. E. coli NusG inhibits backtracking and accelerates pause-free transcription by promoting forward translocation of RNA polymerase. Journal of Molecular Biology 399: 17-30. Full text

2009

• Gutierrez-Medina, B., Fehr, A.N., Block, S.M. Direct measurements of kinesin torsional properties reveal flexible domains and occasional stalk reversals during stepping. PNAS 106: 17007-17012. Full text
• Valentine, M.T., Block, S.M. Force and premature binding of ADP can regulate the processivity of individual Eg5 dimers. Biophysical Journal 97: 1671-1677. Full text
• Fehr, A.N., Gutierrez-Medina, B., Asbury, C.L., Block, S.M. On the origin of kinesin limping. Biophysical Journal 97: 1663-1670. Full text
• Guydosh, N.R., Block, S.M. Direct observation of the binding state of the kinesin head to the microtubule. Nature 461: 125-128. Full text

2008

• Woodside M.T., Garcia-Garcia, C., Block, S.M. Folding and unfolding single RNA molecules under tension. Current Opinion in Chemical Biology 12: 640-646. Full text
• Herbert, K.M., Greenleaf, W.J., Block, S.M. Single-molecule studies of RNA polymerase: motoring along. Annual Review of Biochemistry 77: 149-176. Full text
• Larson, M. H., Greenleaf, W.J., Landick, R., Block, S.M. Applied force reveals mechanistic and energetic details of transcription termination. Cell 132: 971-982. Full text
• Greenleaf, W.J., Frieda, K.L., Foster, D.A.N., Woodside, M.T., Block, S.M. Direct observation of hierarchical folding in single riboswitch aptamers. Science 319: 630-633. Full text
• Valentine, M.T., Guydosh, N.R., Gutierrez-Medina, B., Fehr, A.N., Andreasson, J.O., Block, S.M. Precision steering of an optical trap by electro-optic deflection. Optics Letters 33: 599-601. Full text
• Fehr, A.N., Asbury, C.L., Block, S.M. Kinesin steps do not alternate in size. Biophysical Journal 94: L20-L22. Full text

2007

• Block, S.M. Kinesin motor mechanics: Binding, stepping, tracking, gating, and limping. Biophysical Journal 92: 2986-2995. Full text
• Guydosh, N.R., Block, S.M. Not so lame after all: Kinesin still walks with a hobbled head. The Journal of General Physiology 130: 441-444. Full text
• Block, S.M., Larson, M.H., Greenleaf, W.J., Herbert, K.M., Guydosh, N.R., Anthony, P.C. Molecule by molecule, the physics and chemistry of life: SMB 2007. Nature Chemical Biology 3: 193-197. Full text
• Greenleaf, W.J., Woodside, M.T., Block, S.M. High-Resolution, single-molecule measurements of biomolecular motion. Annual Review of Biophysics Biomolecular Structure 36: 171-190. Full text

2006

• Valentine, M.T., Fordyce, P.F., Block, S.M. Eg5 steps it up! Cell Division 1: 31. Full text
• Woodside, M.T., Anthony, P.C., Behnke-Parks, W.M., Larizadeh, K., Herschlag, D., Block, S.M. Direct measurement of the full, sequence-dependent folding landscape of a nucleic acid. Science 314: 1001-1004. Full text
• Greenleaf, W.J., Block, S.M. Single-molecule, motion-based DNA sequencing using RNA polymerase. Science 313: 801. Full text
• Dalal, R.V., Larson, M.H., Neuman, K.C., Gelles, J., Landick, R., Block, S.M. Pulling on the nascent RNA during transcription does not alter kinetics of elongation or ubiquitous pausing. Molecular Cell 23: 231-239. Full text
• Herbert, K.M., La Porta, A., Wong, B.J., Mooney, R.A., Neuman, K.C., Landick, R., Block, S.M. Sequence-resolved detection of pausing by single RNA polymerase molecules. Cell 125: 1084-1094. Full text
• Valentine, M.T., Fordyce, P.M., Krzysiak, T.C., Gilbert, S.P., Block, S.M. Individual dimers of the mitotic kinesin motor Eg5 step processively and support substantial loads in vitro. Nature Cell Biology 8: 470-477. Full text
• Guydosh, N.R., Block, S.M. Backsteps induced by nucelotide analogs suggest the front head of kinesin is gated by strain. PNAS 103: 8054-8059. Full text
• Woodside, M.T., Behnke-Parks, W.M., Larizadeh, K., Travers, K., Hershlag, D., Block, S.M. Nanomechanical measurements of the sequence-dependent folding landscapes of single nucleic acid hairpins. PNAS 103: 6190-6195. Full text

2005

• Abbondanzieri, E.A., Greenleaf, W.J., Shaevitz, J.W., Landick, R., Block, S.M. Direct observation of base-pair stepping by RNA polymerase. Nature 438: 460-465. Full text
• Greenleaf, W.J., Woodside, M.T., Abbondanzieri, E.A., Block S.M. Passive all-optical force clamp for high-resolution laser trapping. Physical Review Letters 95:218102. Full text
• Abbondanzieri, E.A., Shaevitz, J.W., Block S.M. Picocalorimetry of transcription by RNA polymerase. Biophysical Journal 89: L61-L63. Full text
• Neuman, K.C., Abbondanzieri, E.A., and Block, S.M. Measurement of the effective focal shift in an optical trap. Optics Letters 30: 1318-1320. Full text
• Shaevitz, J.W., Block, S.M. and Schnitzer, M.J. Statistical kinetics of macromolecular dynamics. Biophysical Journal 89: 2277-2285. Full text

2004

• Lang, M.J., Fordyce, P.M., Engh, A.M, Neuman, K.C., Block, S.M. Simultaneous, coincident optical trapping and single molecule fluorescence. Nature Methods 1: 133-139. Full text
• Neuman, K. and Block, S.M. Optical trapping. Review of Scientific Instruments 75: 2787-2809. Full text
• Perkins, T.T., Li, H.W., Dalal, R.V., Gelles, J., Block, S.M. Forward and reverse motion of single RecBCD molecules on DNA. Biophysical Journal 86: 1640-1648. Full text

2003

• Asbury, C.L., Fehr, A.N., Block, S.M. Kinesin moves by an asymmetric hand-over-hand mechanism. Science 302: 2130-2134. Full text
• Shaevitz, J.W., Abbondanzieri, E.A., Landick, R., Block, S.M. Backtracking by single RNA polymerase molecules observed at near-base-pair resolution. Nature 426: 684-687. Full text
• Neuman, K.C., Abbondanzieri, E.A., Landick, R., Gelles, J., Block, S.M. Ubiquitous transcriptional pausing is independent of RNA polymerase backtracking. Cell 115: 347-447. Full text
• Perkins T.T., Dalal R.V., Mitsis P.G., Block S.M. Sequence-dependent pausing of single lambda exonuclease molecules. Science 301: 1914-1918. Full text
• Rosenfeld S.S., Fordyce P.M., Jeffereson G.M., King P.H., Block S.M. Stepping and stretching: How kinesin uses internal strain to walk processively. Journal of Biological Chemistry 278: 18550-18556. Full text
• Lang, M.J., Fordyce, P.M. and Block, S.M. Combined optical trapping and single-molecule fluorescence. Journal of Biology 2: 6. Full text
• Block, S.M., Asbury, C.L., Shaevitz, J.W., Lang, M.J. Probing the kinesin reaction cycle with a 2D optical force clamp. PNAS 100: 2351-2356. Full text
• Lang. M.J. and Block, S.M. Resource Letter: LBOT-1: Laser-based optical tweezers. American Journal of Physics 71: 201. Full text

2002

• Lang, M.J., Asbury, C.L., Shaevitz, J.W., Block, S.M. An automated two-dimensional optical force clamp for single molecule studies. Biophysical Journal 83: 491-501. Full text
• Block, S.M. A not-so-cheap stunt. Science 297: 769.
• Gross, S.P., Welte, M.A., Block, S.M. and E.F. Wieschaus. Coordination of opposite-polarity microtubule motors. Journal of Cell Biology 156: 715-724. Full text
• Davis, L.J., Odde, D.J., Block, S.M. and Gross, S.P. The importance of lattice defects in katanin-mediated microtubule severing in vitro. Biophysical Journal. 82: 2916-2927. Full text

2001

• Block, S.M. The growing threat of biological weapons. American Scientist 89: 28-37. Full text

2000

• Schnitzer, M.J., Visscher, K. and Block, S.M. Mechanism of force production by single kinesin motors. Nature Cell Biology 2: 718-723. Full text
• Baumann, C.G., Bloomfield, V.A., Smith, S.B., Bustamante, C., Wang, M.D. and Block, S.M. Stretching of single collapsed DNA molecules. Biophysical Journal 78: 1965-1978. Full text
• Gross, S.P., Welte, M.A., Block, S.M. and E.F. Wieschaus. Dynein-mediated cargo transport in vivo: A switch controls travel distance Journal of Cell Biology 148: 945-956. Full text

1999

• Neuman, K., Chadd, E.H., Liou, G.F., Bergman, K. and Block, S.M. Characterization of photodamage to Escherichia coli in optical traps. Biophysical Journal 77: 2656-2863. Full text
• Block, S.M. Living nightmares: Biological warfare threats enabled by molecular biology. In The New Terror: Facing the Threat of Biological and Chemical Weapons, edited by Drell, S.D., Sofaer, A.D., and Wilson, G.D. Hoover Institution Press. ISBN 978-0817997014.
• Visscher, K., Schnitzer, M.J. and Block, S.M. Single kinesin molecules studied with a molecular force clamp. Nature 400: 184-189. Full text
• Bouchiat, C., Wang, M.D., Allemand, J.-F., Strick, T., Block, S.M. and Croquette, V. Estimating the persistence length of a worm-like chain molecule from force-extension measurements. Biophysical Journal 76: 409-413. Full text

1998

• Wang, M.D., Schnitzer, M.J., Yin, H., Landick, R., Gelles, J., and Block, S.M. Force and velocity measured for single molecules of RNA polymerase. Science 292: 902-907. Full text
• Visscher, K. and Block, S.M. Versatile optical traps with feedback control. Methods in Enzymology 298: 460-489. Full text
• Block, S.M. Kinesin: What gives? Cell 93: 5-8. Full text
• Block, S.M. Leading the procession: New insights into kinesin motors. Journal of Cell Biology 140: 1281-1284. Full text
• Welte, M.A., Gross, S.P., Postner, M., Block, S.M. and Wieschaus, E.F. Developmental regulation of vesicle transport in Drosophila embryos: Forces and kinetics. Cell 92: 547-557. Full text
• Luna, E.J., Hitt A.L., Shutt, D., Wessels, D., Soll, D., Jay, P., Hug, C., Elson, E.L., Vesley, A., Downey, G.P., Wang, M., Block, S.M, Sigurdson, W., and Sachs, F. Role of ponticulin in pseudopod dynamics, cell-cell adhesion, and mechanical stability of an amoeboid membrane skeleton. Biological Bulletin 194: 345-347. Full text
• Block, S.M. Constructing optical tweezers. In Cells: A Laboratory Manual, edited by Spector, D.L., Goldman, R., Leinwand, L. Cold Spring Harbor Press. ISBN 978-0879695217.

1997

• Schnitzer, M.J. and Block, S.M. Kinesin hydrolyses one ATP per 8-nm step. Nature 388: 386-390. Full text
• Block, S.M. Real engines of creation. Nature 386: 217-219. Full text
• Wang, M.D., Yin, H., Landick, R., Gelles, J., and Block, S.M. Stretching DNA with optical tweezers. Biophysical Journal 72: 1335-1346. Full text

1996

• Visscher, K., Gross, S.P., and Block, S.M. Construction of multiple-beam optical traps with nanometer-level position sensing. IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics 2: 1066-1076. Full text
• Block, S.M. Do’s and don’ts of poster presentation. Biophysical Journal 71: 3527-3529. Full text
• Block, S.M. Fifty ways to love your lever: Myosin motors. Cell 87: 151-157. Full text
• Schnitzer, M.J. and Block, S.M. Statistical kinetics of processive enzymes. Cold Spring Harbor Symposia on Quantitative Biology 60: 793-802. Full text

1995

• Yin, H., Wang, M.D., Svoboda, K., Landick, R., Block, S.M. and Gelles, J. Transcription against an applied force. Science 270: 1653-1656. Full text
• Block, S.M. One small step for myosin. Nature 378: 132-133. Full text
• Block, S.M. Motility assays for motor proteins. Quarterly Review of Biology 70: 217-218. Full text
• Block, S.M. and K. Svoboda. Analysis of high resolution recordings of motor movement. Biophysical Journal 68: 230S-241S. Full text
• Block, S.M. Nanometers and piconewtons: the macromolecular mechanics of kinesin. Trends in Cell Biology 5: 169-175. Full text

1994

• Svoboda, K., Mitra, P. and Block, S.M. Fluctuation analysis of motor protein movement and single enzyme kinetics. PNAS 91: 11782-11786. Full text
• Svoboda, K. and Block, S.M. Optical trapping of metallic Rayleigh particles. Optics Letters 19: 930-932. Full text
• Svoboda, K. and Block, S.M. Force and velocity measured for single kinesin molecules. Cell 77: 773-784. Full text
• Block, S.M. Biophysical principles of sensory transduction: The importance of kT. In Sensory Transduction, edited by Elsner, N., and Breer, H. Proceedings of the 22nd Göttingen Neurobiology Conference 1994; Volume 1. Thieme Medical Publishers. ISBN 978-3131394019.
• Svoboda, K. and Block, S.M. Biological applications of optical forces. Annual Review of Biophysics and Biomolecular Structure 23: 247-285. Full text
• Fahrner, K. A., Block, S.M., Krishnaswamy, S., Parkinson, J.S. and Berg, H.C. A mutant hook-associated protein (HAP3) facilitates torsionally-induced transformations of the flagellar filament of Escherichia coli. Journal of Molecular Biology 238: 173-186. Full text

1993

• Svoboda, K., Schmidt, C.F., Schnapp, B.J., and Block, S.M. Direct observation of kinesin stepping by optical trapping interferometry. Nature 365: 721-727. Full text

1992

• Block, S.M. Making light work with optical tweezers. Nature 360: 493-495. Full text
• Svoboda, K., Schmidt, C.F., Branton, D. and Block, S.M. Conformation and elasticity of the isolated red blood cell membrane. Biophysical Journal 63: 784-793. Full text
• Block, S.M. Biophysical principles of sensory transduction. In Sensory Transduction, edited by Corey, D.P., and Roper, S.D. Rockefeller University Press. ISBN 978-0874700947.
• Svoboda, K., Schmidt, C.F., Lei, N., Safinya, C.R., Block, S.M. and Branton, D. Scattering studies of the isolated red blood cell skeleton, a biological two-dimensional polymer. Materials Research Society Symposia Proceedings 248: 63-68. Full text
• Schmidt, C.F., Svoboda, K., Lei, N., Safinya, C.R., Block, S.M. and Branton, D. The isolated human red blood cell skeleton: an example of a flexible tethered membrane. In The Structure and Conformation of Amphiphilic Membranes, edited by Lipowsky, R., Richter, D., and Kremer, K. Springer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3642847653.
• Block, S.M. "E pur si muove! (It moves, nevertheless!, Galileo)". Trends in Cell Biology 2: 60-61. Full text
• Charon, N.W., Goldstein, S.F., Block, S.M., Curci, K., Ruby, J.D. and Limberger, R.J. Morphology and dynamics of protruding spirochete flagella. Journal of Bacteriology 174: 832-840. Full text

1991

• Block, S.M., Fahrner, K.A. and Berg, H.C. Visualization of bacterial flagella by video-enhanced light microscopy. Journal of Bacteriology 173: 933-936. Full text

1990

• Block, S.M., Goldstein, L.S.B., and Schnapp, B.J. Bead movement by single kinesin molecules studied with optical tweezers. Nature 348: 348-352. Full text
• Shepherd, G.M.G., Corey, D.P. and Block, S.M. Actin cores of hair-cell stereocilia support myosin motility. PNAS 87: 8627-8631. Full text
• Schnitzer, M.J., Block, S.M., Berg, H.C. and Purcell, E.M. Strategies for chemotaxis. In Biology of the Chemotactic Response, edited by Armitage, J.P., and Lackie, J.M. Society for General Microbiology. ISBN 978-0521403139.
• Block, S.M. Optical tweezers: a new tool for biophysics. In Noninvasive Techniques in Cell Biology, edited by Grinstein, S., and Foskett, K. Wiley. ISBN 978-0471568094.

1989

• Block, S.M., Blair, D.F. and Berg, H.C. Compliance of bacterial flagella measured with optical tweezers. Nature 338: 514-518. Full text