In cells, various supramolecular linkages each comprising multiple physically linked proteins transmit the tension generated by internal actomyosin contraction or by external mechanical perturbations, and provide the physical basis for regulating tension-dependent signalling transduction of the cells. The mechanical properties of a tension-transmission supramolecular linkage depend on two critical tension-bearing elements, the interfaces between two neighbouring proteins and the protein domains within the linkage. In this review, we focus on technological principles that enable the probing of mechanical properties of proteins, the experimental progresses and theoretical understandings of the kinetics of tension dependent structural transition of protein domains and protein-protein interfaces, and their implications on cell mechanotransduction.

在细胞中，各种超分子连接均包含多个物理连接的蛋白质，可传递内部肌动球蛋白收缩或外部机械扰动所产生的张力，并为调节张力依赖性细胞信号转导提供了物理基础。张力传递超分子键的机械性能取决于两个关键的张力轴承元件，两个相邻蛋白质之间的界面以及该键内的蛋白质结构域。在这篇综述中，我们专注于能够探测蛋白质机械性能的技术原理，对蛋白质结构域和蛋白质-蛋白质界面的张力依赖性结构转变动力学的实验进展和理论理解，以及它们对细胞机械转导的影响。