Figure 3.

Distribution of unfolding forces of core structures (left column) and weak aggregates (right column), in three distinct experimental settings: 4MBP in the absence of chaperone (top row), in the presence of the wild-type HSPB8 (middle row), or in the presence of the K141E mutant HSPB8 (bottom row). As a guide to the eye, the region between the first and third quartile of the distribution has been highlighted by a gray rectangle. Also, the position of the median is represented by a vertical line. The presence of the chaperone does not affect the mechanical stability of the core structure, while it significantly lowers the breakage force of the weak aggregates, an effect that in the case of the mutant is less pronounced. Histograms are based on 62, 47, and 97 core structures (left column, top to bottom) and on 124, 85, and 161 weak aggregates (right column, top to bottom).