title: Atomic force microscopy of reovirus dsRNA: a routine technique for length measurements.
abstract: Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to image reovirus double stranded RNA (dsRNA) deposited from diluted buffer solution onto a chemically treated mica surface. This procedure allows AFM images of dsRNA molecules to be obtained with a quality close to that obtained with conventional electron microscopy. The length of the molecules were measured directly on a computer display using the digitally acquired images. The lengths of the molecules varied between 0.2 and 1.8 microns. Statistical analysis showed a multimodal distribution with clear maxima at 0.4, 0.65 and 1.05 microns. These data are in a good agreement with those obtained by electron microscopy and gel electrophoresis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Arizona State University, Tempe 85287.
authors.forename: Y L
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Lyubchenko
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Lindsay
mesh_terms: D016252:Microscopy, Scanning Tunneling; D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded / Q000032:analysis*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D012087:Reoviridae / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded; D012367:RNA, Viral