Probing single biomolecules with atomic force microscopy.
During the last years, atomic force microscopy (AFM) has developed from a microscopy tool for solid-state surface science toward a method employed in many scientific disciplines, such as biology, for investigating individual molecules on a nanometer scale. This article describes the current status of the imaging possibilities of AFM on RNA, IgG, and gold-labeled cell adhesion proteoglycans, as well as of measurements of intermolecular binding forces between biomolecules in order to investigate their molecular structure, function, and elasticity.
Fritz
J
J
Scientific Services, Physics, Novartis Services AG, Basel, Switzerland.
Anselmetti
D
D
Jarchow
J
J
Fernàndez-Busquets
X
X
D000818:Animals; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002627:Chemistry, Physical; D006046:Gold; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force / Q000379:methods*; D011161:Porifera; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D012313:RNA / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D013816:Thermodynamics
D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D011509:Proteoglycans; C013065:cell aggregation factors; D012313:RNA; D006046:Gold