title: Nano-scale imaging of chromosomes and DNA by scanning near-field optical/atomic force microscopy.
abstract: Nano-scale structures of the YOYO-1-stained barley chromosomes and lambda-phage DNA were investigated by scanning near-field optical/atomic force microscopy (SNOM/AFM). This technique enabled precise analysis of fluorescence structural images in relation to the morphology of the biomaterials. The results suggested that the fluorescence intensity does not always correspond to topographic height of the chromosomes, but roughly reflects the local amount and/or density of DNA. Various sizes of the bright fluorescence spots were clearly observed in fluorescence banding-treated chromosomes. Furthermore, fluorescence-stained lambda-phage DNA analysis by SNOM/AFM demonstrated the possibility of nanometer-scale imaging for a novel technique termed nano-fluorescence in situ hybridization (nano-FISH). Thus, SNOM/AFM is a powerful tool for analyzing the structure and the function of biomaterials with higher resolution than conventional optical microscopes.
authors.affiliation: National Food Research Institute, 2-1-12 Kannondai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8642, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomoyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yoshino
authors.forename: Shigeru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sugiyama
authors.forename: Shoji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hagiwara
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fukushi
authors.forename: Motoharu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shichiri
authors.forename: Hidenobu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakao
authors.forename: Jong-Min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Tamaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hirose
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Muramatsu
authors.forename: Toshio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ohtani
mesh_terms: D010582:Bacteriophage lambda / Q000235:genetics*; D001583:Benzoxazoles / Q000378:metabolism; D032461:Chromosomes, Plant / Q000235:genetics*; D018744:DNA, Plant / Q000235:genetics / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000378:metabolism; D001467:Hordeum / Q000235:genetics*; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force / Q000379:methods*; D036103:Nanotechnology; D011806:Quinolinium Compounds / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001583:Benzoxazoles; D018744:DNA, Plant; D004279:DNA, Viral; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D011806:Quinolinium Compounds; C075296:1,1'-((4,4,7,7-tetramethyl)-4,7-diazaundecamethylene)bis-4-(3-methyl-2,3-dihydro(benzo-1,3-oxazole)-2-methylidene)quinolinium