title: Useful technique for DNA-stretching and fixation.
abstract: We report on a useful technique for reproducibly straightening and fixing DNA molecules. When a droplet of DNA solution on surfaces is sucked up by pipet, surface tension at the moving air-water interface is sufficient to stretch the molecules. The point of this technique is the interaction control between surfaces and DNA molecules by polymer coating. With polymers containing pi-conjugation units (polyphenazasiline, PPhenaz and poly(vinylcarbazole), PVCz), many DNA were nicely stretched and fixed on surfaces. Furthermore, structural changes of pi-units in polymers affected DNA-stretching and fixation. By using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning near-field optical/atomic force microscopy (SNOM/AFM), the feasibility of this technique for DNA observations was demonstrated.
authors.affiliation: National Agricultural Research Organization, 3-1-1, Kannondai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8518, Japan.
authors.forename: Hidenobu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakao
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: Tomoyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yoshino
authors.forename: Shigeru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sugiyama
authors.forename: Kazunori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Otobe
authors.forename: Toshio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ohtani
mesh_terms: D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry*; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation
chemical_list: D004247:DNA