title: High-resolution imaging of myosin motor in action by a high-speed atomic force microscope.
abstract: The atomic force microscope (AFM) is a powerful tool for imaging biological molecules on a substrate, in solution. However, there is no effective time axis with AFM; commercially available AFMs require minutes to capture an image, but many interesting biological processes occur at much higher rate. Hence, what we can observe using the AFM is limited to stationary molecules, or those moving very slowly. We sought to increase markedly the scan speed of the AFM, so that in the future it can be used to study the dynamic behaviour of biomolecules. For this purpose, we have developed various devices optimised for high-speed scanning. Combining these devices has produced an AFM that can capture a 100 x 100 pixel image within 80 ms, thus generating a movie consisting of many successive images of a sample in aqueous solution. This is demonstrated by imaging myosin V molecules moving on mica, in solution.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-1192, Japan.
authors.forename: Noriyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kodera
authors.forename: Tatsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kinoshita
authors.forename: Takahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Toshio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ando
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D006868:Hydrolysis; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D024701:Myosin Type V / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000502:physiology; D009218:Myosins / Q000737:chemistry*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D024701:Myosin Type V; D009218:Myosins