title: Ultra-high resolution imaging of DNA and nucleosomes using non-contact atomic force microscopy.
abstract: Visualisation of nano-scale biomolecules aids understanding and development in molecular biology and nanotechnology. Detailed structure of nucleosomes adsorbed to mica has been captured in the absence of chemical-anchoring techniques, demonstrating the usefulness of non-contact atomic force microscopy (NC-AFM) for ultra-high resolution biomolecular imaging. NC-AFM offers significant advantages in terms of resolution, speed and ease of sample preparation when compared to techniques such as cryo-electron microscopy and X-ray crystallography. In the absence of chemical modification, detailed structure of DNA deposited on a gold substrate was observed for the first time using NC-AFM, opening up possibilities for investigating the electrical properties of unmodified DNA.
authors.affiliation: Multidisciplinary Nanotechnology Centre, School of Engineering, University of Wales Swansea, Singleton Park, Swansea SA2 8PP, UK. egdaviese@swansea.ac.uk
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.forename: Kar Seng
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Teng
authors.forename: Robert Steven
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Conlan
authors.forename: Stephen Patrick
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Wilks
mesh_terms: D000538:Aluminum Silicates / Q000737:chemistry; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D036103:Nanotechnology; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D009707:Nucleosomes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure*
chemical_list: D000538:Aluminum Silicates; D009707:Nucleosomes; D004247:DNA; C011934:mica