Atomic force microscopy of uncoated plasmid DNA: nanometer resolution with only nanogram amounts of sample

M Q Li; H G Hansma; J Vesenka; G Kelderman; P K Hansma

doi:10.1080/07391102.1992.10508671

Atomic force microscopy of uncoated plasmid DNA: nanometer resolution with only nanogram amounts of sample

J Biomol Struct Dyn. 1992 Dec;10(3):607-17. doi: 10.1080/07391102.1992.10508671.

Authors

M Q Li¹, H G Hansma, J Vesenka, G Kelderman, P K Hansma

Affiliation

¹ Department of Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara 93106.

PMID: 1492927
DOI: 10.1080/07391102.1992.10508671

Abstract

Reproducible, high-contrast, nanometer-resolution AFM images of uncoated plasmid DNA can be obtained with nanogram quantities of DNA with the help of two advances in sample preparation: (1) Heating a DNA solution at 35 degrees C for 10 to 20 minutes before deposition on mica helps separate and spread the DNA, and (2) Using 5 microliter drops of the heated DNA solution in the concentration range of 2 to 10 nanogram/microliter in contact with a specially prepared mica surface for 5 to 10 minutes gives optimal coverage with only nanograms of DNA.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Aluminum Silicates / chemistry
DNA / chemistry*
Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
Plasmids / chemistry*

Substances

Aluminum Silicates
DNA
mica