Atomic Force Microscopy with Nanoscale Cantilevers Resolves Different Structural Conformations of the DNA Double Helix

Carl Leung, Aizhan Bestembayeva, Richard Thorogate, Jake Stinson, Alice Pyne, Christian Marcovich, Jinling Yang, Ute Drechsler, Michel Despont, Tilo Jankowski, Martin Tschöpe, and Bart W. Hoogenboom

Structural variability and flexibility are crucial factors for biomolecular function. Here we have reduced the invasiness and enhanced the spatial resolution of atomic force microscopy (AFM) to visualize, for the first time, different structural conformations of the two polynucleotide strands in the DNA double helix, for single molecules under near-physiological conditions. This is achieved by identifying and tracking the anomalous resonance behavior of nanoscale AFM cantilevers in the immediate vicinity of the sample.

DOI

Journal: Nano Letters