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AFM Imagings of Ferritin Molecules Bound to LB Films of Poly-1-Benzyl-L-Histidine: Imaging the ordered arrays of water-soluble protein ferritin with the atomic force microscope

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 February 2011

Satomi Ohnishi ,
Masahiko Hara ,
Taiji Furuno ,
Wolfgang Knoll  and
Hiroyuki Sasabe
Satomi Ohnishi
Affiliation:
Saitama University, Urawa, Saitama 338, Japan.
Masahiko Hara
Affiliation:
Institute of Physical & Chemical Research (RIKEN), Frontier Research Program, Wako, Saitama 351-01, Japan.
Taiji Furuno
Affiliation:
Institute of Physical & Chemical Research (RIKEN), Frontier Research Program, Wako, Saitama 351-01, Japan.
Wolfgang Knoll
Affiliation:
Institute of Physical & Chemical Research (RIKEN), Frontier Research Program, Wako, Saitama 351-01, Japan.
Hiroyuki Sasabe
Affiliation:
Saitama University, Urawa, Saitama 338, Japan. Institute of Physical & Chemical Research (RIKEN), Frontier Research Program, Wako, Saitama 351-01, Japan.
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Abstract

A water-soluble protein, ferritin, on a silicon surface has been imaged in pure water at room temperature with the atomic force microscope (AFM). The samples were prepared by binding ferritin molecules electrostatically to a charged polypeptide layer of poly-l-benzyl-L-histidine (PBLH). The hexagonal arrangement of ferritin molecules was imaged with high reproducibility, since the force between tip and the sample surface could be kept sufficiently lower than 10-10 N. The applied force can be stabilized and weakened mainly due to a “self-screening effect” of the surface charges of the ferritin-PBLH layer. We demonstrate that the electrostatic-binding sample preparation is one of the suitable methods for soft biological specimens to achieve the nondestructive. low-force AFM imagings.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 295: Symposium W – Atomic-Scale Imaging of Surfaces and Interfaces , 1992 , 145
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1993

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