Sensing the Ultrastructure of Bacterial Surfaces and Their Molecular Binding Forces Using AFM

Yoo Jin Oh; Peter Hinterdorfer

doi:10.1007/978-1-4939-8591-3_21

Sensing the Ultrastructure of Bacterial Surfaces and Their Molecular Binding Forces Using AFM

Methods Mol Biol. 2018:1814:363-372. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4939-8591-3_21.

Authors

Yoo Jin Oh^{1

2}, Peter Hinterdorfer³

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Biophysics, Johannes Kepler University, Linz, Austria.
² Keysight Technologies Austria GmbH, Linz, Austria.
³ Institute of Biophysics, Johannes Kepler University, Linz, Austria. [email protected].

PMID: 29956243
DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-8591-3_21

Abstract

In this protocol, we provide a detailed step-by-step bacterial surface imaging and molecular analysis procedure. With SPM (scanning probe microscopy)-based dynamic force microscopy (DFM) imaging, we achieved a so far unprecedented resolution of ~1 nm on the outer surface layer of Tannerella forsythia and monitored the production of curli fibers on Escherichia coli in physiological conditions. Moreover, using these immobilization methods, single-molecule force spectroscopy experiments were conducted on living bacterial cells.

Keywords: AFM; Bacteria; Imaging; Single-molecule force spectroscopy.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

Cell Membrane / ultrastructure*
Data Analysis
Escherichia coli / ultrastructure*
Imaging, Three-Dimensional
Microscopy, Atomic Force / methods*
Static Electricity