Abstract
Atomic force microscope (AFM) is unique in its capability to capture high-resolution images of biological samples in liquids. This capability will become more versatile to biological sciences if AFM additionally acquires an ability of high-speed imaging, because “direct and real-time visualization” is a straightforward and powerful means to understand biomolecular processes. However, the imaging speed of conventional AFM is too slow to capture moving protein molecules at high resolution. In order to fill this large gap, various efforts have been carried out in the past decade. In this chapter, the past efforts for increasing the scan rate and reduction of tip–sample interaction force of AFM and demonstration of direct visualization of biomolecular processes are described.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsSpringer Nature is developing a new tool to find and evaluate Protocols. Learn more
References
Müller, D. J., Fotiadis, D., Scheuring, S., Müller, S. A., and Engel, A. (1999) Electrostatically balanced subnanometer imaging of biological specimens by atomic force microscope. Biophys. J. 76, 1101–1111.
Ando, T., Uchihashi, T., and Fukuma, T. (2008) High-speed atomic force microscopy for nano-visualization of dynamic biomolecular processes. Prog. Surf. Sci. 83, 337–437.
Ando, T., Uchihashi, T., Kodera, N., Yamamoto, D., Miyagi, A., Taniguchi, M., and Yamashita, H. (2008) High-speed AFM for nano-visualization of biomolecular processes. Pflugers Arch. – Eur. J. Physiol. 456, 221–225.
Yamamoto, D., Uchihashi, T., Kodera, N., Yamashita, H., Nishikori, S., Ogura, T., Shibata, M., and Ando, T. (in press) High-speed Atomic Force Microscopy Techniques for Observing Dynamic Biomolecular Processes. Methods in Enzymology
Ando, T., Uchihashi, T., Kodera N., Miyagi, A., Nakakita R., Yamashita H., and Sakashita M. (2006) High-speed atomic force microscopy for studying the dynamic behavior of protein molecules at work. Jpn J Appl Phys 45, 1897–1903.
Yamashita, H., Kodera, N., Miyagi, A., Uchihashi, T., Yamamoto, D., and Ando, T. (2007) Tip-sample distance control using photo-thermal actuation of a small cantilever for high-speed atomic force microscopy. Rev Sci Instrum. 78, 083702 (5 pp)
Miyagi, A., Tsunaka, T., Uchihashi, T., Mayanagi, K., Hirose, S., Morikawa, K., and Ando, T. (2008) Visualization of intrinsically disordered regions of proteins by high-speed atomic force microscopy. Chem. Phys. Chem. 9, 1859–1866.
Yamamoto, D., Uchihashi, T., Kodera, N., and Ando, T. (2008) Anisotropic diffusion of point defects in two-dimensional crystal of streptavidin observed by high-speed atomic force microscopy. Nanotechnology 19, 384009 (9 pp).
Yamashita, H., Voïtchovsky, K., Uchihashi, T., Contera, S. A., Ryan, J. F., and Ando, T. (2009) Dynamics of bacteriorhodopsin 2D crystal observed by high-speed atomic force microscopy. J. Struct. Biol. 167, 153–158.
Zhong, Q., Inniss, D., Kjoller, K., and Elings, V. B. (1993) Fractured polymer/silica fiber surface studied by tapping mode atomic force microscopy. Surf. Sci. Lett. 290, L688–L692.
Hansma, P. K., Cleveland, J. P., Radmacher, M., Walters, D. A., Hillner, P. E., Bezanilla, M., et al. (1994) Tapping mode atomic force microscopy in liquids. Appl. Phys. Lett. 64, 1738–1740.
Ando, T., Kodera, N., Takai, E., Maruyama, D., Saito, K., and Toda, A. (2001) A high-speed atomic force microscope for studying biological macromolecules. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 98, 12468–12472.
Kitazawa, M., Shiotani, K., and Toda, A. (2003). Batch fabrication of sharpened silicon nitride tips. Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 42, 4844 – 4847.
Kodera, N., Yamashita, H., Ando, T. (2005) Active damping of the scanner for high-speed atomic force microscopy. Rev Sci Instrum. 76, 053708, (5 pp).
Schitter, G., and Stemmer, A. (2004) Identification and open-loop tracking control of a piezoelectric tube scanner for high-speed scanning-probe microscopy. IEEE Trans Control Systems Technol. 12, 449–454.
Zou, Q., Leang, K. K., Sadoun, E., Reed, M. J., and Devasia, S. (2004) Control issues in high-speed AFM for biological applications: collagen imaging example. Asian J Control 6, 164–178.
Morita, S., Yamada, H., and Ando, T. (2007) Japan AFM roadmap 2006. Nanotechnol 18, 084001 (10 pp).
Kodera, N., Sakashita, M., and Ando, T. (2006) Dynamic proportional-integral-differential controller for high-speed atomic force microscopy. Rev Sci Instrum. 77, 083704, (7 pp).
Stark, M., and Guckenberger, R. (1999) Fast low-cost phase detection setup for tapping-mode atomic force microscopy. Rev Sci Instrum. 70, 3614–3619.
Uchihashi, T., Ando, T., Yamashita, H. (2006) Fast phase imaging in liquids using a rapid scan atomic force microscope. Appl. Phys. Lett. 89, 213112, (3 pp).
Yamaoto, D., Nagura, N., Omote, S., Taniguchi, M., and Ando, T., (in press) Streptavidin 2D crystal substrates for visualizing biomolecular processes by atomic force microscopy. Biophys. J. 97.
Zhang, S. F., Rolfe, P., Wright, G., Lian, W., Milling, A. J., Tanaka, S., and Ishihara, K. (1998). Physical and biological properties of compound membranes incorporating a copolymer with a phosphorylcholine head group. Biomater. 19, 691–700.
Vadgama, P. (2005). Surface biocompatibility. Annu. Rep. Prog. Chem., Sect. C: Phys. Chem. 101, 14–52.
Nakajima, H., Kunioka, K., Nakano, K., Shimizu, M., Seto, M., and Ando, T. (1997). Scanning force microscopy of the interaction events between a single molecule of heavy meromyosin and actin. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 234, 178–182.
Schmidt, J. J., and Montemagno, C. D. (2004). Bionanomechanical systems, Annu. Rev. Mater. Res. 34, 315–337.
Ando, T., Kodera, N., Maruyama, D., Takai, E., Saito, K., and Toda, A. (2002). A high-speed atomic force microscope for studying biological macromolecules in action, Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 41, 4851–4856.
Acknowledgments
We thank N. Kodera, D. Yamamoto, M. Shibata, A. Miyagi, M. Taniguchi, H. Yamashita, and all previous students for their dedicated studies for developing high-speed AFM. This work was supported by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST; the CREST program and a Grant-in-Aid for Development of Systems, Technology for Advanced Measurement and Analysis) and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS; a Grant-in-Aid for Basic Research (S)).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2011 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC
About this protocol
Cite this protocol
Uchihashi, T., Ando, T. (2011). High-Speed Atomic Force Microscopy and Biomolecular Processes. In: Braga, P., Ricci, D. (eds) Atomic Force Microscopy in Biomedical Research. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 736. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-61779-105-5_18
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-61779-105-5_18
Published:
Publisher Name: Humana Press
Print ISBN: 978-1-61779-104-8
Online ISBN: 978-1-61779-105-5
eBook Packages: Springer Protocols