Summary
When imaging biomacromolecules with a STM, coating of specimens with a conductive layer is a convenient preparation method which provides a good rate of success. Utilizing evaporated platinum/carbon as a coating film we have investigated two biomacromolecules of very different appearance. The first of these is the HPI-layer, a natural two-dimensional protein crystal with a period of 18nm, which is found on the surface of the bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans. The second specimen is type IV collagen which forms long triple-helical strands approx. 1⋅5nm in diameter. The resulting STM pictures compare very well with electron microscopical images.
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© 1988 The Royal Microscopical Society
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Guckenberger, R., Wiegräbe, W., Baumeister, W. (1988). Scanning tunnelling microscopy of biomacromolecules. In: Neddermeyer, H. (eds) Scanning Tunneling Microscopy. Perspectives in Condensed Matter Physics, vol 6. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-1812-5_30
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-1812-5_30
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
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