OBSERVATION OF DNA PARTIAL DENATURATION BY ATOMIC FORCE MICROSCOPY

摘要

Atomic force microscopy was used to investigate the DNA-cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) complexes adsorbed on highly ordered pyrolytic graphite (HOPG). These complexes, at low concentrations, can automatically spread out on the surface of HOPG. The DNA-CTAB complexes display a typically extended structure rather than a globular structure. Partially denaturated DNA produced by binding CTAB to DNA is directly observed by AFM with high resolution. The three-dimensional resolution of partially denaturated DNA obtained by AFM is not available by any other technique at present.