Life Sciences Nanotheater

DNA Adsorbed on a lipid bilayer

409nm scan of calf thymus DNA adsorbed as a close-packed monolayer to a mica-supported cationic lipid bilayer and imaged in ultra pure water using low amplitude fluid TappingMode. The parallel aligned, flexible DNA helices are separated by 40 angstroms due to electrostatic charge repulsions of the phosphate backbone. Sample courtesy D. Czajkowsky, University of Virginia. For more information, see Mou J, Czajkowsky DM, Zhang Y & Shao Z (1995) High-resolution atomic-force microscopy of DNA: the pitch of the double helix. FEBS Lett. 371: 279-282.