Probing the Machinery of Intracellular Trafficking with the Atomic Force Microscope

Atomic force microscopy has emerged as a powerful tool for characterizing single biological macromolecules, macromolecular assemblies, and whole cells in aqueous buffer, in real time, and at molecular-scale spatial and force resolution. Many of the central elements of intracellular transport are tens to hundreds of nanometers in size and highly dynamic. Thus, atomic force microscopy provides a valuable means of addressing questions of structure and mechanism in intracellular transport. We begin this review of recent efforts to apply atomic force microscopy to problems in intracellular transport by discussing the technical principles behind atomic force microscopy. We then turn to three specific areas in which atomic force microscopy has been applied to problems with direct implications for intracellular trafficking: cytoskeletal structure and dynamics, vesicular transport, and receptor–ligand interactions. In each case, we discuss studies which use both intact cellular elements and reconstituted models. While many technical challenges remain, these studies point to several areas where atomic force microscopy can be used to provide valuable insight into intracellular transport at exquisite spatial and energetic resolution.     

甘草多糖GPS-3a微观形态的原子力显微观察

目的:研究甘草多糖GPS-3a的微观结构形态;方法:采用原子力显微镜(轻敲模式)观察以热水浴、超声波、微波方式进行稀释分散处理的甘草多糖GPS-3a的微观形貌,并与不经处理的GPS-3a的微观形貌加以比较,研究多糖构相,并研究热因素对GPS-3a的微观形态的影响;结果:发现经过水浴、超声波、微波处理的GPS-3a呈现大小不一形态各异的较小型聚集体,而未经处理的GPS-3a在原子力显微镜下可以得到清晰的网状图像.结论:沸水浴、超声波、微波等相对剧烈的条件处理多糖过程中产生的热可以使甘草多糖GPS-3a的微观形态产生变化.     

原子力及原子力声显微镜应用于生物学领域的回顾与展望

回顾了显微镜的发展史,着重介绍了原子力显微镜的工作原理,工作模式,成像特点及其在生物学领域的应用。对最新的原子力声显微镜的发展做了展望。     

原子力显微镜及其在肿瘤研究中的应用

原子力显微术是一种利用原子、分子间的相互作用力来观察物体表面超微结构的新型实验技术.介绍了原子力显微镜作为一种显微探测和操纵工具的主要特点及其在肿瘤研究中的优势,评述了国内外有关原子力显微镜在肿瘤的诊断、治疗、抗肿瘤药物开发等研究中的应用情况,展望了原子力显微镜应用于肿瘤单细胞研究的前景.     

ATP-Induced Shape Change of Nuclear Pores Visualized with the Atomic Force Microscope

Bidirectional transport of molecules between nucleus and cytoplasm through the nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) spanning the nuclear envelope plays a fundamental role in cell function and metabolism. Nuclear import of macromolecules is a two-step process involving initial recognition of targeting signals, docking to the pore and energy-driven translocation. ATP depletion inhibits the translocation step. The mechanism of translocation itself and the conformational changes of the NPC components that occur during macromolecular transport, are still unclear. The present study investigates the effect of ATP on nuclear pore conformation in isolated nuclear envelopes from Xenopus laevis oocytes using the atomic force microscope. All experiments were conducted in a saline solution mimicking the cytosol using unfixed nuclear envelopes. ATP (1 mm) was added during the scanning procedure and the resultant conformational changes of the NPCs were directly monitored. Images of the same nuclear pores recorded before and during ATP exposure revealed dramatic conformational changes of NPCs subsequent to the addition of ATP. The height of the pores protruding from the cytoplasmic surface of the nuclear envelope visibly increased while the diameter of the pore opening decreased. The observed changes occurred within minutes and were transient. The slow-hydrolyzing ATP analogue, ATP-γ-S, in equimolar concentrations did not exert any effects. The ATP-induced shape change could represent a nuclear pore ``contraction.' Received: 10 February 1997/Revised: 10 February 1998     

原子力显微镜在生物领域中的应用

原子力显微镜(AFM)作为生物样品表面表征的有力工具,具有独特的优势.本文在介绍原子力显微镜基本原理的基础上,综述了原子力显微镜样品制备以及原子力显微镜形貌分析、力曲线以及动力学分析在生物领域中的应用.     

应用原子力显微镜分析苯甲酸钠生物毒性

应用原子力显微镜(Atomic force microscope, AFM)在单细胞水平上研究食品防腐剂苯甲酸钠(Sodium benzoate, SB)的生物毒性, 从可视化的角度分析了淋巴细胞与不同浓度SB作用不同时间后其形态及其膜超微结构的影响。结果与正常淋巴细胞相比, 随着与淋巴细胞作用的SB浓度和作用时间的增加, 细胞形态及细胞膜明显发生改变, 其超微结构也趋复杂。经SB作用后的细胞高低差Rp-v、均方根粗糙度Rq、平均粗糙度Ra、平均高度4个几何参数值均明显发生改变。对经SB作用后的淋巴细胞进行统计学分析, 并探讨了其作用机制。     

原子力显微镜在植物学研究中的应用

原子力显微镜(AFM)是一种探测样品表面信息的有力工具, 它可以在空气和接近样品生理条件下成像, 同时也可以在皮牛(pico-Newton, 10-12 N)至微牛(micro-Newton, 10-6 N)水平上测量力的大小。本文主要介绍了自AFM发明以来, 其在植物大分子、细胞器、细胞、叶片等方面的应用, 并列举了目前 AFM存在的几点不足。     

原子力显微镜在生物领域中的应用

原子力显微镜(AFM)作为生物样品表面表征的有力工具, 具有独特的优势。本文在介绍原子力显微镜基本原理的基础上, 综述了原子力显微镜样品制备以及原子力显微镜形貌分析、力曲线以及动力学分析在生物领域中的应用。     

原子力显微镜在病毒学研究中的应用

1982年德裔物理学家G.Binnig和H.Rohrer发明了具有原子级分辨率的扫描隧道显微镜(scanning tunneling microscope,STM),使人类第一次能够实时地观察单个原子在物质表面的排列状态和相关的理化性质,两位科学家因此荣获1986年诺贝尔物理学奖[1].在STM基础上发展起来的利用探针扫描技术的一类显微镜统称为扫描探针显微镜(SPM),包括扫描隧道显微镜、原子力显微镜、摩擦力显微镜、磁力显微镜、近场光学显微镜和弹道电子发射显微镜等.档     

原子力显微镜在植物学研究中的应用

原子力显微镜（AFM）是一种探测样品表面信息的有力工具,它可以在空气和接近样品生理条件下成像,同时也可以在皮牛（pico-Newton,10^-12N）至微牛（micro—Newton,10^-6N）水平上测量力的大小。本文主要介绍了自AFM发明以来,其在植物大分子、细胞器、细胞、叶片等方面的应用,并列举了目前AFM存在的几点不足。     

Atomic Force Microscope Information on Pollen Exine Substructure in Nuphar

Images of individual exine units from the tectum of Nuphar luteum (L.) Sm. pollen were made using atomic force microscopy. These units were recorded as being 120 to 160 nm wide. Exine-units sectioned transversally were circular and had a central circular (core) zone 40 nm or more in diameter. Exine unit-structures in Nuphar have an outer (binder) substructure coiled around a core zone.     

Single Protein Molecule Mapping with Magnetic Atomic Force Microscopy

Understanding the structural organization and distribution of proteins in biological cells is of fundamental importance in biomedical research. The use of conventional fluorescent microscopy for this purpose is limited due to its relatively low spatial resolution compared to the size of a single protein molecule. Atomic force microscopy (AFM), on the other hand, allows one to achieve single-protein resolution by scanning the cell surface using a specialized ligand-coated AFM tip. However, because this method relies on short-range interactions, it is limited to the detection of binding sites that are directly accessible to the AFM tip. We developed a method based on magnetic (long-range) interactions and applied it to investigate the structural organization and distribution of endothelin receptors on the surface of smooth muscle cells. Endothelin receptors were labeled with 50-nm superparamagnetic microbeads and then imaged with magnetic AFM. Considering its high spatial resolution and ability to “see” magnetically labeled proteins at a distance of up to 150 nm, this approach may become an important tool for investigating the dynamics of individual proteins both on the cell membrane and in the submembrane space.     

杜仲抗真菌蛋白晶体生长的原子力显微成像研究——快速生长与晶面生长速率

杜仲抗真菌蛋白(Eucommiaantifungalprotein,EAFP)的单晶体具有在几小时内就可长大的快速生长特性.用原子力显微成像(atomicforcemicroscope,AFM)技术,原位实时观测了EAFP单斜晶体生长过程中的｛10 0｝表面形貌动态变化,并分别在不同的过饱和度下测量了其生长速率.结果表明,EAFP晶体生长的速率与蛋白质溶液的过饱和度相关,在过饱和度高时(σ =1 78)晶面生长极快;在中等过饱和度(σ =1 5)下,其晶面台阶的生长速率沿b,c方向分别为 12nm/s和 2 4 2nm/s,比溶菌酶生长速率(6～ 7nm/s)快很多;在蛋白质浓度很低的情况下,其生长速率仍与其他蛋白质相当.EAFP晶体快速生长可能与该分子尺寸较小,内部结构紧凑,分子骨架呈刚性和分子表面性质等其固有特性密切相关.沉淀剂浓度对EAFP晶体生长也有影响.过饱和度很低时,提高沉淀剂浓度会干扰晶体生长.     

运用原子力显微镜研究核糖体RNA的二级结构

通过反复冻融的方法使核糖体在低温下瓦解,制备了rRNA,不经抽提、变性和染色处理就能使rRNA在云母表面上较好地分散.用原子力显微镜对其进行观察,发现rRNA分子呈多分支的棒状结构,且有很好的规律性.根据RNAs的大小和形状可将其分为三种,它们分别与计算机所预测的28S-5.8S、18S、5S rRNA的二级结构相似.我们得到的28S-5.8S、18S、5.8S、5S rRNAs的结构信息,支持基于热力学考虑推测的rRNAs的二级结构.     

用原子力显微镜研究炎症反应中粘附分子间相互作用

在炎症反应中,白细胞在血液流动动力和粘附分子的作用下在血管内皮上的滚动,是白细胞从流动的血液中浸润、迁移到炎症部位整个过程的第一步。白细胞在内皮细胞上滚动由选择素分子与其配体分子相互作用所导致,其中P选择素分子（P-selectin）与其对应的P-选择素糖蛋白配体-1（PSGL-1）的相互作用起着重要的作用。原子力显微镜技术能定量分析P-seleetin／PSGL-1相互作用的动力学反应。     

Surface Characteristics of Gram-Negative and Gram-Positive Bacteria in an Atomic Force Microscope Image

Bacterial images can be obtained rather easily with an atomic-force microscope (AFM) in the magnification range of 5,000 to 30,000 times without any pretreatment of the specimens for such observations as chemical fixation, dehydration or staining. The bacterial shapes or the presence of flagella can be clearly recognized in these magnification ranges. In addition, we were also able to distinguish between Gramnegative and Gram-positive bacteria based on the specific wavy surface appearance of the former. AFM could thus be a useful tool for the identification of bacteria in the resolution range between electron and light microscopy.     

原子力显微镜拉伸吸附在金膜表面的短单链DNA分子

对单根DNA分子的操纵和拉伸可以直接研究DNA的弹性等力学性质. 首先通过将金沉积到云母表面制备了表面粗糙度小于0.3 nm的金膜,然后一段硫代的单链DNA (100 bases) 吸附到金膜表面. 利用原子力显微镜观察不同浓度的DNA吸附在金膜上的表面形貌. 进一步用原子力显微镜的力曲线模式拉伸DNA分子,在50％的情况下DNA可以被针尖拉伸,观察到了由于针尖和DNA分子间作用力的不同导致的多种不同力曲线.