Localization atomic force microscopy.

TitleLocalization atomic force microscopy.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2021
AuthorsHeath GR, Kots E, Robertson JL, Lansky S, Khelashvili G, Weinstein H, Scheuring S
JournalNature
Volume594
Issue7863
Pagination385-390
Date Published2021 Jun
ISSN1476-4687
Abstract

Understanding structural dynamics of biomolecules at the single-molecule level is vital to advancing our knowledge of molecular mechanisms. Currently, there are few techniques that can capture dynamics at the sub-nanometre scale and in physiologically relevant conditions. Atomic force microscopy (AFM)1 has the advantage of analysing unlabelled single molecules in physiological buffer and at ambient temperature and pressure, but its resolution limits the assessment of conformational details of biomolecules2. Here we present localization AFM (LAFM), a technique developed to overcome current resolution limitations. By applying localization image reconstruction algorithms3 to peak positions in high-speed AFM and conventional AFM data, we increase the resolution beyond the limits set by the tip radius, and resolve single amino acid residues on soft protein surfaces in native and dynamic conditions. LAFM enables the calculation of high-resolution maps from either images of many molecules or many images of a single molecule acquired over time, facilitating single-molecule structural analysis. LAFM is a post-acquisition image reconstruction method that can be applied to any biomolecular AFM dataset.

DOI10.1038/s41586-021-03551-x
Alternate JournalNature
PubMed ID34135520