Controlled immobilization of DNA molecules using chemical modification of mica surfaces for atomic force microscopy: characterization in air.

Immobilization of biomolecules on surfaces while keeping the maximum conformational flexibility of the molecules is one of the most important techniques for atomic force microscopy imaging. We have developed two methods of controlling adsorption of DNA molecules on mica surfaces. The first method is the use of a mica surface modified with diluted 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APS). Here we named this a "diluted APS-treated mica (AP-mica)" technique. The second method is the use of a mica surface modified with mixed self-assembled monolayers of organosilanes. In both of the techniques, the number of DNA molecules immobilized on a mica surface was controlled. Further, a conformational change of circular DNA, from a supercoiled to a relaxed form was observed for the molecules immobilized on a diluted AP-mica surface, when 254-nm UV light was irradiated. This observation demonstrated that flexibility of circular DNA molecules was kept on a diluted AP-mica surface. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.