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Probing the Structure and Dynamics of Interfacial Water with Scanning Tunneling Microscopy and Spectroscopy
Published on: May 27, 2018
Scanning tunnelling microscopy observations of biomolecules on layered materials
H Jungblut1, S A Campbell, M Giersig
1Hahn-Meitner-Institut Berlin, Bereich Photochemische Energieumwandlung, Germany.
Abstract:
Scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) has been performed on the reverse transcriptases of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) and the moloney murine leukaemia virus (MuLV). The biological molecules are adsorbed on n-type semiconducting MoTe2. The p66 (66 kD) subunit of the RT of HIV-1 is imaged by STM. Both STM and processed transmission electron microscopy (TEM) data show a spherical and horseshoe-like shape of external diameter ca. 65 A, depending on the angle of observation. The STM results show a larger diameter which is related to the curvature radius of the tip of the probing needle. The RTs of HIV-1 and MuLV exhibit a circular hole of ca. 20 A diameter in accordance with structure predictions and functioning considerations. The surface-molecule interaction is discussed in terms of the electronic properties of the semiconductor surface including the influence of small defect sites at the layered crystal surface.
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