Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 25, 2026

Visualization of Recombinant DNA and Protein Complexes Using Atomic Force Microscopy
08:30

Visualization of Recombinant DNA and Protein Complexes Using Atomic Force Microscopy

Published on: July 18, 2011

Visualization of cellular DNA crosslinks by atomic force microscopy

Kun Zhang1, Hao Qi, Hao Li

  • 1Institute of Photonics and Photon-Technology, Northwest University, Xi'an, People's Republic of China.

Scanning
|February 26, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) effectively visualizes cellular DNA crosslinks, a critical DNA damage type. This direct imaging method differentiates DNA damage, offering a valuable alternative to indirect assays for toxic chemical and radiation exposure studies.

Area of Science:

  • Cellular Biology
  • Biophysics
  • Toxicology

Background:

  • Cellular DNA crosslinks are a significant form of DNA damage.
  • Failure to repair DNA damage can lead to cell death or mutations.
  • Accurate detection of DNA crosslinks is crucial for understanding cellular responses to toxic agents.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate DNA damage types and their impact on cellular functions.
  • To explore the utility of direct morphological observation for DNA damage detection.
  • To demonstrate atomic force microscopy (AFM) as a method for visualizing DNA crosslinking.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized atomic force microscopy (AFM) to visualize DNA strand breakage and crosslinking.
  • Treated cells with varying concentrations of formaldehyde and hydrogen peroxide.
  • Compared AFM observations with results from comet assays.

Main Results:

  • AFM successfully visualized DNA crosslinking induced by toxic chemicals.
  • Chemical-induced DNA crosslinking demonstrated a dose-dependent relationship.
  • Observed DNA conglomerates at high formaldehyde concentrations, consistent with comet assay findings.

Conclusions:

  • Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is an efficient tool for direct visualization of cellular DNA damage.
  • AFM can effectively differentiate between types of DNA damage, including crosslinking.
  • This technique offers a valuable approach for studying the effects of toxic chemicals and radiation on DNA integrity.

More Related Videos

Single-Molecule Real-Time Visualization of DNA Unwinding by CMG Helicase07:37

Single-Molecule Real-Time Visualization of DNA Unwinding by CMG Helicase

Published on: September 27, 2024

Functionalization of Atomic Force Microscope Cantilevers with Single-T Cells or Single-Particle for Immunological Single-Cell Force Spectroscopy10:06

Functionalization of Atomic Force Microscope Cantilevers with Single-T Cells or Single-Particle for Immunological Single-Cell Force Spectroscopy

Published on: July 10, 2019

Related Concept Videos

Studying the Cytoskeleton01:17

Studying the Cytoskeleton

The cytoskeletal architecture can be studied using different microscopic and biochemical techniques. Electron microscopy was instrumental in discovering the cytoskeletal architecture around the 1960s, which allowed obtaining structural information at a high-resolution level. However, the sample preparation procedure often limits this ability in biological samples. Several protocols have been developed over the years to optimize sample preparation. In one of the protocols known as rotary...
Atomic Force Microscopy01:08

Atomic Force Microscopy

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is a type of scanning probe microscopy that can analyze topographic details of various specimens like ceramics, glass, polymers, and biological samples. AFM offers over 1000 times more resolution than the optical imaging system. Images generated from AFM are three-dimensional surface profiles, offering an advantage over the flat, two-dimensional images from other imaging techniques.
The AFM Probe
The probe is regarded as the heart of any AFM setup and comprises the...