Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

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...
Mechanisms of Membrane-bending01:15

Mechanisms of Membrane-bending

The living membranes are flexible due to their fluid mosaic nature; however, their bending into different shapes is an active process regulated by specific lipids and proteins. The membrane bending can be transient as seen in vesicles or stable for a long time as in microvilli. Cells regulate the size, location, and duration of the membrane curvature.
Membrane bending can happen due to intrinsic changes in lipid composition or extrinsic association with different proteins. The proteins involved...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Employing molecular beacons to assess in vitro transcription with single-molecule resolution.

Scientific reports·2026
Same author

Concurrent positional dynamics and activity mapping of DNA-binding proteins.

Nature protocols·2026
Same author

Condensin I but not Condensin II is crucial for mitotic chromosome mechanics.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

Chromatin organization in Asgard archaea: histones, SMC complexes, and the archaeal roots of eukaryotic chromatin.

Trends in genetics : TIG·2026
Same author

Mechanistic basis for relaxation of DNA supercoils by human topoisomerase IIIα-RMI1-RMI2.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same author

ProHistoneDB: A database of prokaryotic and viral histones.

Journal of molecular biology·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 29, 2026

Atomic Force Microscopy of Red-Light Photoreceptors Using PeakForce Quantitative Nanomechanical Property Mapping
14:13

Atomic Force Microscopy of Red-Light Photoreceptors Using PeakForce Quantitative Nanomechanical Property Mapping

Published on: October 24, 2014

Jumping mode atomic force microscopy on grana membranes from spinach.

Kinga Sznee1, Jan P Dekker, Remus T Dame

  • 1Faculty of Sciences, Department of Physics and Astronomy, VU University Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

The Journal of Biological Chemistry
|September 14, 2011
PubMed
Summary

Researchers visualized Photosystem II (PSII) in spinach grana membranes using atomic force microscopy. They discovered diverse PSII packing arrangements and observed supercomplex reorganizations, suggesting protein and molecule diffusion within membranes.

More Related Videos

Functionalization of Atomic Force Microscope Cantilevers with Single-T Cells or Single-Particle for Immunological Single-Cell Force Spectroscopy
10:06

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

Published on: July 10, 2019

Sub-nanometer Resolution Imaging with Amplitude-modulation Atomic Force Microscopy in Liquid
10:25

Sub-nanometer Resolution Imaging with Amplitude-modulation Atomic Force Microscopy in Liquid

Published on: December 20, 2016

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 29, 2026

Atomic Force Microscopy of Red-Light Photoreceptors Using PeakForce Quantitative Nanomechanical Property Mapping
14:13

Atomic Force Microscopy of Red-Light Photoreceptors Using PeakForce Quantitative Nanomechanical Property Mapping

Published on: October 24, 2014

Functionalization of Atomic Force Microscope Cantilevers with Single-T Cells or Single-Particle for Immunological Single-Cell Force Spectroscopy
10:06

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

Published on: July 10, 2019

Sub-nanometer Resolution Imaging with Amplitude-modulation Atomic Force Microscopy in Liquid
10:25

Sub-nanometer Resolution Imaging with Amplitude-modulation Atomic Force Microscopy in Liquid

Published on: December 20, 2016

Area of Science:

  • Plant biology
  • Biophysics
  • Membrane protein structure

Background:

  • The thylakoid membrane system optimizes light energy capture in plants.
  • Grana membranes house Photosystem II (PSII) and light-harvesting complexes.
  • Understanding PSII organization is crucial for photosynthesis research.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To directly visualize Photosystem II (PSII) complex organization within spinach grana membranes.
  • To investigate the packing arrangements and dynamics of PSII in its native environment.
  • To explore potential protein and molecule diffusion within these membrane domains.

Main Methods:

  • Jumping mode atomic force microscopy (AFM) in liquid was employed for high-resolution imaging.
  • Minimal force application allowed detailed visualization of membrane proteins.
  • Spinach grana membranes were prepared and imaged under controlled conditions.

Main Results:

  • Four distinct packing arrangements of PSII complexes were observed, primarily as dimers.
  • Arrangements included co-linear crystalline rows, nanometric domains, and disordered domains.
  • Low-temperature storage induced large-scale reorganizations of PSII-light-harvesting supercomplexes.
  • High-resolution images revealed membrane domains supporting protein and small molecule diffusion.

Conclusions:

  • PSII exhibits diverse supramolecular organizations within grana membranes.
  • Environmental conditions can induce significant reorganization of photosynthetic supercomplexes.
  • The observed membrane domains suggest a dynamic environment facilitating molecular transport.