Field ion microscopy of biomolecules.

Area of Science:

• Surface Science
• Biophysics
• Microscopy

Background:

• Previously reported low field strength images lacked structure and symmetry.
• Understanding molecular behavior at low field strengths is crucial for advanced imaging.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate a newly discovered type of structured image.
• To determine if macromolecules adsorbed on tip surfaces produce these images.
• To explore the potential for obtaining tertiary structure information.

Main Methods:

• Imaging at field strengths below molecular denaturation thresholds.
• Exhaustive investigation of the hypothesis that adsorbed macromolecules cause structured images.
• Analysis of ion micrographs for molecular size and shape determination.

Main Results:

• A novel type of structured, asymmetric image was discovered.
• No observations disproved the hypothesis that biomolecules produce these images.
• Correlations strongly support the biomolecular origin of the structured images.

Conclusions:

• It is highly probable that biomolecules produce these structured images.
• Low field strength imaging shows potential for deriving tertiary structure information.
• Current analysis provides insights into biomolecular size and shape.