Simple test system for single molecule recognition force microscopy

We have established an easy-to-use test system for detecting receptor-ligand interactions on the single molecule level using atomic force microscopy (AFM). For this, avidin-biotin, probably the best characterized receptor-ligand pair, was chosen. AFM sensors were prepared containing tethered biotin molecules at sufficiently low surface concentrations appropriate for single molecule studies. A biotin tether, consisting of a 6 nm poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) chain and a functional succinimide group at the other end, was newly synthesized and covalently coupled to amine-functionalized AFM tips. In particular, PEG₈₀₀ diamine was glutarylated, the mono-adduct NH₂-PEG-COOH was isolated by ion exchange chromatography and reacted with biotin succinimidylester to give biotin-PEG-COOH which was then activated as N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) ester to give the biotin-PEG-NHS conjugate which was coupled to the aminofunctionalized AFM tip. The motional freedom provided by PEG allows for free rotation of the biotin molecule on the AFM sensor and for specific binding to avidin which had been adsorbed to mica surfaces via electrostatic interactions. Specific avidin-biotin recognition events were discriminated from nonspecific tip-mica adhesion by their typical unbinding force (∼40 pN at 1.4 nN/s loading rate), unbinding length (<13 nm), the characteristic nonlinear force-distance relation of the PEG linker, and by specific block with excess of free d-biotin. The convenience of the test system allowed to evaluate, and compare, different methods and conditions of tip aminofunctionalization with respect to specific binding and nonspecific adhesion. It is concluded that this system is well suited as calibration or start-up kit for single molecule recognition force microscopy.     

Effect of Neck Formation on the Measurement of Dynamic Interfacial Tension in a Drop Volume Tensiometer

Dynamic interfacial tension values obtained by drop volume tensiometry will be affected under certain experimental conditions by the formation of a neck between the drop and the capillary tip. This phenomenon must be accounted for to obtain accurate values of interfacial tension. In this work, neck formation for a water–mineral oil system is studied under conditions where hydrodynamic effects can be neglected. A model originally developed for the determination of the surface tension of a suspended drop is modified for application to dynamic interfacial tensions of surfactant-containing liquids. The model relates apparent values of interfacial tension calculated from drops possessing necks to actual values. Experiments with Span 80 (sorbitan monooleate) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) surfactants in a mineral oil–water system are used to test the validity of the developed model. For the small tip diameter used, good agreement is obtained for Span 80 up to the critical micelle concentration, and for low concentrations of SDS, when the surfactant adsorption is diffusion-limited. In both cases, the neck diameter of the growing drop can be considered constant over the range of dynamic interfacial tensions tested.     

Viscoelastic properties of single poly(ethylene glycol) molecules.

The viscoelastic properties of single poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) molecules were measured by analysis of thermally and magnetically driven oscillations of an atomic force microscope (AFM) cantilever/molecule system. The molecular and monomer stiffness and friction of the PEG polymer were derived using a simple harmonic oscillator (SHO) model. Excellent agreement between the values of these two parameters obtained by the two approaches indicates the validity of the SHO model under the experimental regimes and the excellent reproducibility of the techniques. A sharp minimum in the monomeric friction is seen at around 180 pN applied force which we propose is due to a force induced change in the shape of the energy landscape describing the conformational transition of PEG from a helical to a planar state, which in turn affects the timescale of the transition and therefore modifies the measured internal friction. A knowledge of the viscoelastic response of PEG monomers is particularly important since PEG is widely used as a linker molecule for tethering groups of interest to the AFM tip in force spectroscopy experiments, and we show here that care must be exercised because of the force-dependent viscoelastic properties of these linkers.     

Synthese und Struktur von Silber(II)-tetrafluoroaurat(III) Ag[AuF4]2

Synthesis and Structure of Silver(II) Tetrafluoroaurate(III) Ag[AuF₄]₂ Intensive green single crystals of Ag[AuF₄]₂ can be obtained by heating up micro crystalline Ag[AuF₄]₂ in autoclaves (p(F₂) ～ 200 bar, T ～ 400°C, t ～ 14 d). It crystallizes monoclinic, space group P2₁/n ? C; (No. 14) with a = 522.3(1), b = 1101.3(3), c = 550.5(2) pm, β = 94.98(3), Z = 2 and is isotypic with Pd[AuF₄]₂.     

A theory of adsorption kinetics with time delay and its application to overshoot and oscillation in the surface tension of gelatin solution

A theory of adsorption kinetics with time delay [Ohshima et al. (1992) Colloid Polym. Sci. 270:707] is developed and applied to the surface tension of a polymer solution. It is found that the general appearance of the overshoot and oscillation in the time course of the surface tension of aqueous gelatin solution observed by Sato and Ueberreiter [(1979) Makromol. Chem. 180:829, 1107; (1979) Polym. Prepr. Am. Chem. Soc. Div. Polym. Chem. 20:907) can be explained by the present theory.     

DNA电化学生物传感器测定水中痕量铅

采用物理涂附法将单链DNA固定到金表面得到ssDNA/Au修饰电极。研究表明,该电极在pH 5,0.2 mol/L NaAc-HAc缓冲底液中,可用于测定水中痕量Pb2 。Pb2 以Pb-DNA络合物的形式吸附在电极上,以示差脉冲伏安法测定Pb2 ,在0.15 V(vsSCE)处有灵敏的氧化峰,其峰电流与Pb2 浓度在5.0×10-8~1.0×10-6mol/L范围内呈良好的线性关系,此法的检测限为2.0×10-8mol/L,该修饰电极的稳定性和抗干扰性都较好。用该电极对饮用水中的Pb进行检测,得到了满意的结果。     

通讯波段单光子探测器的研制

将InGaAs/InP雪崩光电二极管应用于盖革模式下,采用门脉冲模式淬灭雪崩,并使用魔T混合网络抑制尖峰噪声,实现了通信波段1550 nm的单光子探测.在APD工作温度为223 K时,测得暗计数率与探测效率的比值为0.035.     

信息时代的铌酸锂晶体:进展与展望

铌酸锂晶体具有非线性效应、电光效应、声光效应、光折变效应、压电效应与热释电效应等多种物理特性,在表面声波器件、光电器件、声光器件等方面获得广泛的应用.经历了六十多年的发展,铌酸锂晶体历久弥新,随着材料特性的不断开发,新功能、新器件、新应用层出不穷,尤其是铌酸锂单晶薄膜在薄膜滤波器、集成光电器件等领域的性能具有明显优势,...     

双"单电桥"法测量低电阻中的实用技巧例举

主要介绍了双"单电桥"法测量低电阻的基本原理与双"单电桥"法测量低电阻的几种实用技巧.     

改进型单晶炉提拉系统偏心平衡研究

随着光伏行业的快速发展, 对硅单晶的品质和长晶装备的稳定性的要求也不断提高。直拉法是生产硅单晶的主要方法,通过提高单晶炉副室的高度以扩大单晶硅的生产规模。由于副室高度的大幅增加,且单晶炉提拉头质心相对于旋转轴心有一定距离,对单晶炉整体稳定性有较大影响,从而降低了单晶硅的生产质量。针对此问题,对单晶炉建立可靠的力学分析模型,采用数值仿真方法,对单晶炉整体进行动力学响应分析,计算得到副室高度增加后的单晶炉工作时中钨丝绳下端晶棒的运动规律以及最大摆动幅度,为改进设计提供依据。数值仿真分析表明提高单晶炉副室高度后,提拉头较大的质心偏心是单晶炉提拉系统发生摆动的主要原因。在此基础上提出在提拉头上添加质心调节装置,通过控制系统调节可保证提拉头质心位置在旋转轴线上以降低提拉系统的摆动。