EAGER: Dynamic Surface Interactions for Single Molecule Imaging of Biochemical Reactions

University Of California - Merced, Merced CA

Investigators

Abstract

In this EAGER project funded by the Chemical Measurement and Imaging Program in the Division of Chemistry, Professor Tao Ye at University of California-Merced and his group will use atomic force microscopy (AFM) to visualize the conformational changes and biochemical reactions of DNA molecules that are anchored to electroactive surfaces, i.e., surfaces that dynamically change their affinity with molecular adsorbates under electrochemical control. Such novel dynamic surfaces will help address a long-standing challenge in AFM visualization of biochemical reactions: if the biomacromolecules are pinned down, which is needed for high resolution AFM, the interactions with the surface perturb the reaction. The dynamic surfaces will expand the repertoire of surfaces and reactions that can be probed by single molecule AFM imaging, significantly reduce the measurement artifacts, and improve the imaging resolution. Therefore, the project will further our understanding of the reactions of biomacromolecules at the nanoscale and single molecule level. The project will train graduate students at the cutting edge of nanoscale measurement and imaging. The proposed research will also provide research opportunities to undergraduate students at UC Merced, many of whom are underrepresented minorities.