Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
Today, most commercial AFMs are user friendly, and reliable protocols are
available for functionalizing tips and for immobilizing microbial cells. Also,
procedures to measure the localization, binding strength and nanomechanics
of cell surface molecules are well established. Nevertheless, newcomers
should realize that accurate data collection and interpretation require strong
expertise and a lot of patience, especially when analyzing complex cellular
samples. A central issue is to be sure that functionalized tips are of good
quality, permitting reliable and reproducible single-molecule measurements,
and that their integrity is preserved during the course of the experiment.
A crucial challenge for future microbiological research will be to combine
SMFS with other advanced scanning probe modalities, such as high-speed
imaging (
Chapter 8
), single-cell force spectroscopy (
Chapter 10
) and near-
ield scanning optical microscopy (
Chapter 9
). Combining these methods
with light microscopy techniques should provide novel insight into the
organization, assembly and dynamics of cell walls. In particular, optical
nanoscopy, in which the resolution is no longer limited by the wavelength
of light, should allow us to resolve cellular surface structures with a few
nanometre dimensions.
43,44
Acknowledgements
Work in our team was supported by the National Foundation for Scientiic
Research (FNRS), the Foundation for Training in Industrial and Agricultural
Research (FRIA), the Université catholique de Louvain (Fonds Spéciaux de
Recherche), the Région wallonne, the Federal Ofice for Scientiic, Technical
and Cultural Affairs (Interuniversity Poles of Attraction Programme) and the
Research Department of the Communauté française de Belgique (Concerted
Research Action).
References
1.
Beveridge, T. J., and Graham, L. L. (1991) Surface layers of bacteria,
Microbiol.
Rev.
,
55
, 684-705.
2.
Cabeen, M. T., and Jacobs-Wagner, C. (2005) Bacterial cell shape,
Nat. Rev.
Microbiol.
,
3
, 601-610.
3.
Daniel, R. A., and Errington, J. (2003) Control of cell morphogenesis in bacteria:
two distinct ways to make a rod-shaped cell,
Cell
,
113
, 767-776.
4.
Beveridge, T. J. (1999) Structures of gram-negative cell walls and their derived
membrane vesicles,
J. Bacteriol.
,
181
, 4725-4733.
Search WWH ::
Custom Search