Atomic force microscopy of fungal cell walls: an update

Abstract

Although the chemical composition of many fungal cell walls is known, the spatial organization and interactions of the individual macromolecules remain mysterious. In this context, single-cell and single-molecule atomic force microscopy techniques offer new opportunities for probing the surface of fungal cells down to molecular resolution. Recent breakthroughs include the visualization of the structural dynamics of single cells as they grow or interact with drugs, the quantification and nanoscale imaging of cell surface hydrophobicity and the measurement of the molecular elasticity of cell wall polysaccharides and proteins. Here I highlight the advances made by my team in this area during the past 3 years.