Images of the DNA double helix in water

Abstract

The scanning tunneling microscope can image uncoated DNA submerged in water. The grooves of the double helix were clearly resolved in images of the 146-base pair fragment extracted from calf thymus nucleosome. In contrast to images obtained with dry DNA, the helix pitch varied only a small amount (36 +/- 5 angstroms). The path of the helix shows considerable variation. It is quite straight when the molecules are densely packed, but it curves and bends in isolated molecules.