Molecular-scale imaging of unstained deoxyribonucleic acid fibers by phase transmission electron microscopy

The molecular structure of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) fibers was observed by a phase reconstruction method called three-dimensional Fourier filtering using a 200 kV transmission electron microscope. The characteristic helical structure and the spacing of adjacent base pairs of DNA were partially resolved due to an improved signal-to-noise ratio and resolution enhancement by the phase reconstruction although the molecular structure was damaged by the electron beam irradiation. In the spherical aberration-free phase images, the arrangements of single atom-sized spots forming sinusoidal curves were sometimes observed, which seem to be the contrast originating in the sulfur atoms along the main chains. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.