Immobilizing DNA on gold via thiol modification for atomic force microscopy imaging in buffer solutions.

Thiols, dialkylsulfides, and dialkyldisulfides are known to be chemisorbed with high affinity on gold. We have prepared DNAs of specific length and sequence carrying thiol groups at each end. For this purpose, primers with an HS-(CH2)6-arm at the 5'-end were used to amplify segments of plasmid DNA via the polymerase chain reaction. These thiolated DNAs bind strongly to the large, ultraflat Au surfaces which we have recently described [Hegner, M. et al. (1993) Surface Sci. 291, 39-46], and can be imaged by AFM in liquids (aqueous solutions or propanol). The lengths obtained in the AFM images are consistent with the DNA being in a native B-conformation.