Sup35NMp morphology evaluation on Au, Si, formvar and mica surfaces using AFM, SEM and TEM

Abstract

Prion and some other incurable human neurodegenerative diseases are associated with misfolding of specific proteins, followed by the formation of amyloids. Despite the widespread usage of the transmission electron and of the atomic force microscopy for studing such amyloids, many related methodological issues still have not been studied until now. Here, we consider one of the first amyloids found in Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast, i.e. Sup35NMp, to study the adsorption of monomeric protein and its fibrils on the surface of mica, silica, gold and on formvar film. Comparison of linear characteristics of these units calculated by processing of images obtained by the atomic force, transmission and scanning electron microscopy was carried out. The minimal number of measurements of fibril diameters to obtain the values in a given confidence interval were determined. We investigated the film formed by monomeric protein on mica surface, which veiled some morphology features of fibrils. Besides, we revealed that parts of the Sup35NMp excluded from the fibril core can form a wide “coat”. The length of the protein forming the core of the fibrils was estimated.