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A detailed guideline for the fabrication of single bacterial probes used for atomic force spectroscopy

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Abstract.

The atomic force microscope (AFM) evolved as a standard device in modern microbiological research. However, its capability as a sophisticated force sensor is not used to its full capacity. The AFM turns into a unique tool for quantitative adhesion research in bacteriology by using “bacterial probes”. Thereby, bacterial probes are AFM cantilevers that provide a single bacterium or a cluster of bacteria as the contact-forming object. We present a step-by-step protocol for preparing bacterial probes, performing force spectroscopy experiments and processing force spectroscopy data. Additionally, we provide a general insight into the field of bacterial cell force spectroscopy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Experimental Physics, Campus E2 9, Saarland University, D-66123, Saarbrücken, Germany

    Nicolas Thewes, Peter Loskill, Christian Spengler, Sebastian Hümbert & Karin Jacobs

  2. Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Saarland University, D-66421, Homburg/Saar, Germany

    Markus Bischoff

Authors
  1. Nicolas Thewes
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  2. Peter Loskill
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  3. Christian Spengler
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  4. Sebastian Hümbert
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  5. Markus Bischoff
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  6. Karin Jacobs
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Correspondence to Karin Jacobs.

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Thewes, N., Loskill, P., Spengler, C. et al. A detailed guideline for the fabrication of single bacterial probes used for atomic force spectroscopy. Eur. Phys. J. E 38, 140 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1140/epje/i2015-15140-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1140/epje/i2015-15140-2

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