Imaging a specific mRNA in pollen with atomic force microscopy

doi : 10.1039/C5RA00199D

Jung Sook Kim, Yu Shin Park, Hong Gil Nam and Joon Won Park

Received: 6 January 2015, Accepted: 9 February 2015, Published online: 9 February 2015

Abstract
Intracellular localization of RNA is important in regulating various cellular functions. Here, we determined
the intracellular localization of the ammonium transporter (AtAMT1;4) mRNA in the sperm cells of
Arabidopsis pollen by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The AFM probe was modified with cone-shaped
dendron molecules, and an oligonucleotide complementary to the mRNA was attached to the apex. This
configuration allowed facile detection of the mRNA within a sectioned pollen cell at the single-molecule
level by measuring the mRNA–oligonucleotide interaction force. The AtAMT1;4 mRNA was largely
localized in the nucleus rather than the cytosol of the sperm cells.

Link : http://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2015/RA/C5RA00199D