Motion of a cell wall polysaccharide observed by atomic force microscopy

A water-soluble wheat pentosan polysaccharide has been observed in motion b y atomic force microscopy (AFM). The motion occurred under aqueous buffer s olution and has been attributed to the desorption and readsorption of segme nts of the molecule from the mica substrate on to which it had been physiso rbed. The three classically described states postulated to be involved in p olymer adsorption/desorption, namely loops, trains and tails were confirmed by direct observation. These observations validate long held, but largely untested, beliefs about the nature of the adsorption/desorption of polymer chains to surfaces.