Regensburg 2019 – scientific programme

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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik

BP 12: Poster II

BP 12.3: Poster

Tuesday, April 2, 2019, 14:00–16:00, Poster B2

Quantification of DNA by Combined X-ray Scanning Nanodiffraction and Holography — •Andrew Wittmeier, Mareike Töpperwien, Tim Salditt, and Sarah Köster — Uni Göttingen. Institute for X-ray Physics. Göttingen, Germany.

Imaging nanostructures within a cell presents several challenges. Although traditional optical imaging techniques, such as visible light phase contrast or fluorescence microscopy, are widely used, they cannot access the necessary length scales of subcellular structures such as nuclear DNA. Techniques such as electron microscopy can image the necessary length scales but at the invasive expense of slicing the cells. These two challenges are overcome by x-rays: with their short wavelengths and high penetration depths, they are capable of imaging nanostructures in whole cells. Measurements can be performed on both living and lyophilized cells but, when compared to living cells, the electron density contrast between the sample and environment is higher when the cells are lyophilized. Here, we preform both x-ray scanning nanodiffraction and holography measurements on lyophilized 3T3 fibroblasts. The presented analysis supplies information concerning the morphology, aggregation state and projected electron density of nuclear material within distinguishable regions of the nucleus. The relationship between the number of scattered photons (nanodiffraction) of a distinguished region and its corresponding electron density (holography) is investigated.