Peptide-mineral interaction images created

LIVERMORE, Calif., Nov. 25 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists say they have created images with the resolution of a single molecule of the interaction between peptides and a mineral surface.

The scientists from the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, the Molecular Foundry at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, the University of California-Davis and the University of Alabama said they were able to create images of individual atomic layers of a mineral interacting with peptides -- protein fragments -- by improving the performance of an atomic force microscope.

"We were able to watch peptides adhere to the surface, temporarily slow down a layer of the growing crystal, and surprisingly 'hop' to the next level of the crystal surface," said Raymond Friddle of the Lawrence Livermore lab.

The researchers said many organisms use minerals to form important body structures, such as bones, teeth, and protective shells. An understanding how organisms interact with and manage the growth of minerals, they said, might promote the development of new treatment strategies for such maladies as kidney stones.

The research appears in the early online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.