Assessment of Proteus mirabilis Antigen Immunological Complexes by Atomic Force Microscopy.

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is being increasingly used to directly measure protein interactions in nearly physiological environments. Here, protocols for atomic force microscopy (AFM) for visualization of antigen-antibody complexes are presented. The technique is used to demonstrate complexes formed by rheumatoid arthritis patient antibodies with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) isolated from P. mirabilis (O3) strain S1959 and a synthetic antigen (LPS epitope of 6 N-alpha-(D-galacturonoyl)-L-lysine residues).