TEM and HRTEM characterization of metallized nanotubules derived from bacteria

Nanoscale protein tubules called rhapidosomes, approximately 17 nm in diameter and 400 nm in length, isolated and purified from the bacterium Aquaspirillum itersonii, were metallized with nickel by an electroless plating technique using molecular catalysts, instead of using the more traditional colloidal catalysts approach. It is demonstrated that surface amino acids can initiate the catalyzation process of electroless metallization using molecular catalyst particles. Results of characterization of metallized rhapidosomes by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) are discussed.