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Complexation of DNA with cationic surfactants as studied by small-angle X-ray scattering

  • Lin Niu
  • , Jingjing Yan
  • , Xuyan Yang
  • , Christian Burger
  • , Lixia Rong
  • , Benjamin Hsiao
  • , Dehai Liang

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

15 Scopus citations

Abstract

The phase behaviors of the complex formed by didodecyldimethylammonium bromide (DDAB) and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) interacting with three different types of DNAs, salmon testes DNA (∼2000 bp), 21-bp double-stranded oligonucleotides (oligo-dsDNA), and 21-nt single-stranded oligonucleotides (oligo-ssDNA) were studied by synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering. It was found that the DNA length and flexibility, together with the positive/negative charge ratio, determined the final structure. At higher charge ratios, the DNA length exhibited negligible effect. Both oligo-dsDNA and salmon DNA formed inverted hexagonal packing of cylinders with CTAB, as well as bilayered lamella with DDAB. However, at lower charge ratios, oligo-dsDNA formed a distorted hexagonal phase with CTAB and a new structure with DDAB, which was different from the behaviors of salmon DNA. The flexible oligo-ssDNA formed rich structures that were subject to environmental disturbance. Kinetic study also indicated that the structures of the complex formed by oligo-ssDNA took much longer to mature than the structures formed by oligo-dsDNA. We attributed this result to the conformational adjustment of oligo-ssDNA in the complex.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1738-1745
Number of pages8
JournalScience China Chemistry
Volume57
Issue number12
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2014

Keywords

  • DNA
  • Kewyords: phase behavior
  • kinetics
  • surfactant
  • synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering

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