Investigation of DNA Condensing Properties of Amphiphilic Triblock Cationic Polymers by Atomic Force Microscopy

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• 作者：Nathalie Lidgi-Guigui ; Christine Guis ; Blandine Brissault ; Antoine Kichler ; Christian Leborgne ; Daniel Scherman ; Sid Labdi ; Patrick A. Curmi
• 刊名：Langmuir
• 出版年：2010
• 出版时间：November 16, 2010
• 年：2010
• 卷：26
• 期：22
• 页码：17552-17557
• 全文大小：929K
• 年卷期：v.26,no.22(November 16, 2010)
• ISSN：1520-5827

文摘

Introduction of nucleic acids into cells is an important biotechnology research field which also holds great promise for therapeutic applications. One of the key steps in the gene delivery process is compaction of DNA into nanometric particles. The study of DNA condensing properties of three linear cationic triblock copolymers poly(ethylenimine-b-propylene glycol-b-ethylenimine), namely, LPEI₅₀-PPG₃₆-LPEI₅₀, LPEI₁₉-PPG₃₆-LPEI₁₉, and LPEI₁₄-PPG₆₈-LPEI₁₄, indicates that proper DNA condensation is driven by both the charge and the size of the respective cationic hydrophilic linear polyethylenimine (LPEI) and neutral hydrophobic poly(propylene glycol) (PPG) parts. Atomic force microscopy was used to investigate the interactions of the triblock copolymers with plasmid DNA at the single molecule level and to enlighten the mechanism involved in DNA condensation.