Patterned Threadlike Micelles and DNA-Tethered Nanoparticles: A Structural Study of PEGylated Cationic Liposome-DNA Assemblies.

ABSTRACT: The self-assembly of oppositely charged biomacromolecules has been extensively studied due to its pertinence in the design of functional nanomaterials. Using cryo electron microscopy (cryo-EM), optical light scattering, and fluorescence microscopy, we investigated the structure and phase behavior of PEGylated (PEG: poly(ethylene glycol)) cationic liposome-DNA nanoparticles (CL-DNA NPs) as a function of DNA length, topology (linear and circular), and ρ(chg) (the molar charge ratio of cationic lipid to anionic DNA). Although all NPs studied exhibited lamellar internal nanostructure, NPs formed with short (∼2 kbps), linear, polydisperse DNA were defect-rich and contained smaller domains. Unexpectedly, we found distinctly different equilibrium structures away from the isoelectric point. At ρ(c

SUBMITTER: Majzoub RN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4554524 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature