Mono- and bilayer smectic liquid crystal ordering in dense solutions of "gapped" DNA duplexes.

ABSTRACT: Although its mesomorphic properties have been studied for many years, only recently has the molecule of life begun to reveal the true range of its rich liquid crystalline behavior. End-to-end interactions between concentrated, ultrashort DNA duplexes-driving the self-assembly of aggregates that organize into liquid crystal phases-and the incorporation of flexible single-stranded "gaps" in otherwise fully paired duplexes-producing clear evidence of an elementary lamellar (smectic-A) phase in DNA solutions-are two exciting developments that have opened avenues for discovery. Here, we report on a wider investigation of the nature and temperature dependence of smectic ordering in concentrated solutions of various "gapped" DNA (GDNA) constructs. We examine symmetric GDNA constructs consisting o

SUBMITTER: Gyawali P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8000353 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature