EDTA-induced self-assembly of cationic lipid-DNA multilayers near a monolayer-covered air-water interface.
The presence of EDTA in the suspending buffer can induce the formation of multilayer structures from a mixture of the cationic lipid 3beta[N-(N',N'-dimethylaminoethane)-carbamoyl] cholesterol and the zwitterionic 'helper' lipid 1, 2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine with DNA. The resulting structures consist of stacks of alternating sheets of lipid bilayer with intercalated DNA. In the absence of EDTA, only a single layer of DNA adsorbs to the lipid membrane. The buffer composition therefore influences the morphology of the lipid-aggregate/DNA assembly, which was not known to date.
Huebner
S
S
Medizinische Biophysik, Technische Universität München, Klinikum r. d. Isar, Ismaninger Strasse 22, D-81675, Munich, Germany. shuebner@physik.tu-muenchen.de
Politsch
E
E
Vierl
U
U
Cevc
G
G
D000388:Air; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry*; D004134:Dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine / Q000737:chemistry*; D004492:Edetic Acid / Q000737:chemistry*; D008051:Lipid Bilayers / Q000737:chemistry; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*
D008051:Lipid Bilayers; D014867:Water; C070648:3-(N-(N',N'-dimethylaminoethane)carbamoyl)cholesterol; D004247:DNA; D002784:Cholesterol; D004492:Edetic Acid; D004134:Dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine