title: Molecular structure of single DNA complexes with positively charged dendronized polymers.
abstract: Positively charged dendronized polymers with protonated amine groups at the periphery and different dendron generations are cylindrically shaped nanoobjects whose radii and linear charge densities can be varied systematically. These polyelectrolytes have been complexed with DNA and subsequently adsorbed on precoated mica substrates. The analysis of scanning force microscopy data indicates that DNA wraps around the dendronized polymers. The calculated pitch is 2.30 +/- 0.27 and 2.16 +/- 0.27 nm for DNA wrapped around dendronized polymers of generation two and four, respectively. The complex with the second generation has been shown to be negatively charged, which is consistent with the theory of spontaneous overcharging of macro-ion complexes, when the electrostatic contribution to the free energy dominates over the elastic energy. The complexes may be of interest for the development of nonviral gene delivery systems.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Humboldt University Berlin, 10099 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Illdiko
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gössl
authors.forename: Lijin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shu
authors.forename: A Dieter
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Schlüter
authors.forename: Jürgen P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Rabe
mesh_terms: D000538:Aluminum Silicates / Q000737:chemistry; D000588:Amines / Q000737:chemistry*; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry*; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D011137:Polystyrenes / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000538:Aluminum Silicates; D000588:Amines; D011137:Polystyrenes; D004247:DNA; C011934:mica