title: DNA-responsive hydrogels that can shrink or swell.
abstract: Molecule-responsive hydrogels are reputed to be smart materials because of their unique properties. We recently reported that hydrogels containing directly grafted single-stranded (ss) DNA or ssDNA-polyacrylamide conjugate in a semi-interpenetrating network (semi-IPN) manner that "only shrunk" by the addition of ssDNA samples. To date, however, no DNA-responsive hydrogels have been reported capable of "swelling" in response to specific DNAs. Smart materials capable of both shrinking and swelling in response to specific DNAs would be very useful in biochemical and biomedical applications. Here, we show a novel "shrinking or swelling" DNA-responsive mechanism. Novel hybrid hydrogels containing rationally designed ssDNA as the cross-linker were capable of shrinking or swelling in response to ssDNA samples and recognizing a single base difference in the samples. On the basis of the results presented in this paper, it is envisioned that these novel hybrid hydrogels could function and have potential in applications such as DNA-sensing devices and DNA-triggered actuators.
authors.affiliation: Bioengineering Laboratory, RIKEN (The Institute of Physical and Chemical Research), 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako-Shi, Saitama 351-0198, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshihiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Murakami
authors.forename: Mizuo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maeda
mesh_terms: D000180:Acrylic Resins / Q000737:chemistry; D001483:Base Sequence; D001671:Biochemistry / Q000379:methods; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D001698:Biomedical Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents / Q000494:pharmacology; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry*; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000737:chemistry; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded / Q000737:chemistry; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate / Q000737:chemistry*; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000737:chemistry; D046911:Macromolecular Substances / Q000737:chemistry*; D008422:Materials Testing; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry; D013499:Surface Properties; D013997:Time Factors; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry; D000099166:Polyacrylamides
chemical_list: D000180:Acrylic Resins; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D004247:DNA; D017931:DNA Primers; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate; D020100:Hydrogels; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D011108:Polymers; D014867:Water; D000099166:Polyacrylamides