Wormlike lipid/DNA micelles in a non-polar solvent.
The phase behavior of DOPE/DOTAP-DNA complexes in phase-separated oil(dodecane)/water mixtures was explored using Small Angle X-Ray Scattering (SAXS) and Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy (FCS). Inverse micelles of DNA with cationic-lipid coating were found in the oil phase. Varying the ratio between cationic and neutral lipids a transition from wormlike to spherical structures is observed for both long ( approximately 75000bp) and short (30-1246bp) DNA. In contrast to lipid/DNA complexes in the water phase, there is no indication of condensed liquid-crystalline structures in the non-polar phase. In fact, FCS measurements on short DNA oligomers complexed with cationic lipid in alkane give clear evidence for monomeric inverse micelles of DNA. Dilution series revealed a critical lower concentration of lipids and DNA for observing lipid/DNA micelles.
Hohner
A
A
Geschwister-Scholl-Platz 1, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, D-80539, München, Germany.
Bayer
J
J
Rädler
J O
JO
D000473:Alkanes / Q000737:chemistry*; D003102:Colloids / Q000737:chemistry*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008956:Models, Chemical; D008958:Models, Molecular; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000737:chemistry*; D012997:Solvents / Q000737:chemistry*
D000473:Alkanes; D003102:Colloids; D010743:Phospholipids; D012997:Solvents; C007548:n-dodecane; D004247:DNA