On the binding of cationic, water-soluble conjugated polymers to DNA: electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions.
Water-soluble, cationic conjugated polymer binds single-stranded DNA with higher affinity than it binds double-stranded or otherwise "folded" DNA. This stronger binding results from the greater hydrophobicity of single-stranded DNA. Upon reducing the strength of the hydrophobic interactions, the electrostatic attraction becomes the important interaction that regulates the binding between the water-soluble conjugated polymer and DNA. The different affinities between the cationic conjugated polymer and various forms of DNA (molecular beacons and its open state; single-stranded DNA and double-stranded DNA and single-stranded DNA and complex DNA folds) can be used to design a variety of biosensors.
Xia
Fan
F
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA.
Zuo
Xiaolei
X
Yang
Renqiang
R
Xiao
Yi
Y
Kang
Di
D
Vallée-Bélisle
Alexis
A
Gong
Xiong
X
Heeger
Alan J
AJ
Plaxco
Kevin W
KW
D001665:Binding Sites; D002412:Cations / Q000737:chemistry*; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry*; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded / Q000737:chemistry; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D055672:Static Electricity; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
D002412:Cations; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded; D011108:Polymers; D014867:Water; D004247:DNA