title: On the binding of cationic, water-soluble conjugated polymers to DNA: electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA.
authors.forename: Fan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.forename: Xiaolei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zuo
authors.forename: Renqiang
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Di
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Alexis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vallée-Bélisle
authors.forename: Xiong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.forename: Alan J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Heeger
authors.forename: Kevin W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Plaxco
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D002412:Cations; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded; D011108:Polymers; D014867:Water; D004247:DNA