title: Preparation and characterization of DNA/allophane composite hydrogels.
abstract: The preparation and characterization of the composite hydrogels based on double-stranded deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and natural allophane (AK70) were reported. To understand the propensity of the natural allophane to adsorb the DNA molecules, using zeta potential measurement, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and electrophoresis analyses assessed the adsorption characteristics. The freeze-dried DNA/AK70 hydrogels were demonstrated that the DNA bundle structure with a width of ∼2μm and a length of ∼15-20μm was wrapped around the clustered allophane particles as revealed by FE-SEM/EDX analysis. The incorporation of AK70 in hydrogels induced the increase in the enthalpy of the helix-coil transition of DNA duplex due to the restricted molecular motions of the DNA duplex facilitated by the interaction between the phosphate groups of DNA and the protonated (+)(OH2)Al(OH2) groups on the wall perforations of the allophane.
authors.affiliation: Advanced Polymeric Nanostructured Materials Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering Toyota Technological Institute, 2-12-1 Hisakata, Tempaku, Nagoya 468 8511, Japan.
authors.forename: Takuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kawachi
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Matsuura
authors.forename: Fumitoshi
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Iyoda
authors.forename: Shuichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arakawa
authors.forename: Masami
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Okamoto
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D000538:Aluminum Silicates / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D000077215:Clay; D005612:Freeze Drying; D020100:Hydrogels; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D061925:Immobilized Nucleic Acids / Q000737:chemistry*; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D053761:Nanocomposites / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009691:Nucleic Acid Denaturation; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D055672:Static Electricity; D013499:Surface Properties; D013816:Thermodynamics
chemical_list: D000538:Aluminum Silicates; D020100:Hydrogels; D061925:Immobilized Nucleic Acids; D000077215:Clay
keywords: Adsorption; Double-stranded DNA; Hydrogels; Natural allophane; Thermal denaturation