title: Photocontrolled micellar aggregation of amphiphilic DNA-azobenzene conjugates.
abstract: We demonstrate the reversible micellar aggregation of a DNA-azobenzene conjugate in aqueous conditions, in which the photoisomerization of the initially apolar trans-azobenzene moiety to the polar cis isomer causes disassembly of the aggregates. The molecular basis for this phenomena is a change in the hydrophobic/hydrophilic balance of the conjugate as the more polar cis azobenzene isomer is formed upon exposure to 365 nm irradiation. The conjugates were prepared by copper-free Click chemistry between an azide-modified, 53-base ssDNA and a cyclooctyne derivative of azobenzene. The photocontrolled aggregation of the conjugate was studied by dynamic light scattering and atomic force microscopy. The reversible micellar aggregation for a DNA-azobenzene conjugate has not been previously reported and holds promise for photocontrolled drug delivery applications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University 144 Hudson Hall Box 90300, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
authors.forename: Renpeng
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas State University 601 University Dr., Chemistry Building, Room 238, San Marcos, TX 78666, USA.
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lamas
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas State University 601 University Dr., Chemistry Building, Room 238, San Marcos, TX 78666, USA.
authors.forename: Shiva K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Rastogi
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas State University 601 University Dr., Chemistry Building, Room 238, San Marcos, TX 78666, USA.
authors.forename: Xiaopeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas State University 601 University Dr., Chemistry Building, Room 238, San Marcos, TX 78666, USA. Electronic address: wb20@txstate.edu.
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Brittain
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University 144 Hudson Hall Box 90300, Durham, NC 27708, USA. Electronic address: zauscher@duke.edu.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zauscher
mesh_terms: D001391:Azo Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D057930:Click Chemistry; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry*; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded / Q000737:chemistry; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D008823:Micelles; D055668:Photochemical Processes; D013237:Stereoisomerism
chemical_list: D001391:Azo Compounds; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded; D008823:Micelles; D004247:DNA; C009850:azobenzene
keywords: Copper-free Click chemistry; Photochromic molecules; Self-assembly; ssDNA; trans–cis Photoisomerization