Effect of Nonionic Surfactant on Association/Dissociation Transition of DNA-Functionalized Colloids.
We report the effect of nonionic surfactants (Pluronics F127 and F88) on the melting transition of micron-sized colloids confined in two dimensions, mediated by complementary single-stranded DNA as a function of the surfactant concentration. Micron-sized silica particles were functionalized with single-stranded DNA using cyanuric chloride chemistry. The existence of covalently linked DNA on particles was confirmed by fluorescence spectroscopy. The nonionic surfactant not only plays a significant role in stabilization of particles, with minimization of nonspecific binding, but also impacts the melting temperature, which increases as a function of the nonionic surfactant concentration. These results suggest that the melting transition for DNA-mediated assembly is sensitive to commonly used additives in laboratory buffers, and that these common solution components may be exploited as a facile and independent handle for tuning the melting temperature and, thus, the assembly and possibly crystallization within these systems.
Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Lehigh University , Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18015, United States.
Minseok
M
Song
Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Lehigh University , Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18015, United States.
Yajun
Y
Ding
Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Lehigh University , Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18015, United States.
Mark A
MA
Snyder
Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Lehigh University , Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18015, United States.
Jeetain
J
Mittal
D001483:Base Sequence; D003102:Colloids / Q000737:chemistry*; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded / Q000737:chemistry*; D008823:Micelles; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D010316:Particle Size; D044367:Phase Transition; D020442:Poloxamer / Q000737:chemistry*; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry*; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000737:chemistry*; D044366:Transition Temperature
D003102:Colloids; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded; D008823:Micelles; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; D020442:Poloxamer; D012822:Silicon Dioxide