DNA thermotropic liquid crystals controlled by positively charged catanionic bilayer vesicles

Chem Commun (Camb). 2020 Mar 25;56(24):3484-3487. doi: 10.1039/d0cc00980f. Epub 2020 Mar 12.

Abstract

We report DNA thermotropic liquid crystal (TLC) formation by positively charged catanionic surfactant bilayer vesicles. The properties of DNA TLCs were found to be manipulated by both the chemical structures of cationic and anionic surfactants and the DNA amount. Positively charged catanionic bilayer vesicles bond to negative DNA sites resulting in the transition from vesicles to long range ordered lamellar crystals of DNA-catanionic surfactants, as confirmed by cryo- and freeze-fracture (FF) TEM observations and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) measurements.

MeSH terms

  • DNA / chemistry*
  • Liquid Crystals / chemistry*
  • Quaternary Ammonium Compounds / chemistry
  • Surface-Active Agents / chemistry

Substances

  • Quaternary Ammonium Compounds
  • Surface-Active Agents
  • decyltrimethylammonium
  • DNA