Unbinding forces and energies between a siRNA molecule and a dendrimer measured by force spectroscopy

Nanoscale. 2015 Dec 21;7(47):20267-76. doi: 10.1039/c5nr04906g. Epub 2015 Nov 18.

Abstract

We have measured the intermolecular forces between small interference RNA (siRNA) and polyamidoamine dendrimers at the single molecular level. A single molecule force spectroscopy approach has been developed to measure the unbinding forces and energies between a siRNA molecule and polyamidoamine dendrimers deposited on a mica surface in a buffer solution. We report three types of unbinding events which are characterized by forces and free unbinding energies, respectively, of 28 pN, 0.709 eV; 38 pN, 0.722 eV; and 50 pN, 0.724 eV. These events reflect different possible electrostatic interactions between the positive charges of one or two dendrimers and the negatively charged phosphate groups of a single siRNA. We have evidence of a high binding affinity of siRNA towards polyamidoamine dendrimers that leads to a 45% probability of measuring specific unbinding events.

MeSH terms

  • Aluminum Silicates / chemistry
  • Biocompatible Materials / chemistry*
  • Buffers
  • Dendrimers / chemistry*
  • Heparin / chemistry
  • Microscopy, Atomic Force*
  • Polyamines / chemistry*
  • Polymers / chemistry
  • Protein Binding
  • RNA, Small Interfering / chemistry*
  • RNA, Small Interfering / metabolism
  • Spectrum Analysis
  • Static Electricity
  • Thermodynamics

Substances

  • Aluminum Silicates
  • Biocompatible Materials
  • Buffers
  • Dendrimers
  • Poly(amidoamine)
  • Polyamines
  • Polymers
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • Heparin
  • polyphenylene sulfide
  • mica