Studying compaction-decompaction of DNA molecules induced by surfactants

Xiaoyan Li; Dan Sun; Yanyan Chen; Kaige Wang; Qingli He; Guiren Wang

doi:10.1016/j.bbrc.2017.12.151

Studying compaction-decompaction of DNA molecules induced by surfactants

Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2018 Jan 22;495(4):2559-2565. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2017.12.151. Epub 2017 Dec 27.

Authors

Xiaoyan Li¹, Dan Sun², Yanyan Chen², Kaige Wang³, Qingli He⁴, Guiren Wang⁵

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Cultivation Base for Photoelectric Technology and Functional Materials, Laboratory of Optoelectronic Technology of Shaanxi Province, National Center for International Research of Photoelectric Technology & Nano-functional Materials and Application, Institute of Photonics and Photon-Technology, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, China; Physics Department, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, China.
² State Key Laboratory of Cultivation Base for Photoelectric Technology and Functional Materials, Laboratory of Optoelectronic Technology of Shaanxi Province, National Center for International Research of Photoelectric Technology & Nano-functional Materials and Application, Institute of Photonics and Photon-Technology, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, China.
³ State Key Laboratory of Cultivation Base for Photoelectric Technology and Functional Materials, Laboratory of Optoelectronic Technology of Shaanxi Province, National Center for International Research of Photoelectric Technology & Nano-functional Materials and Application, Institute of Photonics and Photon-Technology, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, China. Electronic address: wangkg@nwu.edu.cn.
⁴ Physics Department, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, China.
⁵ State Key Laboratory of Cultivation Base for Photoelectric Technology and Functional Materials, Laboratory of Optoelectronic Technology of Shaanxi Province, National Center for International Research of Photoelectric Technology & Nano-functional Materials and Application, Institute of Photonics and Photon-Technology, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, China; Mechanical Engineering Department & Biomedical Engineering Program, University of South Carolina, Columbia SC 29208, USA.

PMID: 29288663
DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2017.12.151

Abstract

The mechanism and detailed processes of DNA compaction and decompaction are essential for the life activities, as well as for the researches in the molecular biology, genetics and biomedicine. The compaction of two kinds of DNA molecules caused by Cetyltrimethyl Ammonium Bromide (CTAB) and their decompaction induced with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) or excessive amount of CTAB have been investigated with multiple perspectives such as the UV-VIS spectrophotometry, dynamic light scattering, and zeta potential. The compaction phenomenon of DNA can easily be observed when the CTAB combines with the DNA, not just when the molar ratio Q_CTAB/Q_DNA is approximately equal to 1 as the conventional recognition, but also when Q_CTAB/Q_DNA <1,DNA can be compacted; Molecular state of DNA is only changed in the conformational structure, but not in the chemical structure. Finally, a model is suggested to help catch on the biophysical mechanism of DNA chain conformational change.

Keywords: Biophysical mechanism; Compaction; Conformational change; Decompaction; Surfactant.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Cetrimonium
Cetrimonium Compounds / chemistry*
DNA / chemistry*
DNA / ultrastructure*
Models, Chemical
Models, Molecular*
Nucleic Acid Conformation
Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate / chemistry*
Surface Properties
Surface-Active Agents / chemistry*

Substances

Cetrimonium Compounds
Surface-Active Agents
Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate
DNA
Cetrimonium