The interactions between a star-shaped hexameric cationic quaternary ammonium surfactant PAHB and calf thymus DNA and induced DNA condensation were investigated by ζ-potential, dynamic light scattering, atomic force microscopy, isothermal titration calorimetry, ethidium bromide exclusion assay, circular dichroism, and cytotoxicity assay. With the addition of PAHB, long extended DNA molecules exhibit successive conformational transitions from elongated coil to a partially condensed cluster-like aggregate, to a globules-on-a-string structure, and then to a fully condensed globule until the saturation point of interaction between PAHB and DNA, which is slightly above their charge neutralization point. The efficient condensation is mainly produced by the strong attractive electrostatic interaction between the multiple positively charged headgroups of PAHB and negatively charged phosphate groups of DNA, and the hydrophobic interaction among the multiple alkyl chains of PAHB. Moreover the transition of the DNA conformation is also affected by the transitions of PAHB molecular conformation from star-shaped to claw-like and pyramid-like. Although the DNA conformation is significantly changed by PAHB, the DNA secondary structure does not display obvious variations, and the PAHB/DNA mixture does not show cytotoxicity when DNA is partially condensed. These results indicate that star-shaped oligomeric cationic surfactant is a potential condensing agent for gene transfection.
Keywords: DNA condensation; DNA/surfactant interaction; cationic star-shaped hexameric surfactant; conformation transition; cytotoxicity.