Interaction between 14mer DNA oligonucleotide and cationic surfactants of various chain lengths

In the recent genomic era, a novel gene silencing approach has been introduced based on the use of small synthetic oligonucleotides, such as antisense RNAs, siRNAs, to inhibit the expression of a specific target gene. Successful implementation of this methodology calls for the development of efficient systems to deliver small oligonucleotides into the cells using various natural and synthetic cationic agents. While extensive studies have focused on the interaction of various natural and synthetic cationic surfactants with long DNA, less attention has been paid to surfactant interaction with small oligonucleotides. In this study, the interaction between 14mer double stranded DNA and alkyltrimethylammonium bromides of C16 (cetyl, CTAB), C14 (tetradecyl, TTAB), and C12 (dodecyl, DTAB) chain lengths was investigated at different charge ratios by gel electrophoresis, ethidium bromide exclusion, circular dichroism, and UV melting. Our gel studies at 1 microM oligonucleotide concentration showed that CTAB, TTAB, and DTAB neutralize the oligonucleotides at a charge ratio (Z+/-) of 1, 14, and 50, respectively. At lower charge ratios, CTAB and TTAB interact with oligonucleotides, and the complexes show electrophoretic mobility shifts in the gel, while such mobility shifts were completely absent in the case of DTAB. UV melting experiments revealed that interaction with all three surfactants increased the thermostability of the oligonucleotide. The extent of thermal stabilization was highest in the case of CTAB, moderate in the case of TTAB, and extremely low in the case of DTAB. Oligonucleotides within fully neutralized complexes denatured at further higher temperatures, and again, stabilization was the highest in the case of CTAB followed by TTAB and DTAB, hence revealing that the oligonucleotides interacted more strongly with CTAB than with the other two surfactants. Ethidium bromide exclusion studies also supported our UV melting studies, confirming that CTAB binds most strongly to the oligonucleotide. CD titrations of oligonucleotides with increasing amounts of surfactants revealed common spectral patterns consisting of the progressive loss of CD signals for native helical DNA conformations. Overall, our results demonstrate that interaction between oligonucleotides and cationic surfactants, although qualitatively similar to long double stranded DNA, shows subtle differences that need to be understood to improve small oligonucleotide delivery into the cells by using common delivery agents that have been used to deliver long pieces of DNA.     

The Interaction between High-Molecular-Weight Flocculents and Ionic Surfactants

The interaction between the anionic and cationic polyelectrolytes of various molecular masses and charges and the ionic surfactants in aqueous and salt solutions is studied by viscometry, conductometry, light scattering, and electrophoresis. Oppositely charged molecules of surfactant and polymer form strong complexes due to the forces of electrostatic attraction that is manifested in a significant decrease in the viscosity and light transmission, as well as in the relative reduction in solution conductivity. As the surfactant/polyelectrolyte ratio increases, the forming complexes precipitated and then dissolved again. In the case of strongly charged polyelectrolytes, the partial dissolution of precipitates was observed preceding the wide region of destabilization. In this region, the value of surfactant/polyelectrolyte charge ratio reaches 3–4. The interaction between the cationic surfactants and anionic polyelectrolyte increases with the lengthening of alkyl radical, thus indicating the presence of cooperative interactions between the surfactant molecules bonded to polymer and the important role of relevant hydrophobic interactions. As a result, the interaction between the high-molecular-weight anionic polyelectrolytes and anionic surfactants containing aromatic core takes place in some cases.     

Two-dimensional electrophoresis of membrane proteins

One third of all genes of various organisms encode membrane proteins, emphasizing their crucial cellular role. However, due to their high hydrophobicity, membrane proteins demonstrate low solubility and a high tendency for aggregation. Indeed, conventional two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE), a powerful electrophoretic method for the separation of complex protein samples that applies isoelectric focusing (IEF) in the first dimension and sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) in the second dimension, has a strong bias against membrane proteins. This review describes two-dimensional electrophoretic techniques that can be used to separate membrane proteins. Alternative methods for performing conventional 2-DE are highlighted; these involve replacing the IEF with electrophoresis using cationic detergents, namely 16-benzyldimethyl-n-hexadecylammonium chloride (16-BAC) and cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB), or the anionic detergent SDS. Finally, the separation of native membrane protein complexes through the application of blue and clear native gel electrophoresis (BN/CN-PAGE) is reviewed, as well as the free-flow electrophoresis (FFE) of membranes.     

Binding of oppositely charged surfactants to spherical polyelectrolyte brushes: a study by cryogenic transmission electron microscopy

The formation of a complex between an anionic spherical polyelectrolyte brush (SPB) and the cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) is investigated. The SPB consists of long chains of the strong polyelectrolyte poly(styrene sulfonate) (PSS), which are bound chemically to a solid poly(styrene) core of 56 nm in radius. The SPB are dispersed in water, and the ionic strength is adjusted by addition of NaBr. The resulting complexes are investigated in dilute solution by dynamic light scattering, by electrophoretic light scattering, and by cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM). The formation of the complex between the SPB and the surfactant can be monitored by a strong shrinking of the surface layer when adding CTAB to dilute suspensions (0.01 wt %) and by a decrease of the effective charge of the complexes. Complex formation starts at CTAB concentrations lower than the critical micelle concentration of this surfactant. If the ratio r of the charges on the SPB to the charge of the added surfactant is exceeding unity, the particles start to flocculate. Cryo-TEM images of the complexes at r = 0.6 measured in salt-free solution show that the surface layer composed of the PSS chains and the adsorbed CTAB molecules is partially collapsed: A part of the chains form a dense surface layer while another part of the chains or aggregates thereof are still sticking out. This can be deduced from the cryo-TEM micrographs as well as from the hydrodynamic radius, which is still of appreciable magnitude. The 1:1 complex (r = 1.0) exhibits a fully collapsed layer formed by the PSS chains and CTAB. If the complex is formed in the presence of 0.05 M NaBr, r = 0.6 leads to globular structures directly attached to the surface of the core particles. All structures seen in the cryo-TEM images can be explained by a collapse transition of the surface layer brought about by the hydrophobic attraction between the polyelectrolyte chains that became partially hydrophobic through adsorption of CTAB.     

Effects of Micelle on Pyrazoles as Antioxidants in Radical-induced Oxidation of DNA

Effects of 4-(1,3-diphenyl-1H-pyrazol-5-yl)phenol(APP), 4-(1,5-diphenyl-1H-pyrazol-3-yl)phenol(BPP) and 4-(3,5-diphenyl-1H-pyrazol-1-yl)phenol(CPP) on 2,2'-azobis-(2-amidinopropane hydrochloride)(AAPH)-induced oxidation of DNA were measured in the presence of various concentrations of Triton X-100, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide(CTAB), or sodium dodecyl sulfate(SDS) in order to clarify the influence of neutral, cationic and anionic microenvironments on antioxidant capacities of APP, BPP and CPP. Although these surfactants can protect DNA against AAPH-induced oxidation, the pyrazoles in the presence of these surfactants functioned as prooxidants when the concentrations of Triton X-100 and CTAB increased. However, CPP exhibited antioxidant property with the increase of the concentration of CTAB. On the contrary, APP, BPP and CPP were antioxidants in the presence of various concentrations of SDS. The added surfactants resulted in the complication of the microenvironments around DNA, pyrazoles and peroxyl radical(ROO^·) derived from AAPH. The anionic charge of SDS was beneficial to enhancing the antioxidant effectiveness of these pyrazoles. It can be concluded that the charge property of surfactants markedly influenced the behavior of an antioxidant in AAPH-induced oxidation of DNA.     

Characterization and Aggregation Behaviors of Mixed DDAB/SDS Solution With and Without Poly(4-styrenesulfonic Acid-Co-Maleic Acid) Sodium

Synthetic vesicles are formed by cationic and anionic surfactants, didodecyldimethylammonium bromide (DDAB), and sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS). The morphology, size, and aqueous properties of cationic/anionic mixtures are investigated at various molar ratios between cationic and anionic surfactants. The charged vesicular dispersions made of DDAB/SDS are contacted or mixed with negatively charged polyelectrolyte, poly(4-styrenesulfonic acid-co-maleic acid) sodium (PSSAMA), to form complexes. Depending on DDAB/SDS molar ratio or PSSAMA/vesicle charge ratio, complexes flocculation or precipitation occur. Characterization of the cationic/anionic vesicles or complexes formed by the catanionic vesicles and polyelectrolytes is performed by transmission electron microscope (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), conductivity, turbidity, and zeta potential measurements. The size, stability, and the surface charge on the mixed cationic/anionic vesicles or complexes are determined.     

Time-resolved electrophoretic analysis of mobility shifts for dissociating DNA ligands

Intercalative binding of ligands to DNA can be demonstrated by helix unwinding, monitored by gel electrophoresis of supercoiled DNA, as electrophoretic mobility is sensitive to the topological DNA state. However, we show that an apparent lack of unwinding in an electrophoretic assay could be due to dissociation of the (intercalated) ligand during the analysis, rather than evidence for a nonintercalative mode of binding to DNA. Repetitive scanning during the electrophoresis ensures that release of the ligand during electrophoresis does not affect the measured degree of unwinding, based on the electrophoretic velocity being determined as a function of time. We use this assay to establish intercalation as a mode of binding to DNA for the cyanine dyes YO, YO-PRO as well as two enantiomeric forms of the ruthenium complexes [(phen)2 Ru(tatpp)Ru(phen)2]4+, and to support groove-binding for the new unsymmetrical cyanine dyes BOXTO and BOXTO-PRO. Groove-binding could be concluded from a lack of unwinding, because we could rule out that it is caused by release of the dye during the electrophoresis. The gel electrophoresis has the advantage over hydrodynamic techniques that much smaller sample amounts are required, and our time-resolved approach can be employed in all mobility-shift assays when applied to dissociating complexes.     

Studies on the molecular interaction of Erythrosine ‘B’ with surfactants

The spectroscopic investigation on anionic dye, Erythrosine ‘B’(EB) with three different types of surfactants such as CTAB (cationic), sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS; anionic) and Triton X-100 (TX-100),Tween-20, 40, 60 and 80 (nonionic) in aqueous media shows that EB forms a 1:1 molecular complex with TX-100, Tweens and CTAB. No interaction is observed between EB and SLS. The thermodynamic and spectrophotometric properties of these complexes suggest that EB forms a strong charge transfer (CT) complex with TX-100 and Tweens whereas the interaction of EB with CTAB is coulombic in nature. Photogalvanic and photoconductometric studies also support the above interactions. In addition to this, the electron-donating ability among the nonionic surfactants, i.e. TX-100 and Tweens towards dye, role of surface in CT interaction, the site of CT interaction and the intensity and stability of CT interaction between EB and nonionic surfactants have been pointed out.     

Comparative study on the interaction of DNA with three different kinds of surfactants and the formation of multilayer films

The interactions between double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) and three different kinds of surfactants, i.e., cationic, anionic, and nonionic surfactants, were investigated by cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and UV-vis spectroscopy. Multilayer films composed of DNA and surfactants were prepared at gold electrode by electrostatic or hydrophobic interactions. It was found that the cationic surfactant, CTAB, can bind to DNA by electrostatic interaction, and the electron transfer resistance of CTAB-DNA complex film increases first and then decreases with CTAB concentration. The anionic surfactant, LAS, can bind to DNA but by hydrophobic interaction, and the electron transfer resistance of the complex film keeps decreasing with LAS concentration. Nonionic surfactants can also directly bind to DNA by hydrophobic interaction. All the three different kinds of surfactants can form multilayer films with DNA on the electrode surface. The chemical structure of DNA keeps unchanged during interacting with these surfactants. The binding modes of DNA with these three different kinds of surfactants were also deduced.     

Modulation of photo-oxidative DNA damage by cationic surfactant complexation

The natural packaging of DNA in the cell by histones provides a particular environment affecting its sensitivity to oxidative damage. In this work, we used the complexation of DNA by cationic surfactants to modulate the conformation, the dynamics, and the environment of the double helix. Photo-oxidative damage initiated by benzophenone as the photosensitizer on a plasmid DNA complexed by dodecyltrimethylammonium chloride (DTAC), tetradecyltrimethylammonium chloride (TTAC), cetyltrimethyammonium chloride (CTAC) and bromide (CTAB) was detected by agarose gel electrophoresis. By fluorescent titration in the presence of ethidium bromide (EB) and agarose gel electrophoresis, we experimentally confirmed the complexation diagrams with a critical aggregation concentration on DNA matrix (CAC DNA) delimiting two regions of complexation, according to the DNA-phosphate concentration. The study of the photo-oxidative damage shows, for the first time, a direct correlation between the DNA complexation by these surfactants and the efficiency of DNA cleavage, with a maximum corresponding to the CAC DNA for DTAC and CTAC, and to DNA neutralization for CTAC and CTAB. The localization of a photosensitizer having low water solubility, such as benzophenone, inside the hydrophobic domains formed by the surfactant aggregated on DNA, locally increases the photoinduced cleavage by the free radical oxygen species generated. The inefficiency of a water-soluble quencher of hydroxyl radicals, such as mannitol, confirmed this phenomenon. The detection of photo-oxidative damage constitutes a new tool for investigating DNA complexation by cationic surfactants. Moreover, highlighting the drastically increased sensitivity of a complexed DNA to photo-oxidative damage is of crucial importance for the biological use of surfactants as nonviral gene delivery systems.     

Role of surfactants in clouding phenomenon of imipramine hydrochloride

The clouding behavior of tricyclic antidepressant drug imipramine hydrochloride (IMP) in aqueous solution has been studied in presence of surfactants. A pH increase in the presence as well as in the absence of surfactants decreased the CP. Drug molecules become neutral at high pH and therefore head–head repulsion decreases which lead to CP decrease. Addition of non-ionic and cationic surfactants increased the CP whereas anionic surfactants showed a peaked profile. Effect of CTAB/TX-100 at different fixed drug concentrations showed that at all surfactant concentrations the CP value was higher for higher drug concentrations. However, variation of pH produced opposite effect: CP at all CTAB/TX-100 concentrations decreased with increasing pH. All results are interpreted in terms of increase in hydrophobicity or hydrophilicity of micelles on addition of surfactants.     

DNA condensation induced by cationic surfactant: a viscosimetry and dynamic light scattering study

The compaction of DNA induced by two simple amphiphiles, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide [CTAB] and dodecyldimethylamine oxide [DDAO], has been investigated by means of combined viscosity and dynamic light scattering measurements, to demonstrate the formation of soluble DNA/surfactant complexes, undergoing a coil-globule transition, upon the increase of the amphiphile concentration. In both of the two systems investigated, the complexation process reaches a maximum for a value of the surfactant to DNA phosphate groups molar ratio of about X = 1. Below this critical concentration, the coil and the globule state coexist in the solution, as clearly shown by the bimodal size distribution obtained from the light scattering intensity correlation functions. Some suggestions are given to support a molecular mechanism responsible for the complex formation, both in the case of a cationic surfactant (CTAB) and of a pH-dependent neutral or cationic amphiphile (DDAO), where the hydrophobic interactions play an important role.     

Formation of interfacial milk protein complexation to stabilize oil-in-water emulsions against calcium

The interactions between cationic liposomes doped with the anionic nucleolipid 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-cytidine diphosphate (DP-Cyt) and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) were investigated. Toward this goal, new liposomal and lipoplex formulations characterized by the presence of the anionic amphiphile DP-Cyt were proposed. The effects of incorporation of the cytosine functionalized lipid DP-Cyt into the cationic bilayers were analyzed by means of electrophoretic mobility, dynamic light scattering (DLS) and fluorescence spectroscopy techniques. These approaches allowed us to follow the DNA condensation process and to identify specific electrokinetic characteristics of liposome and DNA-liposome complexes formation. Specifically, DP-Cyt liposomes and DNA were shown to form electrically stable or unstable complexes depending on the charge ratio between the phosphate group of DNA and the cationic lipid. Remarkably, a prominent role for DP-Cyt in enhancing the DNA binding capacity on liposomes was demonstrated. Zeta potential experiments performed on systems with different liposomes/DNA ratio showed that the value of the charge neutralization point is a function of the content of the incorporated DP-Cyt. As a whole, our data demonstrate that the association of cationic DP-Cyt doped liposomes with DNA is driven by both electrostatic interaction and additional specific interactions at the polar head level based on the cytidine nucleobase.     

Thermal analysis of aqueous micellar solutions

A micro differential temperature scanning calorimeter was used to characterize the structural changes between different types of micelles in aqueous solutions of ionic surfactants: anionic — sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) — and cationic — hexadecyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB). Moreover, this technique allowed to confirm the existence of peculiar types of complexes between surfactants and selected solutes. In SDS solutions containing polyethylene glycols (PEG), the presence of complexes formed by small micelles adsorbed along the chains of the polymers was evidenced in the case of long enough polymer chains. In CTAB-phenol solutions, due to strong interactions between the polar heads of surfactant and phenol, molecular complexes of a composition of 1:1 molar ratio have been characterized. Depending on the ratio [phenol]/[CTAB], the rheological behaviour was found to change from fluid to viscoelastic and gel-like solutions, owing to the growth of elongated rod-like micelles. With entangled worm-like micelles, the important role of kinetics to reach the thermodynamic equilibria was shown.     

Luminescent determination of neptunium and plutonium in the environment

The preparation of^99mTc-complexes with nine derivatives of (4R)-1,3-thiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid over a broad pH range is described. The labeling efficiency of all compounds was checked by paper- and thin layer chromatography. Paper electrophoresis and gel chromatography indicated the presence of two types of^99mTc-complexes differing in charge and molecular size. Preliminary results of the biodistribution of anionic complexes in mice are given. The structure of both types of the Tc-complexes is also discussed.     

Protein binding onto surfactant-based synthetic vesicles

Synthetic vesicles were prepared by mixing anionic and cationic surfactants, aqueous sodium dodecylsulfate with didodecyltrimethylammonium or cetyltrimethylammonium bromide. The overall surfactant content and the (anionic/cationic) mole ratios allow one to obtain negatively charged vesicles. In the phase diagram, the vesicular region is located between a solution phase, a lamellar liquid crystalline dispersion, and a precipitate area. Characterization of the vesicles was performed by electrophoretic mobility, NMR, TEM, and DLS and we determined their uni-lamellar character, size, stability, and charge density. Negatively charged vesicular dispersions, made of sodium dodecylsulfate/didodecyltrimethylammonium bromide or sodium dodecylsulfate/cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, were mixed with lysozyme, to form lipoplexes. Depending on the protein/vesicle charge ratio, binding, surface saturation, and lipoplexes flocculation, or precipitation, occurs. The free protein in excess remains in solution, after binding saturation. The systems were investigated by thermodynamic (surface tension and solution calorimetry), DLS, CD, TEM, 1H NMR, transport properties, electrophoretic mobility, and dielectric relaxation. The latter two methods give information on the vesicle charge neutralization by adsorbed protein. Binding is concomitant to modifications in the double layer thickness of vesicles and in the surface charge density of the resulting lipoplexes. This is also confirmed by developing the electrophoretic mobility results in terms of a Langmuir-like adsorption isotherm. Charges in excess with respect to the amount required to neutralize the vesicle surface promote lipoplexes clustering and/or flocculation. Protein-vesicle interactions were observed by DLS, indicating changes in particle size (and in their distribution functions) upon addition of LYSO. According to CD, the bound protein retains its native conformation, at least in the SDS/CTAB vesicular system. In fact, changes in the alpha-helix and beta-sheet conformations are moderate, if any. Calorimetric methods indicate that the maximum heat effect for LYSO binding occurs at charge neutralization. They also indicate that enthalpic are by far the dominant contributions to the system stability. Accordingly, energy effects associated with charge neutralization and double-layer contributions are much higher than counterion exchange and dehydration terms.     

Studies on the molecular interaction of safranin-T with surfactants

The spectrophotometric studies of safranin-T (Saf-T) dye in an aqueous solution containing three different types of surfactants such as CTAB (cationic), SLS (anionic) and Triton X-100 (TX-100), Tween-20, 40, 60 and 80 (nonionic) show that Saf-T forms a 1:1 molecular complex with TX-100, Tweens and SLS. Such a type of interaction is absent in Saf-T and CTAB. The thermodynamic and spectrophotometric properties of these complexes suggest that Saf-T forms a strong charge transfer (CT) complex with TX-100 and Tweens, whereas the interaction of Saf-T with SLS is coulombic in nature. Photogalvanic and photoconductometric studies also support the above interactions. In addition to this, the electron-donating ability among the nonionic surfactants i.e. TX-100 and Tweens towards dye, role of surface in CT interaction, the site of CT interaction and the intensity and stability of CT interaction between Saf-T and nonionic surfactants have been pointed out.     

Native polyacrylamide electrophoresis in the presence of Ponceau Red to study oligomeric states of protein complexes

Native polyacrylamide electrophoresis in the presence of two reversible protein anionic stains (Ponceau S and Ponceau 2R) was used to study the oligomeric states of soluble proteins. A mild binding of the used protein stains to nondissociated protein oligomers imposed a charge shift on the proteins resulting into separation of protein species according to their size under physiological conditions. Adsorbed stains could be easily removed after electrophoresis by washing of polyacrylamide gel with buffer and protein complexes could be visualized either by the detection of their enzyme activity or by using a nonspecific protein stain. The specific detection of enzyme activity of glycosidases, lactate dehydrogenase, or phosphatases was shown as an example.     

正、负离子表面活性剂凝胶化正丁醇

利用正、负离子表面活性剂混合体系月桂酸钠/十六烷基三甲基溴化铵(SL/CTAB)成功实现了正丁醇的凝胶化, 并借助流变仪、扫描电子显微镜(SEM)研究了该凝胶的流变性质和微观形貌. 实验发现, 正、负离子表面活性剂的浓度及混合比例对正丁醇凝胶的形成具有较大影响, 只有在合适的浓度和混合比例下正丁醇才能被有效地凝胶化. 在正丁醇能够形成凝胶的前提下, 固定正、负离子表面活性剂混合体系中某一组分的浓度, 体系的粘度随着另一组分浓度的增加而增大. 流变结果表明该凝胶具有剪切变稀的非牛顿流体特性. 微观形貌的研究表明所形成的凝胶具有典型的三维网络结构, 厚度相对均一的带状纤维是组成网络的结构单元. 进一步的研究表明, 正、负离子表面活性剂碳氢链的疏溶剂作用、极性头基间的静电吸引作用、表面活性剂与正丁醇分子间的氢键作用对凝胶的形成起到重要的作用.     

Nanostructures of polyelectrolyte gel–surfactant complexes

Small‐angle X‐ray scattering was used to investigate the nanostructures of complexes formed by slightly crosslinked anionic copolymer gels of poly(sodium methacrylate‐co‐N‐isopropylacrylamide) [P(MAA/NIPAM)] with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), and didodecyldimethylammonium bromide (DDAB), respectively, at room temperature (∼ 23°C). Several highly ordered supramolecular structures were observed in the polyelectrolyte gel–surfactant complexes. In P(MAA/NIPAM)–CTA systems, in sequence with decreasing charge density of the P(MAA/NIPAM) copolymer chains, structures of the Pm3n space group cubic, face‐centered cubic close packing of spheres, and hexagonal close packing of spheres were determined at a charge content of ≥ 75, 67, and 50%, respectively. The spheres and rods in these structures were the spherical and cylindrical micelles formed by the self‐assembly of CTA cations with their paraffin chains inside. Both the aggregation number and the size of the micelles decreased with a decreasing charge density of the copolymer chains. In the P(MAA/NIPAM)–DDA systems, the bilayer lamellar structures formed at charge contents ≥ 75% transferred to bicontinuous cubic structures of the Ia3d space group at charge contents of 50–67%. The rods in the Ia3d cubic structures were formed by the self‐assembly of double‐tailed DDA cations with polar moieties inside. The formation of these highly ordered structures were driven by both electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions of the charged copolymer chains/surfactants and the surfactants/surfactants inside the charged gels. The structures became less ordered by further decreasing the charge content of the P(MAA/NIPAM) chains. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 37: 2165–2172, 1999