DNA-cyclodextrin composite material for environmental applications

Recently, we prepared water-insoluble and nuclease-resistant DNA films by UV irradiation. The DNA films accumulated the harmful DNA-intercalating compounds, such as ethidium bromide and acridine orange. Additionally, the water-insoluble DNA films bound endocrine disruptors that had planar structures, such as dioxin derivatives, polychlorobiphenyl (PCB) derivatives, and benzo[a]pyrene. However, other harmful endocrine disruptors that lack a planar structure, such as bisphenol A and diethylstilbestrol, did not bind the water-insoluble DNA films. Therefore, we prepared the DNA-cyclodextrin composite material by mixing the DNA and the cyclodextrin-immobilized poly(allylamine) (PCD). As a result, these composite materials had properties of both the double-stranded DNA, such as intercalation, and the cyclodextrin, such as encapsulation of an organic molecule into the intramolecular cavity. Therefore, these materials could accumulate not only the harmful compounds with planar structures but also the nonplanar molecules, such as bisphenol A, diethylstilbestrol, and nonylphenol. These DNA-PCD composite materials may have the potential to be novel environmental materials that absorb harmful compounds.