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Updated: May 31, 2026

Preparation of Mica and Silicon Substrates for DNA Origami Analysis and Experimentation
Published on: July 23, 2015
Moisture content impacts the stability of DNA adsorbed onto gold microparticles
Tyson J Smyth1, Jamie Betker, Wei Wang
1University of Colorado School of Pharmacy, Aurora, Colorado 80045, USA.
Abstract:
Particle-mediated epidermal delivery (PMED) of small quantities of DNA (0.5-4.0 μg) has been reported to both induce an immune response and protect against disease in human subjects. In order for the PMED of DNA to be a viable technique for vaccination, the adsorbed DNA must be stable during shipping and storage. Here, we report that the storage stability of plasmid DNA adsorbed to 2-μm gold particles is strongly dependent on sample water content. Gold/DNA samples stored at 60°C and 6% relative humidity (RH) maintained supercoil content after 4-month storage, whereas storage at higher RHs facilitated degradation. Storage with desiccants had stabilizing effects on DNA similar to storage at 6% RH. However, storage with "indicating" Drierite and phosphorus pentoxide resulted in enhanced rates of DNA degradation.
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