Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 14, 2026

09:32
Stable DNA Motifs, 1D and 2D Nanostructures Constructed from Small Circular DNA Molecules
Published on: April 12, 2019
Nanostructures of cationic amphiphilic cyclodextrin complexes with DNA
Valentina Villari1, Antonino Mazzaglia, Raphael Darcy
1CNR-IPCF Istituto per i Processi Chimico-Fisici, Viale F. Stagno d'Alcontres 37, I-98158, Messina, Italy. villari@me.cnr.it
Biomacromolecules
|February 20, 2013
Summary
Cationic amphiphilic cyclodextrins complex with DNA. Vesicle-forming cyclodextrins create multilamellar complexes, while micelle-forming ones do not, impacting gene delivery potential.
Area of Science:
- Supramolecular Chemistry
- Materials Science
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Cationic amphiphilic cyclodextrins (CDs) are investigated for their potential in gene delivery.
- Understanding their self-assembly behavior is crucial for optimizing DNA complexation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the complexation of two distinct cationic amphiphilic CDs with DNA.
- To elucidate how the self-assembly of CDs influences their interaction with DNA.
Main Methods:
- Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS)
- Dynamic light scattering (DLS)
- Electrophoretic light scattering (ELS)
Main Results:
- Heptakis[2-(ω-amino-oligo(ethylene glycol))-6-deoxy-6-hexadecylthio]-β-cyclodextrin forms bilayer vesicles in water, which transform into multilamellar complexes with DNA.
- In these complexes, DNA is intercalated between alternating layers of protonated amino groups and lipidic bilayers.
- Heptakis[2-(ω-amino-oligo(ethylene glycol))-6-deoxy-6-dodecylthio]-β-cyclodextrin forms micelles in water, and DNA complexation does not alter their structure.
Conclusions:
- The self-assembly behavior of cationic amphiphilic CDs dictates their DNA complexation mode.
- This finding is relevant for designing effective gene delivery vectors, as structure influences transfection efficiency.

