DNA-Intercalating Supramolecular Hydrogels for Tunable Thermal and Viscoelastic Properties
Shaina M Hughes1, Aylin Aykanat1, Nicholas G Pierini1
1Department of Chemistry, College of Engineering and Physical Science, University of New Hampshire, 23 Academic Way, Parsons Hall, Durham, NH 03824, United States of America.
Angewandte Chemie (International Ed. in English)
|August 5, 2024
Summary
Researchers developed novel DNA intercalating supramolecular hydrogels (DISHs). These materials offer tunable thermal and viscoelastic properties by controlling DNA binding mechanisms, expanding biomaterial possibilities.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Biomaterials Engineering
- Polymer Chemistry
Background:
- Polymeric supramolecular hydrogels (PSHs) rely on non-covalent interactions, making thermal control challenging.
- Current PSHs often require significant chemical modification to alter thermal responses.
Purpose of the Study:
- Introduce a new class of PSHs using DNA intercalation for tunable properties.
- Investigate the impact of intercalator properties on hydrogel thermal behavior.
Main Methods:
- Synthesized dsDNA intercalating supramolecular hydrogels (DISHs) using bifunctional polyethylene glycol.
- Capped polymer chains with various intercalators (acridine, psoralen, thiazole orange, phenanthridine) of differing properties.
- Characterized hydrogel moduli and thermal viscoelastic responses.
Main Results:
- DISHs exhibited comparable moduli (500-1000 Pa) across different intercalators.
- Achieved tunable endothermic and exothermic binding behaviors by selecting specific intercalators.
- Acridine-based cross-linkers showed temperature-invariant or increasing relaxation times, indicating endothermic binding.
Conclusions:
- DNA intercalation provides a versatile mechanism for designing PSHs with controllable thermal and viscoelastic properties.
- This approach expands the utility of DNA in biomaterials.
- The variety of intercalating molecules allows for a broad spectrum of material responses.
More Related Videos
12:07Fabricating Degradable Thermoresponsive Hydrogels on Multiple Length Scales via Reactive Extrusion, Microfluidics, Self-assembly, and Electrospinning
Published on: April 16, 2018
13.4K
08:39Magnetic and Thermal-sensitive PolyN-isopropylacrylamide-based Microgels for Magnetically Triggered Controlled Release
Published on: July 4, 2017
8.9K
Related Concept Videos
00:58DNA Packaging
Overview
00:55DNA Helicases
DNA unwinding helicase enzymes are a type of motor protein. Motor proteins can translocate along filaments or polymers using energy generated from ATP hydrolysis. Helicases are involved in all the important cellular processes where DNA unwinding is required, such as DNA replication, repair, recombination, and transcription. They are present in all living organisms, but vary in their structure, function, and mechanism of action. For example, in prokaryotes, DnaB helicase binds and translocates...
02:02DNA Topoisomerases
Topoisomerases are enzymes that relax overwound DNA molecules during various cell processes, including DNA replication and transcription. These enzymes regulate positive and negative DNA supercoiling without changing the nucleotide sequence. DNA overwinding in a clockwise direction results in positively supercoiled DNA, whereas underwinding in a counterclockwise direction produces negatively supercoiled DNA.
Types and Mechanism of action
Topoisomerases are divided into two main types. Type I...
Types and Mechanism of action
Topoisomerases are divided into two main types. Type I...
02:04Fixing Double-strand Breaks
The double-stranded structure of DNA has two major advantages. First, it serves as a safe repository of genetic information where one strand serves as the back-up in case the other strand is damaged. Second, the double-helical structure can be wrapped around proteins called histones to form nucleosomes, which can then be tightly wound to form chromosomes. This way, DNA chains up to 2 inches long can be contained within microscopic structures in a cell. A double-stranded break not only damages...
01:03Single-Strand DNA Binding Proteins
For successful DNA replication, the unwinding of double-stranded DNA must be accompanied by stabilization and protection of the separated single strands of the DNA. This crucial task is performed by single-strand DNA-binding (SSB) proteins. They bind to the DNA in a sequence-independent manner, which means that the nitrogenous bases of the DNA need not be present in a specific order for binding of SSB proteins to it. The binding of SSB proteins straightens single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) and makes...
01:11Restriction Enzymes
Restriction enzymes are bacterial enzymes used to cut DNA in a sequence-specific manner. To cleave DNA, they bind to specific palindromic sequences called restriction sites. Such palindromic DNA sequences or inverted repeats are commonly found in regions of functional significance, such as the origin of replication, gene operator sites, and regions containing transcription termination signals.
The host bacteria protect their own genomic DNA from these enzymes by methylating these sites. Some...
The host bacteria protect their own genomic DNA from these enzymes by methylating these sites. Some...