Segregation by Complementarity of nanoDNA based on Liquid Crystal Ordering and Centrifugation

POSTER

Abstract

Nanometer length DNA segments ( $<$20 base pair long) that are complementary can duplex and condense to make liquid crystal phases at concentrations $>\sim $500 mg/mL This nanoDNA duplexing combined with order-disorder phase separation offers a means of sequestering molecules in mixtures of different DNA sequences based on their degree of complementarity. Here we show that isotropic and liquid crystalline phases, comprising respectively single strands and duplexes in multi-component nanoDNA solutions, can be physically separated by liquid crystal condensation followed by centrifugation.

*This work was supported by NSF MRSEC Grant DMR-0820579.

Authors

  • Gregory Smith

    • LCMRC, CU Boulder
    • Liquid Crystal Materials Research Center, University of Colorado, Boulder (CO) U.S.A.

  • Ethan Tsai

    • Liquid Crystal Materials Research Center, University of Colorado, Boulder (CO) U.S.A.

  • T. Robins

    • Liquid Crystal Materials Research Center, University of Colorado, Boulder (CO) U.S.A.

  • Armond Khodaghulyan

    • Liquid Crystal Materials Research Center, University of Colorado, Boulder (CO) U.S.A.

  • Giuliano Zanchetta

    • Dipartimento di Chimica, Biochimica e Biotecnologie per la Medicina, Universit\`a degli Studi di Milano, Italy

  • Tommaso Fraccia

    • Dipartimento di Chimica, Biochimica e Biotecnologie per la Medicina, Universit\`a degli Studi di Milano, Italy

  • Tommaso Bellini

    • Dipartimento di Chimica, Biochimica e Biotecnologie per la Medicina, Universit\`a degli Studi di Milano, Italy

  • David Walba

    • Liquid Crystal Materials Research Center, University of Colorado, Boulder (CO) U.S.A.

  • Noel Clark

    • University of Colorado at Boulder
    • LCMRC, University of Colorado, Boulder
    • LCMRC, CU Boulder
    • Dept. of Physics, University of Colorado
    • Liquid Crystal Materials Research Center, University of Colorado at Boulder
    • Physics, University of Colorado at Boulder
    • Department of Physics and Liquid Crystal Material Research Center, University of Colorado-Boulder
    • Liquid Crystal Materials Research Center, University of Colorado, Boulder (CO) U.S.A.