Published in

Wiley, Biotechnology and Applied Biochemistry, 2(41), p. 127, 2005

DOI: 10.1042/ba20040017

Links

Tools

Export citation

Search in Google Scholar

The fractal structure of polycation-DNA complexes

This paper is available in a repository.
This paper is available in a repository.

Full text: Download

Green circle
Preprint: archiving allowed
Orange circle
Postprint: archiving restricted
Red circle
Published version: archiving forbidden
Data provided by SHERPA/RoMEO

Abstract

We used static light scattering to obtain new measurements on the internal structure of aggregated non-viral gene-delivery particles in colloidal suspension. The vector particles are prepared by charge neutralization of plasmid DNA either by poly-L-lysine or by a Lipofectin/integrin-targeting peptide. We use established theories of the stability of colloidal particles and fractal concepts to explain the aggregation processes and demonstrate the existence of a new property (fractal dimension) of the aggregated vector particles. Aggregation is shown to produce particles with fractal dimensions in the range between 1.8 and 2.4; the former suggests a loose three-dimensional structure and the latter characterizes an aggregation process that leads to the formation of particles with tightly packed structures. We show that the fractal dimension of the vector particles is sensitive to changes in physicochemical conditions (ionic strength) of the buffer solution and propose that fractal dimension may provide a useful means of monitoring the physical state of non-viral delivery-vector particles during preparation and storage.