TY - JOUR
T1 - Chiral DNA packaging in DNA-cationic liposome assemblies
AU - Zuidam, Nicolaas J.
AU - Barenholz, Yechezkel
AU - Minsky, Abraham
PY - 1999/9/3
Y1 - 1999/9/3
N2 - Recent studies have indicated that the structural features of DNA-lipid assemblies, dictated by the lipid composition and cationic lipid-to-DNA ratio, critically affect the efficiency of these complexes in acting as vehicles for cellular delivery of genetic material. Using circular dichroism we find that upon binding DNA, positively-charged liposomes induce a secondary conformational transition of the DNA molecules from the native B form to the C motif. Liposomes composed of positively-charged and neutral 'helper' lipids, found to be particularly effective as transfecting agents, induce - in addition to secondary conformational changes - DNA condensation into a left-handed cholesteric-like phase. A structural model is presented according to which two distinct, yet inter-related modes of DNA packaging coexist within such assemblies. The results underline the notion that subtle changes in the components of a supramolecular assembly may substantially modulate the interplay of interactions which dictate its structure and functional properties. Copyright (C) 1999 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.
AB - Recent studies have indicated that the structural features of DNA-lipid assemblies, dictated by the lipid composition and cationic lipid-to-DNA ratio, critically affect the efficiency of these complexes in acting as vehicles for cellular delivery of genetic material. Using circular dichroism we find that upon binding DNA, positively-charged liposomes induce a secondary conformational transition of the DNA molecules from the native B form to the C motif. Liposomes composed of positively-charged and neutral 'helper' lipids, found to be particularly effective as transfecting agents, induce - in addition to secondary conformational changes - DNA condensation into a left-handed cholesteric-like phase. A structural model is presented according to which two distinct, yet inter-related modes of DNA packaging coexist within such assemblies. The results underline the notion that subtle changes in the components of a supramolecular assembly may substantially modulate the interplay of interactions which dictate its structure and functional properties. Copyright (C) 1999 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.
KW - Chiral DNA packaging
KW - DNA-cationic liposome assemblies
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0032867336&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/S0014-5793(99)01053-4
DO - 10.1016/S0014-5793(99)01053-4
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C2 - 10471821
AN - SCOPUS:0032867336
SN - 0014-5793
VL - 457
SP - 419
EP - 422
JO - FEBS Letters
JF - FEBS Letters
IS - 3
ER -