Complexation in Polyelectrolyte Solution with Divalent Surfactant

Marcelo B. da Silva; Liacir Lucena; Marcia C. Barbosa

Complexation in Polyelectrolyte Solution with Divalent Surfactant

Soft Condensed Matter 2009-09-29 v1

Authors: Marcelo B. da Silva , Liacir Lucena , Marcia C. Barbosa

Abstract

We study a simple model of DNA divalent cationic surfactant complexation. We find that the combination of electrostatic and hydrophobic effects leads to a cooperative phenomenon in which as the amphiphile is added to the solution containing DNA, a large fraction of the DNA's charge is neutralized by the condensed divalent cationic surfactants, forming the surfoplex. This binding transition occurs for concentrations that are lower for divalent than for monovalent surfactants. Since the electrostatic strength is larger in the first case and the amount of surfactant lower, we suggest that multivalent amphiphilic molecules would be more efficient than monovalent for transfection.

Keywords

dna biophysics

Cite

@article{arxiv.cond-mat/0312498,
  title  = {Complexation in Polyelectrolyte Solution with Divalent Surfactant},
  author = {Marcelo B. da Silva and Liacir Lucena and Marcia C. Barbosa},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:cond-mat/0312498},
  year   = {2009}
}