Preliminary studies on noncovalent hyperbranched polymers based on PNA and DNA building blocks |
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| Authors: | Maria Moccia Domenica Musumeci Giovanni N Roviello Sabato Fusco Margherita Valente Enrico M Bucci Roberto Sapio Carlo Pedone Paolo A Netti |
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| Institution: | 1. Istituto di Biostrutture e Bioimmagini—CNR, via Mezzocannone 16, 80134 Naples, Italy;2. Dipartimento di Ingegneria dei Materiali e della Produzione, Università “Federico II”, Piazzale Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy |
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| Abstract: | In this work, we report thermodynamic, kinetic, and microrheological studies relative to the formation of PNA‐ and PNA/DNA‐based noncovalent polymeric systems, useful tools for biotechnological and bioengineering applications. We realized two kinds of systems: a PNA‐based system formed by a self‐assembling PNA tridendron, and a PNA/DNA hybrid system formed by a PNA tridendron and a DNA linker. The formation of a three‐dimensional polymeric network, by means of specific Watson–Crick base pairing, was investigated by a detailed UV and CD spectroscopic study. Preliminary microrheology experiments were performed on both systems to evaluate their viscoelastic properties which resulted in agreement with the formation of soluble hyperbranched polymers that could be useful for drug/gene delivery, as well as for encapsulating organic pollutants of different shapes and sizes in environmental applications. Copyright © 2009 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. |
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| Keywords: | noncovalent polymers PNA/DNA building blocks UV/CD studies microrheology |
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