Issue 7, 2015

pH-responsive and switchable triplex-based DNA hydrogels

Abstract

New methods for the preparation of reversible pH-responsive DNA hydrogels based on Hoogsteen triplex structures are described. One system consists of a hydrogel composed of duplex DNA units that bridge acrylamide chains at pH = 7.4 and undergoes dissolution at pH = 5.0 through the reconfiguration of one of the duplex bridging units into a protonated CG·C+ triplex structure. The second system consists of a hydrogel consisting of acrylamide chains crosslinked in the presence of an auxiliary strand by Hoogsteen TA·T triplex interaction at pH = 7.0. The hydrogel transforms into a liquid phase at pH = 10.0 due to the separation of the triplex bridging units. The two hydrogel systems undergo reversible and cyclic hydrogel/solution transitions by subjecting the systems to appropriate pH values. The anti-cancer drug, coralyne, binds specifically to the TA·T triplex-crosslinked hydrogel thereby increasing its stiffness. The pH-controlled release of the coralyne from the hydrogel is demonstrated.

Graphical abstract: pH-responsive and switchable triplex-based DNA hydrogels

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Edge Article
Submitted
16 Febr. 2015
Accepted
12 Maijs 2015
First published
13 Maijs 2015
This article is Open Access

All publication charges for this article have been paid for by the Royal Society of Chemistry
Creative Commons BY-NC license

Chem. Sci., 2015,6, 4190-4195

pH-responsive and switchable triplex-based DNA hydrogels

J. Ren, Y. Hu, C. Lu, W. Guo, M. A. Aleman-Garcia, F. Ricci and I. Willner, Chem. Sci., 2015, 6, 4190 DOI: 10.1039/C5SC00594A

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