Exploring the thermal stability of DNA-linked gold nanoparticles in ionic liquids and molecular solvents

dc.contributor.authorSmith, Brendan D.
dc.contributor.authorLiu, Juewen
dc.contributor.authorMenhaj, Arsalsan Beg
dc.date.accessioned2017-03-20T16:09:50Z
dc.date.available2017-03-20T16:09:50Z
dc.date.issued2012-11-01
dc.description.abstractWhile water is the most commonly used solvent for DNA, many co-solvents have been added for various applications. Ionic liquids (ILs) are molten salts at around room temperature. ILs have been tested as a green solvent for many reactions and many biopolymers can also be dissolved in ILs. In this work, we study DNA-linked gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) in seven types of ILs. DNA-functionalized AuNPs possess a high density of negative charges and thus may generate new physical properties in ILs. We have identified the role of ILs to transit from salts to increase DNA duplex stability to solvents to decrease DNA melting temperature. The onset of this transition depends on the structure of ILs, where more hydrophobic cations destabilize DNA at lower IL concentrations. This trend is opposite to molecular solvents (e.g. ethanol, DMSO, ACN and DMF) that destabilize DNA at low solvent concentration. Specific DNA base pairing is disrupted at high DMSO concentrations, and AuNPs are held together by non-specific interactions. The other tested molecular solvents are able to maintain DNA base pairs, although strong non-specific interactions are also present. Several ILs can release proton and thus drastically change pH, which also changes the melting temperature of DNA. This study also reveals the feasibility of using ILs as solvents for DNA-functionalized nanomaterials.en
dc.description.sponsorshipUniversity of Waterloo || Canada Foundation for Innovation || Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation || Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council ||en
dc.identifier.urihttp://dx.doi.org/10.1039/C2SC20565C
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10012/11538
dc.language.isoenen
dc.publisherRoyal Society of Chemistryen
dc.subjectDNAen
dc.subjectgold nanoparticlesen
dc.subjectstabilityen
dc.titleExploring the thermal stability of DNA-linked gold nanoparticles in ionic liquids and molecular solventsen
dc.typeArticleen
dcterms.bibliographicCitationMenhaj, A. B., Smith, B. D., & Liu, J. (2012). Exploring the thermal stability of DNA-linked gold nanoparticles in ionic liquids and molecular solvents. Chemical Science, 3(11), 3216-3220.en
uws.contributor.affiliation1Faculty of Scienceen
uws.contributor.affiliation2Chemistryen
uws.contributor.affiliation2Waterloo Institute of Nanotechnologyen
uws.peerReviewStatusRevieweden
uws.scholarLevelFacultyen
uws.typeOfResourceTexten

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