Shandong Science ›› 2020, Vol. 33 ›› Issue (5): 119-126.doi: 10.3976/j.issn.1002-4026.2020.05.015

• Other Research Article • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Inhibition of DNA condensation by anions of various valencies

LI Cong-cong, YANG Guang-can, WANG Yan-wei*   

  1. School of Mathematics and Physics, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
  • Received:2020-05-07 Online:2020-10-08 Published:2020-09-27

Abstract: To quantitatively study the inhibitory effect of anions on DNA condensation and charge neutralization, the effect of anions of various valencies on cation-mediated DNA condensation was studied using dynamic light scattering and atomic force microscopy (ATM). Dynamic light scattering experiments showed that anions reduced the electrophoretic mobility of DNA in the presence of cations, indicating that charge neutralization of DNA was inhibited. The higher valence of anions, the stronger was the inhibition of electrophoretic mobility. Different anions exerted the same inhibitory effect and trend on DNA charge neutralization at the same concentration of various cations. Meanwhile, the morphological changes in DNA condensation as observed by AFM led to the same conclusion. At the same cation concentration, highvalent cations showed more potent inhibition on DNA condensation than lowvalent cations, which make the DNA aggregation morphology more loose. These observations further confirmed that anions have a weakening effect on cationmediated DNA condensation.

Key words: DNA condensation, charge inversion, anion, cation, inhibitory effect

CLC Number: 

  • Q71