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Hydrophobic interactions control the self-assembly of DNA and cellulose

Lindman, Björn LU ; Medronho, Bruno LU ; Alves, Luís ; Nordenskiöld, Lars and Norgren, Magnus LU (2021) In Quarterly Reviews of Biophysics 54.
Abstract

Desoxyribosenucleic acid, DNA, and cellulose molecules self-assemble in aqueous systems. This aggregation is the basis of the important functions of these biological macromolecules. Both DNA and cellulose have significant polar and nonpolar parts and there is a delicate balance between hydrophilic and hydrophobic interactions. The hydrophilic interactions related to net charges have been thoroughly studied and are well understood. On the other hand, the detailed roles of hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions have remained controversial. It is found that the contributions of hydrophobic interactions in driving important processes, like the double-helix formation of DNA and the aqueous dissolution of cellulose, are dominating... (More)

Desoxyribosenucleic acid, DNA, and cellulose molecules self-assemble in aqueous systems. This aggregation is the basis of the important functions of these biological macromolecules. Both DNA and cellulose have significant polar and nonpolar parts and there is a delicate balance between hydrophilic and hydrophobic interactions. The hydrophilic interactions related to net charges have been thoroughly studied and are well understood. On the other hand, the detailed roles of hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions have remained controversial. It is found that the contributions of hydrophobic interactions in driving important processes, like the double-helix formation of DNA and the aqueous dissolution of cellulose, are dominating whereas the net contribution from hydrogen bonding is small. In reviewing the roles of different interactions for DNA and cellulose it is useful to compare with the self-assembly features of surfactants, the simplest case of amphiphilic molecules. Pertinent information on the amphiphilic character of cellulose and DNA can be obtained from the association with surfactants, as well as on modifying the hydrophobic interactions by additives.

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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Amphiphilic additives, cellulose, DNA, hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic interactions
in
Quarterly Reviews of Biophysics
volume
54
article number
e3
publisher
Cambridge University Press
external identifiers
  • pmid:33541444
  • scopus:85101025603
ISSN
1469-8994
DOI
10.1017/S0033583521000019
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
d1d66c56-f57d-447c-8e7a-e802835fda3a
date added to LUP
2021-03-01 14:14:21
date last changed
2024-06-13 07:52:53
@article{d1d66c56-f57d-447c-8e7a-e802835fda3a,
  abstract     = {{<p>Desoxyribosenucleic acid, DNA, and cellulose molecules self-assemble in aqueous systems. This aggregation is the basis of the important functions of these biological macromolecules. Both DNA and cellulose have significant polar and nonpolar parts and there is a delicate balance between hydrophilic and hydrophobic interactions. The hydrophilic interactions related to net charges have been thoroughly studied and are well understood. On the other hand, the detailed roles of hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions have remained controversial. It is found that the contributions of hydrophobic interactions in driving important processes, like the double-helix formation of DNA and the aqueous dissolution of cellulose, are dominating whereas the net contribution from hydrogen bonding is small. In reviewing the roles of different interactions for DNA and cellulose it is useful to compare with the self-assembly features of surfactants, the simplest case of amphiphilic molecules. Pertinent information on the amphiphilic character of cellulose and DNA can be obtained from the association with surfactants, as well as on modifying the hydrophobic interactions by additives.</p>}},
  author       = {{Lindman, Björn and Medronho, Bruno and Alves, Luís and Nordenskiöld, Lars and Norgren, Magnus}},
  issn         = {{1469-8994}},
  keywords     = {{Amphiphilic additives; cellulose; DNA; hydrogen bonding; hydrophobic interactions}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Cambridge University Press}},
  series       = {{Quarterly Reviews of Biophysics}},
  title        = {{Hydrophobic interactions control the self-assembly of DNA and cellulose}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0033583521000019}},
  doi          = {{10.1017/S0033583521000019}},
  volume       = {{54}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}