( ves of a zipper. By making synthetic DN...)Synthetic DNA Makes Better Hydrogels for Drug Delivery,Health

ves of a zipper. By making synthetic DNA chains whose sequences are complementary over only part of their length, Luo and colleagues have created tree-shaped structures.

To create hydrogels, they made branched DNA that formed itself into crosses, Y's and T's with "sticky" ends that could link to each other with the help of enzymes known as ligases. The cross-shaped branched DNA forms a gel by linking together into sheets of tiny squares that tangle in three dimensions; Y shapes form hexagonal structures like a chain link fence that combine into a fibrous three-dimensional form, while T shapes create random, disorganized patterns that look like an assembly of scales.

The researchers found that they could easily alter certain properties of the resulting gelatinous materials, including rigidity and absorbency, by adjusting the types of branched DNA used and the concentration of DNA in the mix. To demonstrate the ability of some of the materials to hold their shape, the researchers created them in a variety of different molds, including some that spelled out "CORNELL" at centimeter and nanoscales.

To test the use of the DNA hydrogels for delivering drugs, the researchers encapsulated porcine insulin and the anticancer drug Camptothecin and observed that the drugs were released in a controlled manner over time. When they encapsulated live cells in a gel, they found that the cells were still alive three days later. It is possible, the researchers said, that live cells encapsulated in a DNA hydrogel could be recovered, still alive, by breaking down the DNA structure with enzymes.

Source-Newswise
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