Work

New structures in complex formation between DNA and cationic liposomes visualized by freeze—fracture electron microscopy

Year: 1994

Type: article

Abstract: Structures formed during interaction of cationic liposomes and plasmid DNA were studied by freeze-fracture electron microscopy and their morphology was found to be dependent on incubation time and DNA concentration. These structures were formed with liposomes composed of DC-Chol and DOPE after 30 min incubation at DNA:lipid concentrations encompassing maximal transfection activity. They resembled liposome complexes (meatballs) and additionally bilayer-covered DNA tubules (spaghetti), whereby the DNA-tubules were found to be connected to the liposome complexes as well as occurring free in the suspension. At later times and higher DNA-to-liposome ratios the complexes grow larger while their membranes become discontinuous, allowing the self-encapsulation of the DNA. The relative transfection potency of the various morphologically distinct structures is discussed.

Source: FEBS Letters

DOI: 10.1016/0014-5793(94)01315-2

Authors: Brigitte Sternberg, Frank L. Sorgi, Leaf Huang

Institutions: Friedrich Schiller University Jena, University of Pittsburgh

Language: English

Topic: RNA Interference and Gene Delivery

Subfield: Molecular Biology

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

Open Access status: bronze