Counterion effects on nano-confined metal–drug–DNA complexes

• Nupur Biswas,
• Sreeja Chakraborty,
• Alokmay Datta,
• Munna Sarkar,
• Mrinmay K. Mukhopadhyay,
• Mrinal K. Bera and
• Hideki Seto

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2016, 7, 62–67, doi:10.3762/bjnano.7.7

• counterions present in a buffer. X-ray reflectivity at and away from the Cu K absorption edge and atomic force microscopy studies reveal that confinement segregates the drug molecules preferentially in a top layer of the DNA film, and counterions enhance this segregation. Keywords: confinement; metal–drug

• –DNA composites; polyelectrolyte; X-ray scattering; Introduction Condensed state behaviour of DNA, the best-known biopolymer, in a confined space is a matter of interest due to its relevance in living systems. Within cells DNA molecules remain in a confined space crowded by other molecules and ions