Abstract
DNA-tethered poly-N-isopropylacrylamide copolymer chains, pNIPAM, that include nucleic acid tethers have been synthesized. They are capable of inducing pH-stimulated crosslinking of the chains by i-motif structures or to be bridged by Ag+ ions to form duplexes. The solutions of pNIPAM chains undergo crosslinking at pH 5.2 or in the presence of Ag+ ions to form hydrogels. The hydrogels reveal switchable hydrogel-to-solution transitions by the reversible crosslinking of the chains at pH 5.2 and the separation of the crosslinking units at pH 7.5, or by the Ag+ ion-stimulated crosslinking of the chains and the reverse dissolution of the hydrogel by the cysteamine-induced elimination of the Ag+ ions. The DNA-crosslinked hydrogels are thermosensitive and undergo reversible temperature-controlled hydrogel-to-solid transitions. The solid pNIPAM matrices are protected against the OH- or cysteamine-stimulated dissociation to the respective polymer solutions.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 10134-10138 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Angewandte Chemie - International Edition |
Volume | 53 |
Issue number | 38 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 15 Sep 2014 |
Externally published | Yes |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.
Keywords
- N-isopropylacrylamide
- nucleic acids
- phase transitions
- reversible hydrogels
- thermosensitive polymers