Complexation of DNA with poly(methacryl oxyethyl trimethylammonium chloride) and its poly(oxyethylene) grafted analogue

Intermolecular complexes of genomic polydisperse DNA with synthetic polycations have been studied. Two cationic polymers have been used, a homopolymer poly(methacryl oxyethyl trimethylammonium chloride) (PMOTAC) and its analogue grafted with poly (oxyethylene). The amount of poly(oxyethylene) grafts in the copolymer was 15 mol % and M-w of the graft was 200 g/mol. Salmon DNA (sodium salt) was used. The average molecular weight (M-w) of DNA was 10.4 x 10(6) g/mol. Conductivity, pH, and dynamic light scattering studies were used to characterize the complexes. The size and shape of the polyelectrolyte complex particles have been studied as a function of the cation-to-anion ratio in aqueous solutions of varying ionic strengths. The polyelectrolyte complexes have extremely narrow size distributions taking into account the polydispersity of the polyelectrolytes studied. The poly(oxyethylene) grafts on PMOTAC promote the formation of small colloidally stabile complex particles. Addition of salt shifts the macroscopic phase separation toward lower polycation content; that is, complexes partly phase separate with the mixing ratios far from 1:1. Further addition of salt to the turbid, partly phase separated solution results in the dissociation of complexes and the polycation and DNA dissolve as individual chains.