Polyelectrolyte complexes

Electrostatic interactions are important driving forces for numerous biological processes, e.g. organisation of DNA to packed chromosones, or interactions between enzymes and charged ligands. This is currently receiving interest, as polycation-induced condensation of DNA is a possible first step in preparing a therapeutic gene delivery vector. The research is two-fold, investigating the use of chitosan (and modified chitosans) for compaction of DNA for gene delivery, and in general investigating the influence of macromolecular properties and preparation conditions on the structure formation of condensing semiflexible biopolymers.

References:

• PEGylated chitosan complexes DNA while improving polyplex colloidal stability and gene transfection efficiency
  Maurstad, G., Stokke, B.T., Vårum, K.M., and Strand, S.P.
  Carbohydr. Polym. 94 (2013) 436-443
• Isothermal titration calorimetry study of the polyelectrolyte complexation of xanthan and chitosan samples of different degree of polymerization.
  Maurstad G., Kitamura, S., and Stokke, B.T.
  Biopolymers 97 (2012) 1-10
• Polyelectrolyte complex formation using alginate and chitosan.
  Sæther, H.V., Holme, H., Maurstad, G., Smidsrød, O., and Stokke, B.T.
  Carbohydrate Polymers 74 (2008) 813-821.
• The influence of charge density of chitosan in compacting polyanions DNA and xanthan.
  Maurstad, G., Danielsen, S., Stokke, B.T.
  Biomacromolecules 8 (2007) 1124-1130.
• Toroids of stiff polyelectrolytes.
  Maurstad, G., and Stokke, B.T.
  Curr. Opinion in Colloid and Interface Science 10 (2005) 16-21.
• Polycation induced DNA condensation and polyplex stability in the presence of competing polyanions
  Danielsen, S., Maurstad, G. and Stokke, B.T.
  Biopolymers 77 (2005) 86-97.
• A new approach to chitosan-mediated gene delivery based on easily dissociated chitosan polyplexes of highly defined chitosan oligomers.
  Köping-Höggård, M., Vårum, K.M., Issa, M., Danielsen, S., Christensen, B E., Stokke, B T., and Artursson, P.
  Gene Therapy 11 (2004) 1441-1452
• Structural analysis of chitosan mediated DNA condensation by AFM: Influence of chitosan molecular parameters
  Danielsen, S., Vårum, K M. and Stokke, B.T.
  Biomacromolecules 5 (2004) 928-936.
• Analysis of compacted semiflexible polyanions visualized by AFM: Influence of chain stiffness on morphologies of polyelectrolyte complexes.
  Maurstad, G., Danielsen, S. and Stokke, B.T.
  J. Phys. Chem. B. 107 (2003) 8172 - 8180.