Journal Article

FZJ-2016-06442

http://join2-wiki.gsi.de/foswiki/pub/Main/Artwork/join2_logo100x88.png Smectic phase in suspensions of gapped DNA duplexes

Salamonczyk, M. ; Zhang, J.FZJ* ; Portale, G. ; Zhu, C. ; Kentzinger, E.FZJ* ; Gleeson, J. T. ; Jakli, A. ; De Michele, C. (Corresponding author) ; Dhont, J. K. G.FZJ* ; Sprunt, S. ; Stiakakis, E. (Corresponding author)FZJ*

2016
Nature Publishing Group London

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Please use a persistent id in citations: http://hdl.handle.net/2128/12909  doi:10.1038/ncomms13358

Abstract: Smectic ordering in aqueous solutions of monodisperse stiff double-stranded DNA fragments is known not to occur, despite the fact that these systems exhibit both chiral nematic and columnar mesophases. Here, we show, unambiguously, that a smectic-A type of phase is formed by increasing the DNA’s flexibility through the introduction of an unpaired single-stranded DNA spacer in the middle of each duplex. This is unusual for a lyotropic system, where flexibility typically destabilizes the smectic phase. We also report on simulations suggesting that the gapped duplexes (resembling chain-sticks) attain a folded conformation in the smectic layers, and argue that this layer structure, which we designate as smectic-fA phase, is thermodynamically stabilized by both entropic and energetic contributions to the system’s free energy. Our results demonstrate that DNA as a building block offers an exquisitely tunable means to engineer a potentially rich assortment of lyotropic liquid crystals.

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Contributing Institute(s):

1. Streumethoden (JCNS-2)
2. Streumethoden (PGI-4)
3. JARA-FIT (JARA-FIT)
4. Weiche Materie (ICS-3)
5. JARA-SOFT (JARA-SOFT)

Research Program(s):

1. 144 - Controlling Collective States (POF3-144) (POF3-144)
2. 524 - Controlling Collective States (POF3-524) (POF3-524)
3. 6212 - Quantum Condensed Matter: Magnetism, Superconductivity (POF3-621) (POF3-621)
4. 6213 - Materials and Processes for Energy and Transport Technologies (POF3-621) (POF3-621)
5. 6G4 - Jülich Centre for Neutron Research (JCNS) (POF3-623) (POF3-623)

Appears in the scientific report 2016

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