Physicochemical Characterization of Nucleic Acid Nanoparticles

Abstract

Nucleic Acid Nanoparticles (NANPs) can be assembled into well-defined geometrical architectures from single or multiple oligonucleotides due to the nucleotides’ unique ability to form Watson–Crick base pairing and base stacking interactions. The Dynamic Light Scattering technique is helpful to assess the hydrodynamic diameter of a nanoparticle as well as information about homogeneity of the solution and average surface charge of the NANPs. The EMSA approach is a non-denaturing method used to separate NANPs using polyacrylamide or agarose gel electrophoresis. Agarose gels are usually casted in a horizontal position where the plastic well forming comb is inserted into the cathode region of the gel. NANPs are denatured with the application of heat.