Multi-phase ionotropic liquid crystalline gels with controlled architecture by self-assembly of biopolymers

Building structures using self-assembly requires an understanding of interaction amongst the building blocks. We make use of the natural polysaccharide Curdlan and polynucleotide DNA as our building blocks to create a hybrid liquid crystalline gel. This communication demonstrates a new method for synthesizing a hybrid liquid crystalline gel system of DNA and Curdlan. Using polarized light, a trend of decreasing crystallinity is observed in mm and cm scale architectures as the concentration of DNA within the Curdlan matrix increases. Concentration dependent nano-structures (5–20 nm) and microparticles (1–10 μm) are also synthesized using the hybrid system and characterized using TEM. The extension of crystallinity is observed as we move from macro- to nano-scale structures. These systems equip us with powerful tools to understand the self-assembly of macromolecules.