Liposome/DNA systems: correlation between hydrophobicity and DNA conformational changes.

In a previous work, we found that liposome hydrophobicity could affect deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) association efficiency. Now, we have focused on the possible correlation between liposome hydrophobicity and DNA conformation. DNA lyophilized with cationic vesicles with high hydrophobicity changes its conformation into a more condensed form, probably the C form. With noncharged vesicles, it changes its conformation from B to a partial A form. These results contribute to a better understanding of the interaction between DNA and lipids, suggesting there is direct relationship between hydrophobicity and DNA conformation changes: The higher the hydrophobicity factor, the more pronounced the changes in DNA form, to a more condensed form.