Thermoresponsive DNA by Intercalation of dsDNA with Oligoethylene-Glycol-Functionalized Small-Molecule Intercalators.

Thermoresponsive polymeric materials are important building blocks for smart materials. In this work, the transformation of dsDNA into a thermoresponsive polymer is reported by intercalation of short, oligoethylene-glycol-modified proflavine intercalators. The thermoresponsiveness of the dsDNA-intercalator complex originates from the heating-induced dehydration of the ethylene glycol side chains, which leads to aggregation of the intercalated dsDNA. This work demonstrates the possibility of designing small-molecule intercalators to prepare thermoresponsive dsDNA complexes with tunable lower critical solution temperature behavior.