Two-Dimensional Smectic Ordering of Linear DNA Chains in Self-Assembled DNA-Cationic Liposome Mixtures

Abstract

We report a synchrotron x-ray scattering study of linear DNA chains and cationic liposome mixtures which spontaneously self-assemble into a coupled two-dimensional (2D) smectic phase of DNA chains imbedded between lipid bilayers of a 3D smectic phase. The DNA peak is quantitatively described by anisotropic exponentially decaying chain-chain correlations. The measured interchain compressibility modulus $B(d)$ as a function of the interhelical spacing $d$ of the 2D smectic, with $25<d<60\AA{}$, is not described by hard core repulsions but, rather, is dominated at larger spacings $d>35\AA{}$ by long-range electrostatic repulsions.