Effect of chain length on transfection properties of spermine-based gemini surfactants

Abstract

The synthesis and associated structure-activity relationships for gene transfection of a series of spermine-derived cationic gemini surfactants incorporating diamino acid headgroups and either identical (symmetrical) or different (unsymmetrical) lipophilic tailgroups is described. Transfection activity is found to depend critically upon the structural elements present.