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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 20 January 2012
DNA is an anionic polyelectrolyte, which occupies a large volume in saltfree solution due to the coulomb repulsion between the charged groups. Inthe presence of high valence cations, DNA condenses into nanoparticles. DNAnanoparticles have generated a lot of interest as a preferred vehicle fordelivering therapeutic DNA in gene therapy. The efficiency of gene deliveryis determined by stability and compactness of the particles. However notmuch is known about the organization of DNA within the particles. The largepolymer cations condense DNA rapidly, with no distinct intermediate stagesthat give insight into the arrangement of DNA within the nanoparticle. Inour work, we form nanoparticles with short DNA strands to slow down thecondensation process. The polymer cation is polyethyleneimine with graftedsugar moieties. Distinct intermediate stages are observed with Atomic ForceMicroscopy. The assembly occurs via the formation of fiber condensates,which appear to be the unit of DNA condensation. Nanoparticles form bycompaction of interweaving networks of fiber condensates.