June 20, 2012 New research from North Carolina State University
finds that gold nanoparticles with a slight positive charge work
collectively to unravel DNA's double helix. This finding has
ramifications for gene therapy research and the emerging field
of DNA-based electronics. "We began this work with the goal of
improving methods of packaging genetic material for use in gene
therapy," says Dr. Anatoli Melechko, an associate professor of
materials science and engineering at NC State and co-author of a
paper describing the research. Gene therapy is an approach for
addressing certain medical conditions by modifying the DNA in
relevant cells. The research team introduced gold nanoparticles,
approximately 1.5 nanometers in diameter, into a solution
containing double-stranded DNA. The nanoparticles were coated
with organic molecules called ligands. Some of the ligands held
a positive charge, while others were hydrophobic -- meaning they
were repelled by water. Because the gold nanoparticles had a
slight positive