Molecular design of polyamines and related compounds for controlled DNA folding transition

A library of designed DNA compaction agents based on multicationic polyamines, which can fold a DNA polymer chain into condensates with high density due to negative charge neutralization of DNA, are synthesized, and the structure-activity relationship in DNA compaction is investigated. It becomes obvious that the activity is strongly affected by non-electrostatic interactions with DNA, such as hydrophobic (hydrophilic), intercalation, and chirality effects, as well as by efficiency of charge interactions and geometry matching between charged groups of DNA and compaction agents.