Thesis subject
MSc - Enhancing stability of DNA-block copolypeptides by cross linking
Nucleic acid delivery (DNA or RNA) is an emergent therapy that promises to solve effectively many illnesses as cancer or others. However, it is necessarily to design efficient vehicles for effective delivery of such molecules. Recently, we have designed a cationic block polypeptide that can coat specifically DNA forming rod structures similar to viruses. In order to have an efficient protection against digestion or attack by other proteins is necessary to enhance the stability and delivery.
The goal of the project would be to get specific conditions for optimal cross linking of the protein once is coating the DNA in order to increase the stability against degradation by DNAse and to tune the DNA releasing. Different ways to cross-link would include chemical or enzymatically.
Experimental techniques:
Experimentally Atomic force Microscopy will be used to visualize the DNA-protein complexes, biochemical methods such as agarose gel or spectroscopic methods will be used to test degradation by DNA and DNA release at different chemical conditions.
