Corinne Vebert-Nardin

Oligonucleotide nanostructured surfaces: effect on Escherichia coli curli expression.

Oligonucleotide model surfaces allowing independent variation of topography and chemical composition were designed to study the adhesion and biofilm growth of E.coli. Surfaces were produced by covalent binding of oligonucleotides and immobilization of nucleotide-based vesicles. Their properties were confirmed through a combination of fluorescence microscopy, XPS, ellipsometry, AFM and wettability studies at each step of the process. These surfaces were then used to study the response of three different strains of E.coli quantified in a static biofilm growth mode. This study led to convincing evidence that oligonucleotide-modified surfaces, independent of the topographical feature used in this study, enhanced curli expression without an increase in the number of adherent bacteria.

DNA–Polymer Conjugates: From Synthesis, Through Complex Formation and Self-assembly to Applications

With this review, we aim at achieving a comprehensive and up to date look at the broad topic of DNA conjugates as well as summarizing the important trends in the particular field of materials based on nucleic acids.

Towards Biologically Active Self-assemblies: Model Nucleotide Chimeras

With this article, we wish to give an overview of our main research activities assessing the potential of a suitable polymer modification of DNA fragments to self-assemble biologically active nanostructures. Specifically, the grafting of a hydrophobic polymer segment on DNA fragments results in amphiphilic nucleotide-based macromolecules, which, owing to both chemical and physical incompatibility, organize in self-assembled structures either on surfaces or in aqueous solution. Through the combination of the existing know-how in polymer chemistry with modern analytical techniques, we are currently focusing on establishing the mechanism of self-assembly of the polymer-modified nucleotide sequences in solution and on surfaces prior to the assessment of their hybridization capacity once involved in the ensemble. With the evaluation of the potential of the functional nanostructures to undergo biological-like adhesion through hybridization one can eventually foresee that the optimal functionality of these bio-inspired systems could be fine-tuned for biological applications such as drug delivery, gene therapy, tissue engineering and the design of either biomedical devices or biosensors.

Conference report of the 43rd Chemistry CUSO Summer School Villars 2012: inorganic and metallosupramolecular polymers.

In his second lecture Manners focused on metallopolymers, mainly poly(ferrocenyl)silanes (PFS). Different main and side chain metallopolymers were presented, e.g. as sensors for NO or O 2 . Manners emphasized that the metallosupramolecular coordination is reversible and can be used in self-healing materials, for example. Being one of the leading scientists in the field of PFS, Manners especially highlighted the on-going research and challenges in this area. The route of synthesizing PFS by living (anionic) ring-opening polymerization of strained ferrocenophane metallorings (see Scheme 1) can also be used for other metallopolymers. Manners also pointed out possible applications of PFSbased on their redox activity, like redox-active gels or capsules, precursors of magnetic and catalytically active ceramics, and as a template for the growth of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNT).Another example for the use of PFSwas the synthesisof redox-responsivephotoniccrystalsbasedonPFSgels. In this approach a PFS gel and monodispersed microspheres are combined, resulting in a responsive composite. PFS are also used in polymerization, mainly in block polymerization. Depending on the added monomer(s), a variety of interesting structures can be obtained by self-assembly. For example, a polyisoprenePFS block copolymer led to the formation of cylinders with a crystalline polyferrocenyl core and a polyisoprene corona.