Partitioning of ssRNA Molecules between Preformed Monolithic HII Liquid Crystalline Phases of Lipids and Supernatant Isotropic Phases

The interaction of nucleic acids with the nanoarchitectures formed by lipidic systems is a new area of research that may offer insights into the functioning of genetic materials in vivo. Here we report that ssRNA has a strong preference to reside in isotropic solution rather than in inverse hexagonal (H-II) liquid crystalline phases. This is in contrast to dsDNA, which becomes localized in the pores of the H-II phase. The RNA that does associate with the external surfaces of the H-II phase appears to form an accretion layer, tens of molecules thick, but this layer still allows the transcription of dsDNA that resides within the pores of the phase.