Nanoclusteration of DNA with Dendronized Polymer in Terms of Free Energy A. Nikakhtara,†, A. Nasehzadeha,* and G.A. Mansoorib aDepartment of Chemistry, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman 76175 bDepartments of Bio & Chemical Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612 USA (Received 8 October 2005, Accepted 15 February 2006)
A thermodynamic cycle for the nanoclusteration between DNA and dendronized polymer is proposed and electrostatic free energies of a series of DNA- dendronized polymer nanoclusteration processes are calculated. The free energies for assembling fixed charges and mobile ions, and the bending energies of the DNA chain wrapped around the dendronized polymer are taken into consideration. The free energies of nanoclusteration are calculated for a number of nanoclusters with different conformations at constant temperature and constant ionic strength. The effects of temperature and ionic strength on the free energy of nanoclusteration and stability of their conformations are also investigated. Keywords: Nanoclusteration, Dendronized polymer, DNA, Free energy, Nano-cylinder, Gene therapy | 
