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Dendritic poly(L-lysines) (DGL) constitute promising nanomaterials applicable as a nonviral gene-delivery vector. In this study, we evaluate the transfection abilities of four DGL generations with special emphasis on the systematic description of the relationship of how generation (i.e., molecule size) affects the transfection efficacy. Using Hep2 cells, we demonstrated that the capability of unmodified DGL to deliver plasmid is of a magnitude lower than that of jetPEI. On the other hand, employing the Hep2 cell line stably transduced with eGFP, we observed that DGL G5 delivers the siRNA oligonucleotide with the same efficiency as Lipofectamine 2000. In further experiments, it was shown that DGL affords excellent ability to bind DNA, protect it against DNase I attack, and internalize it into cells.

A series of mono-, di-, and trihalogenated acetate analogs of Zl 1-16: Ac were prepared and examined for electrophysiological activity in antennae of males of the diamondback moth,Plutella xylostella. In addition, two potential affinity labels, a diazoacetate (Dza) and a trifluoromethyl ketone (Tfp), were evaluated for EAG activity. The Z11-16∶Ac showed the highest activity in EAG assays, followed by the fluorinated acetates, but other halo-acetates were essentially inactive. The polar diazoacetate and the trifluoromethyl ketone were also very weak EAG stimulants. The effects of these analogs on the hydrolysis of [(3)H]Z11-16∶Ac to [(3)H]Z11-16∶OH by antennal esterases was also examined. The three fluorinated acetates showed the greatest activity as inhibitors in competition assays, with rank order F2Ac > F(3)Ac > FAc > Ac > Cl2Ac > ClAc > Dza > Br2Ac > BrAc > Tfp > I > Cl3Ac > Br3Ac > OH. The relative polarities of the haloacetates, as determined by TLC mobility, are in the order mono- > di- > trihalo, but F, Cl, Br, and I all confer similar polarities within a substitution group. Thus, the steric size appears to be the predominant parameter affecting the interactions of the haloacetate analogs with both receptor and catabolic proteins inP. xylostella males.