Abstract
The effect of charge density and hydrophobicity of the polymeric cations on cell disruption is studied thermodynamically and kinetically by using the budding yeast protoplast. It is found that cationic polymers drastically disrupt the cells above a certain concentration while nonionic and anionic ones do not. Reduced charge density of copolymers of cationic and nonionic monomers resulted in decreased cell disruption. However, it is further experimentally proved that the disruption of the cells occurs only when the polycation has a certain hydrophobicity. The stronger the hydrophobicity of the cationic polymer, the more cooperatively the cells are disrupted.
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Received: 29 May 2000 Accepted: 1 September 2000
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Narita, T., Ohtakeyama, R., Matsukata, M. et al. Kinetic study of cell disruption by ionic polymers with varied charge density. Colloid Polym Sci 279, 178–183 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/s003960000411
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s003960000411