Trehalose-based Siamese twin amphiphiles with tunable self-assembling, DNA nanocomplexing and gene delivery properties.

An original family of multivalent vectors encompassing gemini and facial amphiphilicity, namely cationic Siamese twin surfactants, has been prepared from the disaccharide trehalose; molecular engineering lets us modulate the self-assembling properties and the topology of the nanocomplexes with plasmid DNA for efficient gene delivery in vitro and in vivo.