Lyotropic isotropic to columnar phase transition in RNA solutions

RNA oligomers exhibit lyotropic chiral nematic and columnar liquid crystal phases. The lyotropic chiral nematic and columnar phases with special emphasize on the isotropic to columnar phase transition in RNA solutions are described based on Landau theory. A free energy is constructed based on the order parameters to describe the chiral nematic and columnar liquid crystal phases and isotropic to columnar phase transition. The lyotropic isotropic to columnar phase transition is found to be always first order. The birefringence has been calculated in the isotropic phase of isotropic to columnar phase transition. Theoretical observation of the existence of the lyotropic isotropic to columnar phase transition in RNA solutions is confirmed with experimental results.