A composition includes a biodegradable hydrogel that includes a hydrogel forming base polymer and a plurality of physiologically degradable ester linkages, amide linkages, azide-alkyne cycloaddition linkages, acrylate-thiol linkages, urethane linkages, and/or methacrylate-thiol linkages, a polynucleotide coupling polymeric molecule; and a polynucleotide. The polynucleotide is released under physiological conditions in a spatial and/or temporally controlled or predetermined manner from the composition.