Wagner, E., Zenke, M., Cotten, M. , Beug, H. and Birnstiel, M.L. (1990) Transferrin-polycation conjugates as carriers for DNA uptake into cells. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 87(9), pp. 3410-3414. (PMID:2333290) (PMCID:PMC53910)
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Publisher's URL: https://www.pnas.org/content/87/9/3410
Abstract
We have developed a high-efficiency nucleic acid delivery system that uses receptor-mediated endocytosis to carry DNA macromolecules into cells. We accomplished this by conjugating the iron-transport protein transferrin to polycations that bind nucleic acids. Human transferrin, as well as the chicken homologue conalbumin, has been covalently linked to the small DNA-binding protein protamine or to polylysines of various sizes through a disulfide linkage. These modified transferrin molecules maintain their ability to bind their cognate receptor and to mediate efficient iron transport into the cell. The transferrin-polycation molecules form electrophoretically stable complexes with double-stranded DNA, single-stranded DNA, and modified RNA molecules independent of nucleic acid size (from short oligonucleotides to DNA of 21 kilobase pairs). When complexes of transferrin-polycation and a bacterial plasmid DNA containing the gene for Photinus pyralis luciferase are supplied to eukaryotic cells, high-level expression of the luciferase gene occurs, demonstrating transferrin receptor-mediated endocytosis and expression of the imported DNA. We refer to this delivery system as "transferrinfection."
Item Type: | Articles |
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Status: | Published |
Refereed: | Yes |
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: | Cotten, Professor Matthew |
Authors: | Wagner, E., Zenke, M., Cotten, M., Beug, H., and Birnstiel, M.L. |
College/School: | College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Infection & Immunity College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Infection & Immunity > Centre for Virus Research |
Journal Name: | Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America |
Publisher: | National Academy of Sciences |
ISSN: | 0027-8424 |
ISSN (Online): | 1091-6490 |
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